Associate Director, Absence Management

Yale Cancer Center; New Haven (CT); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 174,000; Full time

Job summary

Yale Cancer Center seeks an Associate Director, Absence Management to lead LOAs, accommodations, workers' compensation and disability programs. You will partner with legal, HR, safety, and risk teams to optimize policies and ensure compliant operations.

The role requires managing case workflows, reporting, and cross‑functional collaboration to deliver an exceptional employee experience while aligning with federal and state leave laws and Yale policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, industrial relations, or related field.
• Six years of related HR experience.
• Expert knowledge of FMLA, ADA, Workers' Compensation and paid time off.
• Experience managing HR programs and vendors.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the programmatic strategy and daily operations for LOAs, accommodations, workers' compensation, and disability.
• Guide and support managers, colleagues, employees, and stakeholders.
• Oversee third-party administration and vendor relationships; produce reports and trends.
• Develop training programs and campus outreach.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state leave laws and Yale policies.
• Represent Yale in hearings and negotiations.

Skills

HR program management

Case management

Process improvement

Customer service

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/IR

Job description

Salary Range

$105,000.00 - $174,000.00

Job Requisition ID

138089WD

Overview

Associate Director, Absence Management serves as subject matter expert for leave, accommodations, workers' compensation, disability, and paid time off and will partner with Office of General Counsel, EEO/Accommodation, Safety, HR leadership to accomplish role.

This position leads the programmatic strategy and daily operations for LOAs, Accommodations, Workers Compensation, and Disability in accordance with federal and state employment laws (FMLA, ADA, USERRA, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Workers Compensation, etc.)

Partners with Employee Service Center, HRISS, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Employee Health and Safety, Risk, and General Counsel to improve policies, practices, and procedures to optimize program effectiveness.

Provide guidance, education, and support to managers, colleagues, employees, and other key stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement progressive solutions to improve effectiveness of programs and policies.
• Manage team dedicated to compliant and resourceful solution of absence management issues including case management, return to work coordination, various state paid family and medical leave programs, STD, LTD, retirement and other separation of service activities.
• Manage third party administration and vendors regarding delivery of services. Produce professional management reports on unit activity. Provide and analyze leave statistics identifying trends and make recommendations for improvements. Create process maps and design, develop and implement new processes and procedures to streamline for efficiencies. Partner with the Director in identifying key areas of concern, with documentation, analysis, issue formation and resolution.
• Design and deliver campus outreach and training programs.
• Engage in RFP and other placement of business procedures.
• Act as subject matter expert for HR colleagues and department, other HR departments and employees regarding FMLA and the University's leave of absence programs.
• Apply expertise of FMLA, ADA, and Workers Compensation regulations and amendments, case law, and relevant sections of Yale policies and procedures, including bargaining unit contracts. Identify complex leave situations and make recommendations on possible need for ADA accommodations, transitioning to LTD, etc. suggesting appropriate referrals.
• Works closely with team members and vendors to ensure handoffs between the programs are seamless, offering an exceptional customer experience, connecting leaves of absence to accommodations to workers' compensation, as well as state paid leave programs, individually purchased disability policies and short-and-long-term disability.
• Oversee the counseling of employees approaching the end of leave or in layoff notification period to provide guidance of options including retirement; disability retirement; LTD and refer to appropriate resources.
• Identifies and leads the implementation of proper processes to track FMLA and University-sponsored leave entitlements along with contractual and policy-based milestones. Support the Yale community and HRBPs through training and education, providing guidance on next steps.
• Protect the interests of the University in hearings, negotiations and in the daily operation of the department’s various programs. Act as a liaison to the Office of General Council. Participate and represent the University at hearings and grievances.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Managed HR programs and vendors with proven success.
• Demonstrated management of case management system and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively create and facilitate collaboration amongst diverse groups.
• Proven ability to assess and produce process improvements and efficiencies that have reduced financial costs.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills including ability to resolve complex and highly confidential matters professionally.
• Strong numerical literacy and analytical skills.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Progressive case management and return to work experience.
• Expert knowledge of state and federal leave, disability, and employment laws such as FMLA, Workers' Compensation, and ADA.
• Experience working in Unionized and Higher Education workplace.
• Previous supervisory experience.

Principal Responsibilities

• Partners with senior leadership in policy making; develops and strategically positions human resources goals and objectives to successfully attract, retain, and motivate a highly talented and diverse workforce.
• Responsible for short- and long term planning for the operation of various human resources functions managed by their staff.
• Identifies and directs human resources staff and resources to drive financial, operational, and budgetary success within the human resources department.
• Determines and develops goals for the work of their managerial and professional staff to execute human resources initiatives efficiently and effectively.
• Directs and monitors work assignments to ensure they are proceeding on schedule and meet the established quality standards.
• Translates HR Department level goals into functional level goals; writes and approves functional level goals.
• Guided by HR Department level strategy; anticipates issues; develops new solutions and/ or improved solutions executes changes new and enhanced programs consistent with University goals for maintaining a highly talented and diverse workforce.
• Recommends, analyzes and suggests policies, procedures and practices for consideration by senior leadership.
• Directs a staff of exempt and non-exempt employees.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Minimum requirement of Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations or related field and six years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Original Job Posting Date

09/02/2026

Job Category

Manager

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Leader (27)

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff

Work Model

Hybrid

Location

221 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.

University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. Additionally, in accordance with Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment, and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.