Sr. Analyst, Leave, Life & Disability, and Absence Programs

Michaels Stores•Irving, TX

11d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated and technically proficient Sr. Analyst, Leave, Life & Disability, and Absence Programs to serve as our North American Subject Matter Expert (SME). Reporting directly to the Manager of Benefits & Wellness, this role will be responsible for the governance, administration, vendor oversight, compliance, and continuous improvement of absence-related programs across the US and Canada. This is a highly influential, operational role in a fast-paced environment that requires independent judgement, strong vendor management capabilities, and deep regulatory expertise. This role will oversee Third Party Administrators (TPAs), develop and manage time-away-from-work programs, monitor evolving legislation, evaluate state/local/provincial time-off mandates, and deliver data-driven recommendations to leadership. Once established in the role, this individual will assume full ownership of program compliance, operational excellence, and vendor performance across all jurisdictions.

Requirements

5+ years of dedicated, progressive experience managing corporate leave administration, disability programs, voluntary benefit plans, and vendor management.
In-depth, practical knowledge of both US multi-state/local regulations and Canadian provincial leave legislation and statutory benefit structures.
Workday experience strongly preferred (specifically within Leave of Absence tracking, vendor integrations/EIBs, and reporting).
Proven ability to manage complex strategic initiatives while maintaining day-to-day program administration without losing momentum.
Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or equivalent work experience preferred.
Certified Professional in Disability Management, Certified Leave Management Specialist, or Certified Employee Benefit Specialist certification is a plus.
Expertise in managing third-party administrators and insurance carriers across Life, Disability, Voluntary, and Leave programs—holding vendors accountable to SLAs, evaluating clinical/administrative decisions, and managing contract requirements.
Strong familiarity with Workday Leave of Absence and Absence Management features, integration concepts (vendor demographic and status feeds), and reporting capabilities.
Advanced proficiency in Excel (XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS, Pivot Tables) to reconcile TPA reports, carrier billing, payroll deductions, and internal HRIS data into clean, executive-level reports.
Deep understanding of the interplay between FMLA, state/local paid leaves, ADA interactive processes, workers' compensation, and Canadian provincial standards (e.g., job protection triggers in Ontario or BC vs. US regulations).
Takes decisive ownership of continuous improvement initiatives, effectively aligning cross-functional teams and external vendors toward key milestones and launch deadlines.
Acts as a consultative expert to HRBPs, Team Member Services, Payroll, and Operations, conveying complex policy and legal requirements into clear business guidance.
Diagnoses root causes of administrative or system issues—distinguishing between vendor execution errors, system configuration bugs, or policy gaps—and implements permanent corrective actions.
Balances compassion for team members during personal leave and disability events with firm governance of company policies, carrier contracts, and statutory mandates.
Applicants in the U.S. must satisfy federal, state, and local legal requirements of the job.

Nice To Haves

Workday experience strongly preferred (specifically within Leave of Absence tracking, vendor integrations/EIBs, and reporting).
Certified Professional in Disability Management, Certified Leave Management Specialist, or Certified Employee Benefit Specialist certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

Partner closely with HR Business Partners (HRBPs), Team Member Service Center, Legal, Payroll, and Operations to manage complex leave and medical accommodations, resolve escalated claim issues, and ensure proper payroll tax administration and direct billing processes associated with paid leave mandates.
Serve as the primary relationship owner and operational liaison for our Life, Disability (STD/LTD), AD&D, Voluntary Programs (e.g., Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity), and Leave of Absence TPAs. Monitor vendor performance against established SLAs/KPIs, lead regular business reviews, audit claim determinations, and manage billing/financial reconciliations, including Team Member leave billing processes.
Serve as the primary technical expert on all US federal, state, and local time-off mandates (FMLA, ADA, state/city paid family and sick leave laws), Canadian federal and provincial leave/statutory standards, and internal paid time-off structures.
Design, implement, maintain, and continuously enhance leave, disability, and voluntary benefit programs. Proactively analyze program results, gaps, assess operational effectiveness, monitor legislative changes, and implement scalable solutions across the US and Canada.
Lead routine audits across Workday, payroll feeds, and carrier records to ensure data accuracy, correct premium deductions, and regulatory compliance. Manage required annual filings, reporting, and regulatory disclosures.
Provide secondary support to the broader Benefits team, including but not limited to assisting with open enrollment, benefit communications, and responding to Team Member inquiries through the company’s case management system.