Role: Senior Leave Management Specialist
Team/Reports to: People and Culture, Sr. Manager, Leave of Absence

Scope: Individual Contributor

Years of Experience: 7+

Location: Ventura, CA

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Leave of Absence, the Sr. Leave Management Specialist (Sr. LMS) holds primary responsibility for managing the leave of absence process for Patagonia’s Retail and Corporate employees, including Patagonia Provisions. In partnership with the Leave Management Specialist, the Sr. Leave Management Specialist will provide guidance on complex cases for employees in Customer Service and the Distribution Center. The Sr. LMS will review eligibility for and make determinations on all leave of absence requests, including company, state, and federal leaves. The Sr. LMS will also manage pregnancy accommodations per assigned caseload. The Sr. LMS will partner with leave team members on training initiatives to educate stakeholders on best practices for supporting employees through the leave of absence process.

What You’ll Do

• Coordinate and administer all aspects of employee leaves of absence based on assigned caseload to ensure compliance with Patagonia policies, federal and state leave regulations while providing instruction, guidance and excellent customer service to employees and managers
• Maintain average caseload of 50 to 70 cases at any given time, which may fluctuate
• Consult, coordinate, and partner with People and Culture Business Partners, Legal, Payroll, and Benefits team members and other departments as appropriate
• Provide leave administration that is consistent, timely and accurate in accordance with internal guidelines
• Ensure that pay and benefits, including state specific programs, are accurately explained to employees during the leave of absence
• Engages with employees at start and end of leave and properly explains process including return to work procedures
• Assists in development of leave program, including designing templates and process guides for internal and external use
• Partners with and assists leave management specialist and makes recommendations for solving problems of moderate complexity and importance
• Provide customer support for questions related to leaves of absences and their benefits while on leave
• Facilitate a smooth return to work for employees including partnering with accommodation team members when employees return with restrictions
• Manages pregnancy accommodations, including ensuring employees are aware of rights during and post-pregnancy

• Remains knowledgeable about benefits as it relates to leaves of absence and long-term disability in order to respond to benefit questions that arise
• Keep abreast of leave related statutory/regulatory changes and best practices.
• Other job duties as assigned

Who You Are

• Customer obsessed – Service minded with a sense of urgency in responding to employees. You are genuinely passionate about providing a level of service far beyond what is required and care deeply about improving experiences for employees.
• Organized – Able to manage multiple tasks, employee interactions, and required communications on a continuous basis. Follow up as necessary to ensure all issues are addressed and necessary parties are communicated with in a timely manner.             
• Compassionate – Ability to demonstrate patience and empathy towards distressed individuals.
• Effective Communicator – Accurately and thoroughly relay pertinent information to others in writing and by phone.                                                                                        
• Detail oriented – Dots all i's and crosses all t's. Ability to stay focused, follow through, and produce accurate work.
• Collaborative – Ability to work and partner effectively with team members and employees of all levels to develop solutions

Experience You Bring

• 7+ years of leave case management experience including administering and track FMLA, state leaves, company leaves, and processing return to work
• Leave experience in retail, warehouse, and customer service preferred
• Must have experience managing state-specific paid leave programs including California
• Experience managing multiple leave types of company leaves, federal and state leaves
• Understanding of legal landscape and compliance risks surrounding leave of absence
• Proactive approach with a strong sense of urgency and customer service
• Strong computer skills (Workday, SharePoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook). 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism
• Excellent communication skills in working with a diverse employee population. 
• Demonstrate initiative, is conscientious and provides complete follow-through on all areas of responsibility.
• Bachelor’s degree in related area preferred (e.g., human resources, psychology, social work)

Hiring range: $120,000 – $130,000 

Pay range: $116,000 – $174,000 

At Patagonia, pay ranges are assigned to a job based on the location specific market median of similar jobs according to 3rd party salary benchmark surveys. Individual pay within that range can vary for several reasons including skills/capabilities, experience, and available budget. 

Benefits

Patagonia offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement and leave of absence plans. Benefit plans may vary slightly depending on the nature of your employment. 

Employee Conduct

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive, inclusive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.