Description

The Leave Administration Manager is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing Gwinnett County’s comprehensive Leave Administration program. This is a newly established division, and the incumbent will play a key role in building its structure, defining workflows, and ensuring compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), ADA, Military Leave, Workers Compensation, Paid Parental, USEERA, short-term/ long-term disability (STD/LTD), and all County leave programs.

This position serves as the County’s subject matter expert and strategic partner on all matters related to employee leave, ensuring that processes are compliant, efficient, and responsive to both employees and management. The Leave Administration Manager will lead a team responsible for case management, data tracking, reporting, and continuous improvement within the leave program.

Requirements

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Division Development & Leadership

• Establishes the County’s centralized Leave Administration section, including procedures, workflows, and performance metrics.
• Recommends staffing levels, develops position descriptions, and participates in hiring, training, and performance management of division staff.
• Prepares presentations and updates for leadership to communicate project outcomes, timelines, and resource needs.
• Monitors project progress, identifies risks, and adjusts strategies to achieve division goals, including setting milestones, timelines, and deliverables.

Program Administration & Compliance

• Oversee the end-to-end administration of all leave programs.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as County Merit Rules and HR policies.
• Provides oversight on case determinations, eligibility reviews and designation notices.
• Coordinates with Payroll, Benefits, and HR Operations to ensure accurate pay, benefits continuation, and proper employee status updates.

Strategic Partnership & Customer Service

• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR and departments’ leadership on complex leave cases.
• Provides coaching, guidance, and training to supervisors and HR partners regarding appropriate leave practices and considerations.
• Partners with Employee Relations, Training, and Business Services to ensure cohesive outcomes.

Data, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Analyzes data to identify opportunities for improvement and risk mitigation.

Education & Training

• Creates and delivers training programs for employees and managers to increase understanding of leave programs and responsibilities.
• Provides ongoing communication regarding program changes, deadlines, and compliance updates.

Other Duties

• Represents the County in audits, investigations, or reviews related to leave administration.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (preferred)

• Project management skills, including the ability to plan, organize, and execute multi-phase initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• Comprehensive knowledge of FMLA, HIPAA, ADA, USERRA, Workers’ Compensation, and related employment laws.
• Strong leadership and organizational development skills, including the ability to build a team and create structure from inception.
• Strategic and analytical thinking, with the ability to design scalable processes and identify long-term program improvements.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across divisions and influence outcomes.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS platforms (SAP, Oracle, or similar).
• Ability to manage multiple, complex priorities with professionalism and discretion.
• Ability to work independently with sound judgment, while fostering teamwork and accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.  
• Six (6) years of professional HR experience, including two (2) years directly managing FMLA, ADA, STD/LTD, or leave programs.
  OR
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job, such as those listed above. 

Preferred Qualifications in addition to the above minimum qualifications

• Prior experience establishing or managing a centralized leave administration function.
• Two (2) years of program management, or project management experience.
• Three (3) years of people management experience.
• HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHPR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP).

Position Evolution

Because this is a newly created role, the Leave Administration Manager will help shape the department’s structure, policies, and long-term direction. As the County’s population and workforce continue to grow, this role will evolve to include broader strategic oversight, and integration with County-wide HR systems.

Note: The class specifications listed on this website are not the official class specifications for Gwinnett County and are subject to change.