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.

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