PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Leave Management Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the administration of client leave of absence programs, ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, and serving as the primary communication bridge between administrative staff, clinical partners, employees, and client organizations. This role requires deep expertise in FMLA, disability services, and client-specific leave policies, along with the ability to manage casework, guide staff development, and deliver high-quality program support.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Serve as the central point of communication between the administrative team, clinical team, employees, client companies, health care providers, and clinical partners for all leave of absence programs.
• Ensure compliance with FMLA, state leave laws, client-specific policies, and confidentiality standards.
• Review documentation for leave approvals and denials; provide timely notifications to employees and client companies.
• Respond to periodic audits and maintain accurate records in accordance with compliance requirements.
• Direct the daily workload of Customer Service Specialists, Leave of Absence Case Managers, and/or Disability Case Managers.
• Oversee accurate maintenance of absence information in the software system, including comprehensive activity notes and updates when positions are vacant.
• Provide functional client knowledge and make case-related decisions with discretion and independent judgment.
• Responsible for staying current with all state & local leave programs and sick banks and ensuring compliance with all federal and state laws and company policies.
• Coach, train, and support new and existing team members through onboarding, development sessions, and ongoing feedback.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on client leave of absence programs, supporting the team with expert guidance and escalated issues.
• Conduct side-by-side listening and coaching sessions to strengthen staff performance.
• Assist with workload management and case resolution as needed.
• Optimizes partnership and collaboration with the company’s Third Party Administer to streamline processes and drive efficiency.
• Owns client/site meetings, committees, and task forces to support strategic initiatives and goals.
• Partners with functional partners in Employee Relations, HRBP’s, Benefits, Risk Management and Legal as needed for escalated cases or complex leaves.
• Partners with the cross-functional stakeholders on the development and delivery of training programs and job aids for team members. managers, and back-office support teams.
• Serves as main client contact on strategic integration and expansion opportunities, proactively identify client needs related to healthcare trends.
• Strategically identifies and solves complex problems effectively with an emphasis on developing proactive approaches utilizing internal (corporate and regional) support.
• Project-based work to develop/consult on an MLOA audit processes.
• Role in environmental monitoring (Heat/air quality).
• May require other duties as assigned.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university is preferred.
• Certified professional in disability management (CPDM) preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in leave of absence management, FMLA, disability services, or related fields.
• Prior experience in client management with the ability to build and maintain strong partnerships.
• Proven expertise in leave administration processes and client-specific program knowledge.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrates the ability to effectively manage complex multiple lines of service and clients.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state leave regulations, disability programs, and medical terminology.
• Prior experience in client management with the ability to build and maintain strong partnerships.
• Proven expertise in leave administration processes and client-specific program knowledge.
• Strong communication, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion, independent judgment, and maintain confidentiality.

Work-life balance is at the foundation of how decisions are made and where Premise is headed. We can only help people get, stay, and be well if we do the same for ourselves. In addition to competitive pay, Premise offers full-time team members benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) program with company match, paid holidays and vacation time, a company-sponsored wellness program, EAP, access to virtual primary care and virtual behavioral health at no cost for team members and their dependents. Additional benefits can be viewed here: https://jobs.premisehealth.com/benefits.