Associate Director, Leaves and Benefits Product Design

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

Position Summary

Bristol Myers Squibb is seeking a strategic and experienced Associate Director to lead our Leave & Absence Product and Process Design function. This high-impact leadership role is responsible for driving the strategic vision, operational excellence, and compliance framework for all company leave and absence programs globally.

In this role, you will oversee leave program design, process improvement, vendor partnerships, and leave and benefit systems management. This role will also provide strategic oversight of global benefits administration system capabilities (e.g., eligibility, enrollment, integrations, and employee self-service), ensuring aligned, scalable processes and an optimized employee experience.

You will serve as the subject matter expert and trusted advisor to HR Business Partners, senior leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders on all matters related to employee leave and absence.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in leave administration with global expertise, regulatory compliance (FMLA, ADA, state-mandated leave programs), and process transformation.

This role offers the opportunity to shape enterprise-wide leave strategy, lead M&A integration activities, and make a meaningful impact on the employee experience while ensuring best-in-class compliance and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Product Design

• Develop and execute processes and standards for leave and absence programs aligned with enterprise HR strategy and business objectives.
• Provide oversight and direction for the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of leave and absence processes, policies, and systems.
• Proactively monitor business trends, industry developments, and the regulatory landscape to anticipate potential impacts on leave programs, partnering with leadership to develop forward-looking solutions before issues arise.
• Navigate ambiguous and novel challenges, developing creative and pragmatic solutions where established frameworks or precedents may not exist, particularly in complex compliance, M&A, and cross-functional scenarios.
• Lead the evaluation and selection of leave and benefits administration platforms and technologies to enhance employee experience and operational efficiency.
• Provide product/process design oversight for benefits administration system capabilities, including requirements definition, configuration governance, and continuous improvement of employee-facing workflows (e.g., enrollment, life events, eligibility, evidence of insurability).
• Own the operating model for benefits system change management, including intake, prioritization, release planning, UAT coordination, and post-release monitoring to ensure stability and compliance.
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and service metrics; drive data-driven decision making through trend analysis and predictive insights.
• Drive measurable improvements in leave administration processes, systems, and employee experience outcomes that contribute to the overall effectiveness of the HR function.
• Build organizational capability and thought leadership in leave and absence management.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and manage a diverse team of senior-level professionals, team leads, and managers within the leave and absence function, providing direct oversight, coaching, and performance management across all levels of the team.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and customer-centricity.
• Build team capabilities through training, skill development, and knowledge management.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with leave administration, and benefits administration and technology vendors to ensure end-to-end service delivery across leave and benefits employee journeys.
• Define and manage SLAs and performance outcomes for both leave and benefits system services, including incident management, change requests, and operational readiness for annual enrollment and other peak periods.
• Conduct vendor performance reviews and implement corrective action plans as needed.
• Own the budget for leave administration systems and vendor services; ensure cost-effectiveness and ROI.
• Serve as primary escalation point for vendor-related issues and disputes.
• Partner with Procurement and Legal on contract renewals, RFPs, and vendor selections.
• Conduct cost-benefit analyses for benefits system enhancements, platform capabilities, and integration improvements to optimize cost, experience, and compliance outcomes.

 

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as subject matter expert and trusted advisor to HR Business Partners, Total Rewards leadership, and business stakeholders on leave and absence matters.
• Partner with Payroll, Benefits, HRIS, and other HR functions to ensure seamless integration within the Product Base Operating Model (PBOM) framework.
• Serve as the primary point of coordination for cross-functional work needed to maintain and improve benefits administration system integrity, including eligibility rules, deduction accuracy, vendor/carrier connectivity, and employee self-service content.
• Lead cross-functional incident response and stabilization for benefits system issues impacting employee experience, payroll deductions, or vendor feeds, ensuring timely resolution and stakeholder communications
• Represent leave and absence programs in enterprise-wide HR initiatives and transformation projects.
• Develop communication strategies and change management plans for program changes and enhancements.
• Design and oversee delivery of training programs for HR teams, managers, and employees on leave policies and best practices.

Compliance, Risk & Governance

• Establish governance framework and internal controls to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local leave regulations (FMLA, ADA, PFML, etc.).
• Identify emerging compliance risks and proactively escalate to senior leadership with recommended solutions.
• Partner with Legal/Compliance to ensure benefits system processes and data handling support regulatory requirements and audit readiness across regions.
• Oversee internal and external audits related to leave programs; ensure timely remediation of findings.
• Develop and maintain compliance documentation, standard operating procedures, and audit trails.
• Ensure data privacy and security standards are maintained across all leave administration activities.

M&A and Business Transformation

• Lead leave and absence workstream for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
• Support integration activities for leave and benefits administration systems, including eligibility mapping, enrollment/configuration readiness, vendor connectivity, and employee communications required for successful transitions
• Manage complex scenarios involving employees on leave during M&A transactions.
• Support due diligence activities related to leave liabilities and obligations.

Desired Experience

• 8+ years of progressive experience in leave and absence management, HR operations, or related field, with demonstrated expertise in strategic program management.
• 3+ years of people management experience, including leading teams and developing talent.
• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; advanced degree (MBA, MS) or equivalent years of experience.
• Proven track record of managing complex, global HR programs in matrixed organizations.
• Strong business acumen with experience managing budgets and vendor contracts.
• Deep knowledge of federal and state leave regulations (FMLA, ADA, PFML, etc.) and compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and drive process transformation.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Strategic thinking with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with competing priorities.
• Hands-on experience with HR, benefits and leave systems and other HR technology platforms, system implementation and management.

Ideal Candidates Would Also Have:

• Professional certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CEBS) highly desirable.
• Proven consulting skills with ability to influence without authority and drive consensus.
• Experience with Product Operating Model (POM) or Product Base Operating Model (PBOM) methodologies.
• Background in M&A integration or divestiture projects.
• Project management certification (PMP, Agile/Scrum) a plus.
• Strong business partnership orientation with ability to translate complex technical/regulatory concepts for diverse audiences.

If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn’t perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Tampa - FL - US: $162,010 - $196,318

The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee’s work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience. 

Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit https://careers.bms.com/life-at-bms/.
 

Benefit offerings are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans in effect at the time and may require enrollment. Our benefits include:

• Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.

• Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

• Financial Well-being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support.

​Work-life benefits include:

Paid Time Off

• US Exempt Employees: flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval, 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or Rayzebio employees)

• Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and Rayzebio Exempt, Non-Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays

Based on eligibility*, additional time off for employees may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Years Day.

All global employees full and part-time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown.

*Eligibility Disclosure: The summer hours program is for United States (U.S.) office-based employees due to the unique nature of their work. Summer hours are generally not available for field sales and manufacturing operations and may also be limited for the capability centers. Employees in remote-by-design or lab-based roles may be eligible for summer hours, depending on the nature of their work, and should discuss eligibility with their manager. Employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement should consult that document to determine if they are eligible. Contractors, leased workers and other service providers are not eligible to participate in the program.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers
With a single vision as inspiring as “Transforming patients’ lives through science™ ”, every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

Supporting People with Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If you believe that the job posting is missing information required by local law or incorrect in any way, please contact BMS at TAEnablement@bms.com. Please provide the Job Title and Requisition number so we can review. Communications related to your application should not be sent to this email and you will not receive a response. Inquiries related to the status of your application should be directed to Chat with Ripley.

R1600147 : Associate Director, Leaves and Benefits Product Design