Manager of Leave Administration, Human Resources

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center • Dallas, TX

77d

About The Position

The Manager of Leave Administration is responsible for the strategic oversight and operational management of the organization's leave of absence programs, ensuring strict compliance with federal, state, and organizational policies. This role leads the day-to-day operations of the leave administration team, providing clear direction, coaching, and support to drive accuracy, accountability, and service excellence. The manager ensures timely and precise processing of leave requests (FMLA, parental, military, personal, etc.) and serves as a subject matter expert on all leave-related policies and regulatory requirements. In partnership with Payroll, HR Data Management, Benefits, Legal, and departmental leaders, this role proactively identifies risks, strengthens audit controls, and develops innovative solutions to streamline processes and improve efficiency. Beyond compliance, the manager leverages analytical insights, designs and implements standard operating procedures (SOPs), and champions continuous process improvements by thinking creatively and challenging traditional methods. The ultimate goal of this role is to deliver a compliant, efficient, and employee-centered leave program that enhances the overall workplace experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in business administration or related field
• 5 years progressive supervisory and leadership experience in HR, leave administration, benefits management, or related areas.
• Additional related work experience may be considered in lieu of stated minimum education on a year for year basis.

Nice To Haves

• PeopleSoft and UKG Dimensions or Kronos experience preferred.
• Leave certification such as DMEC or other leave related certifications

Responsibilities

• Manages Leave Administration following UTSW policies and procedures using effective management and communication skills to develop and ensure program effectiveness. This includes requests related but not limited to the following: Family Medical Leave Act, State Parental Leave Act, Military Leave, and Emergency Leave.
• Partner with HR Data Management, Payroll, Benefits, and Legal to resolve escalated and complex leave cases.
• Drive process improvement initiatives to streamline workflows and enhance service delivery.
• Approves and/or denies leave cases based on relevant medical information. Coordinates and organizes all medical information and ensures that HIPAA and Employee Privacy guidelines are closely monitored and effectively executed.
• Coordinates various projects and programs for the division, ensuring all tasks are completed by established deadlines and quality customer service is provided.
• Monitor performance metrics, prepare reports, and present insights to leadership on leave activity, trends, and compliance risks.
• Lead and manage the Leave Administration team, including hiring, training, coaching, and performance management.
• Develop, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistent and compliant processes.
• Establish and monitor audit controls to ensure data accuracy, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Conduct analytical reviews of leave data to identify trends, forecast operational needs, and recommend process improvements.
• Assists in the creation and facilitation of leave administration training programs.
• Manage the processing of all approved state leaves and coordinate review with leadership and HR business partners as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees