Leaves and Accommodations Partner

Serve as the primary subject matter expert, trusted advisor, and partner for the institution's leaves of absence and disability accommodation programs and systems. This role delivers compassionate employee support, ensures strict regulatory compliance, and strategically manages cases from initial requests through completion.

This is a full-time, benefits eligible, salaried position with a hiring range of $65,165 - $76,306 per year.

Core Responsibilities:

• Subject Matter Expertise: Serves as the subject matter expert for leaves and accommodations programs; interprets and administers policies in alignment with organizational guidelines and federal/state employment laws.
• Case & System Management: Provides beginning to end, timely case management, maintaining complete, accurate leave files and utilizes specialized leaves management software to log data and track cases.
• Interactive Dialogue: Maintains proactive contact with employees on leave, leads the interactive dialogue regarding ADA accommodations, and coordinates the return-to-work (RTW) process with supervisors and HR Business Partners (HRBPs).
• Liaison Management: Acts as the primary liaison with internal partners and external providers (disability, workers' comp), serving as a resource for eligibility, job protection, denials, and approvals.
• HR Business Partnering: Partners closely with HRBPs, HR leaders, and internal legal stakeholders on complex leave cases, proactively escalating and consulting on sensitive employee relations issues.
• Disability & Payroll Coordination: Ensures Short-Term Disability (STD) claims are coordinated with FML or discretionary medical leave; calculates and audits disability payments and leave time according to benefit schedules.
• Reporting & Continuous Improvement: Develops, generates, and presents regular reports to analyze leave data and trends, vendor performance and participating in multidisciplinary quality and service improvement initiatives as needed.
• Training & Education: Continuously monitors and learns about evolving laws and best practices and collaborates with HR partners to design, develop, and deliver ongoing education and training regarding leaves and accommodations for managers and leadership.

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or a related field (or equivalent experience) with 5 years of dedicated experience in leave administration or disability management preferred. We're looking for candidates with the skills, knowledge, and potential to succeed in this role. If you have relevant experience, transferable skills, or applicable knowledge—even if you don't meet the listed years of experience—we'd love to hear from you. We recognize that valuable expertise can be gained through a variety of professional, academic, volunteer, or lived experiences Professional leave administration or absence management certification preferred (or a willingness to obtain certification upon hire).
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep working knowledge of federal and state laws related to FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, Workers' Compensation, and state-specific paid leave programs, including required documentation practices.
• Agility & Attention to detail: Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining attention to detail and meeting multiple checkpoints and deadlines
• Technical Proficiency: High proficiency with leaves management tracking systems, payroll/HRIS systems, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook), Google Workspace, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Relationship Building: Demonstrated ability to build strong, positive relationships with internal employees and external vendors, serving as a trusted, consultative partner.
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Exceptional ability to maintain strict confidentiality, protect HIPAA/employee privacy guidelines, and navigate sensitive, emotionally charged situations with high tact and empathy.
• Critical Thinking & Analytics: Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data, prioritize high caseloads, and manage shifting compliance landscapes.
• Communication Skills: Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with a proven ability to present complex regulations clearly to audiences at all organizational levels.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Work is performed in an office environment with frequent computer use and periods of sitting/standing. Requires the ability to handle high-volume digital workflows and maintain focus in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.

Other:

An offer for this position is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and references.

As an employee of Middlebury College in Vermont, you will enjoy being part of a vibrant supportive community.

Middlebury offers its employees excellent compensation and competitive health, dental, life, disability, generous retirement matching, and vision benefits, and a generous time-away program - up to 34 days per year, increasing as the term of service lengthens. Employees are eligible for robust educational assistance programs. The result is a very high quality-of-life in a gorgeous setting. Middlebury College offers its employees excellent compensation and other perks of employment including:

• MiddCard Privileges: access to athletic facilities, discounts at the college store, library privileges, and cultural and sporting events. Spouses or domestic partners are eligible to receive a card with the same privileges.
• Discounts on season passes at Middlebury College's Snow Bowl, the Ralph Myhre Golf Course and the Rikert Outdoor Center.
• Access to our Partner Inclusion Program that provides comprehensive support services to the spouses and partners of Middlebury employees.
• A full listing of our benefit offerings can be found on our website or click to see some of the other fun perks of working at Middlebury, whether in Middlebury, VT or Monterey, CA!

Middlebury College is an equal-opportunity employer where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. To this end, the College recruits talented and diverse faculty, staff, and students from across the United States and around the world. Middlebury College encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of other protected classes and historically underrepresented communities. The College also invites applications from individuals who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.