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Employee Benefits Product Owner, State Paid Family & Medical Leave (HYBRID OR REMOTE)
EquitableUnited StatesRemotefull_timeVerifiedPosted 25 Feb 2026
💰 $120,000/yr($100,000/yr – $120,000/yr)
About the role
About the Role
At Equitable, we help clients secure their financial well-being so they can pursue long and fulfilling lives- a mission we've honed since 1859.
Equitable is seeking a seasoned Senior Product Leader to own and advance our State Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) product strategy across all jurisdictions. This role will serve as the company's foremost expert on state-mandated PFML programs-responsible for end-to-end strategy, compliance interpretation, implementation, and cross-functional enablement. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in the evolving PFML landscape, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and a proven track record of translating complex regulation into market-leading employee benefit solutions. The role will be reporting into our Life, Disability, and Absence Product Leader.
What You'll Be Doing
Key Responsibilities
• Own PFML Strategy: Lead the enterprise-wide strategy for all state-mandated Paid Family and Medical Leave programs, ensuring alignment with our broader absence and disability portfolio.
• Regulatory Intelligence & Implementation: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of current and emerging PFML legislation. Interpret statutory requirements, assess business impact, and drive timely updates to ensure full compliance.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with Distribution, Operations, Claims, Underwriting, Legal, and Compliance to ensure PFML integration across the product lifecycle-from pricing and plan design to administration and client delivery.
• Product Development & Market Competitiveness: Develop and enhance PFML product offerings to strengthen market differentiation. Monitor competitor activity and market trends to identify opportunities for innovation.
• Annual Product Updates: Own the annual PFML update cycle-translating statutory changes into actionable business requirements and coordinating cross-functional execution.
• Thought Leadership & Enablement: Serve as the organization's PFML subject matter expert, representing the company externally with regulators, brokers, industry forums, and strategic partners. Provide training, guidance, and communication to internal teams and client/market facing audiences.
• Partner Collaboration: Collaborate with third-party administrators, payroll vendors, and technology partners to enhance digital integration and streamline client experiences.
This position offers a flexible work schedule: it may be fully remote/hybrid. If you are located near one of our offices (e.g., Charlotte, NC or Syracuse, NY), a hybrid schedule with 2-3 days on-site per week is expected to foster collaboration and connection.
The base salary range for this position is $100,000 - $120,000. Actual base salaries vary based on skills, experience, and geographical location. In addition to base pay, Equitable provides compensation to reward performance with base salary increases, spot bonuses, and short-term incentive compensation opportunities. Eligibility for these programs depends on level and functional area of responsibility.
For eligible employees, Equitable provides a full range of benefits. This includes medical, dental, vision, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off. For detailed descriptions of these benefits, please reference the link below.
Equitable Pay and Benefits: Equitable Total Rewards Program
What You Will Bring
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree required
• 5 years of experience in employee benefits, disability, or paid leave field/industry
• Demonstrated expertise in state PFML programs and their interaction with employer-sponsored benefits
• Proven success leading cross-functional initiatives and managing regulatory complexity
Preferred Qualifications
• Graduate degree (MBA, JD or equivalent)
• 10 years of experience in employee benefits, disability, or paid leave field/industry
• Deep understanding of leave administration, claims operations, and product pricing methodologies
• Strong analytical, strategic, and communication skills
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and influence across matrixed organizations
• Passion for building compliant, customer-centric solutions that simplify complexity
Skills
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Business Acumen: Knowledge of business concepts, tools, and processes that are needed for making sound decisions
At Equitable, we help clients secure their financial well-being so they can pursue long and fulfilling lives- a mission we've honed since 1859.
Equitable is seeking a seasoned Senior Product Leader to own and advance our State Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) product strategy across all jurisdictions. This role will serve as the company's foremost expert on state-mandated PFML programs-responsible for end-to-end strategy, compliance interpretation, implementation, and cross-functional enablement. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in the evolving PFML landscape, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and a proven track record of translating complex regulation into market-leading employee benefit solutions. The role will be reporting into our Life, Disability, and Absence Product Leader.
What You'll Be Doing
Key Responsibilities
• Own PFML Strategy: Lead the enterprise-wide strategy for all state-mandated Paid Family and Medical Leave programs, ensuring alignment with our broader absence and disability portfolio.
• Regulatory Intelligence & Implementation: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of current and emerging PFML legislation. Interpret statutory requirements, assess business impact, and drive timely updates to ensure full compliance.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with Distribution, Operations, Claims, Underwriting, Legal, and Compliance to ensure PFML integration across the product lifecycle-from pricing and plan design to administration and client delivery.
• Product Development & Market Competitiveness: Develop and enhance PFML product offerings to strengthen market differentiation. Monitor competitor activity and market trends to identify opportunities for innovation.
• Annual Product Updates: Own the annual PFML update cycle-translating statutory changes into actionable business requirements and coordinating cross-functional execution.
• Thought Leadership & Enablement: Serve as the organization's PFML subject matter expert, representing the company externally with regulators, brokers, industry forums, and strategic partners. Provide training, guidance, and communication to internal teams and client/market facing audiences.
• Partner Collaboration: Collaborate with third-party administrators, payroll vendors, and technology partners to enhance digital integration and streamline client experiences.
This position offers a flexible work schedule: it may be fully remote/hybrid. If you are located near one of our offices (e.g., Charlotte, NC or Syracuse, NY), a hybrid schedule with 2-3 days on-site per week is expected to foster collaboration and connection.
The base salary range for this position is $100,000 - $120,000. Actual base salaries vary based on skills, experience, and geographical location. In addition to base pay, Equitable provides compensation to reward performance with base salary increases, spot bonuses, and short-term incentive compensation opportunities. Eligibility for these programs depends on level and functional area of responsibility.
For eligible employees, Equitable provides a full range of benefits. This includes medical, dental, vision, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off. For detailed descriptions of these benefits, please reference the link below.
Equitable Pay and Benefits: Equitable Total Rewards Program
What You Will Bring
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree required
• 5 years of experience in employee benefits, disability, or paid leave field/industry
• Demonstrated expertise in state PFML programs and their interaction with employer-sponsored benefits
• Proven success leading cross-functional initiatives and managing regulatory complexity
Preferred Qualifications
• Graduate degree (MBA, JD or equivalent)
• 10 years of experience in employee benefits, disability, or paid leave field/industry
• Deep understanding of leave administration, claims operations, and product pricing methodologies
• Strong analytical, strategic, and communication skills
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and influence across matrixed organizations
• Passion for building compliant, customer-centric solutions that simplify complexity
Skills
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Business Acumen: Knowledge of business concepts, tools, and processes that are needed for making sound decisions
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