Director - Leave of Absence - US and Canada

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At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact—every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

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As a part of the Colleague Experience Group, we strive to provide a great colleague experience every day. We obsess over understanding the colleague experience at a deeper level to co-create simple and great ways of working that enable everyone to be and deliver their best. We make a difference in the lives of our people, providing a culture of learning and collaboration, and helping them with what they need to succeed and thrive.

We have their backs as they grow their skills, conquer new challenges, or even take time to spend with their family or community. And when they’re ready to take on a new career path, we’re right there with them, giving them the guidance and momentum into the best future they envision.

The Director, Leave of Absence (LOA) US and Canada will work on the Global Well-being and Benefits team in Colleague Total Rewards and Well-being (CTRW). As a key team member, this person is responsible for strategic leadership, management, and continuous improvement of the disability and leave of absence policies and programs for colleagues in the US and Canada. This role will be part of the Colleague Experience Group (HR), collaborating with numerous internal and external stakeholders and leading a team to lead policy and program offerings. The successful candidate will possess thought leadership, strategic thinking, communication, and a track record of success leading a strategic and complex leave of absence program.

How will you make an impact in this role?

• Lead and inspire the U.S. and Canada LOA teams, driving strategic vision and operational excellence.
• Oversight of all aspects of both the US and Canada disability plan, company leave of absence policies, legislative leaves, and accommodation programs within the organization.
• Program Design and Implementation: Develop and implement strategic plans for disability, leaves, and accommodation programs. Evaluate existing programs and identify areas for improvement.
• Develop and implement long term strategies for both the US and Canadian disability landscape by adhering to federal, state and legislative regulations along with company’s standalone policies such as Salary Continuation, Parental Leave, etc.
• Working directly with the Colleague Total Rewards and Well-being team to design, implement, execute, and evaluate clinical programs for the health plan and broad-based wellness programs.
• Third-party relationship management for leave administrators
• Collaborate with internal and external partners on new and existing LOA and Salary Continuation policies and US Workers Compensation
• Create a streamlined accommodation process for colleagues and leaders in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
• Maintain current knowledge of industry best practices, legislative changes, and periodic market evaluations, to ensure programs are effective and compliant.
• Provide consultation to create lifecycle process for new and updated policies and procedure guide/SOP for LOA administration.
• Manage ongoing training and education to leaders and other key stakeholders; ensure high levels of collaboration and awareness of Company policies and processes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Disability Management, Occupational Health, or strong background in disability case management and vendor oversight.
• 8+ years of industry experience in managing disability, leaves, and accommodation programs.
• In-depth knowledge of US ADA, federal, state and local as well as Canadian provincial, ACA and AODA laws and regulations related to disability, leaves, and accommodations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify trends and develop improvement plans.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders. Strong presentation skills
• Proven experience in coaching and training staff, HR and front-line leaders on process and best practices.
• Demonstrates a good balance of leadership and direction and has strong skills in managing diverse teams.
• Establishes clear vision, opportunities and, advocates for team members.
• Leads by example and steps in to support team
• Ability to handle escalations and resolve issues in a timely and effective manner.
• Experience in vendor management and contract negotiations.
• Proficiency in using HR information systems and other relevant software.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Work in a collaborative team environment.

Salary Range: $130,000.00 to $205,000.00 annually + bonus + equity (if applicable) + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we’ll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:

• Competitive base salaries 
• Bonus incentives 
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan 
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support 
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits 
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need 
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy 
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location) 
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program 
• Career development and training opportunities

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

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Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the U.S. is required as the company will not pursue 
visa sponsorship for these positions.