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Bristol Myers Squibb are hiring a

Associate Director, Leaves and Benefits Product Design

Working with Us

Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those arent 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. Youll 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.

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.
  • Navigate ambiguous and novel challenges, developing creative and pragmatic solutions where established frameworks or precedents may not exist.
  • Lead the evaluation and selection of leave and benefits administration platforms and technologies to enhance employee experience and operational efficiency.
  • 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.
  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and customer-centricity.
  • Build team capabilities through training, skill development, and knowledge management.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

  • Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with leave administration, and benefits administration and technology vendors.
  • Define and manage SLAs and performance outcomes for both leave and benefits system services.
  • Conduct vendor performance reviews and implement corrective action plans as needed.
  • Own the budget for leave administration systems and vendor services; ensure cost-effectiveness and ROI.
  • Serve as primary escalation point for vendor-related issues and disputes.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

  • Serve as subject matter expert and trusted advisor to HR Business Partners, Total Rewards leadership, and business stakeholders on leave and absence matters.
  • Partner with Payroll, Benefits, HRIS, and other HR functions to ensure seamless integration within the Product Base Operating Model (PBOM) framework.
  • Lead cross-functional incident response and stabilization for benefits system issues impacting employee experience, payroll deductions, or vendor feeds.

Compliance, Risk & Governance

  • Establish governance framework and internal controls to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local leave regulations.
  • Identify emerging compliance risks and proactively escalate to senior leadership with recommended solutions.
  • Oversee internal and external audits related to leave programs; ensure timely remediation of findings.

M&A and Business Transformation

  • Lead leave and absence workstream for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
  • Support integration activities for leave and benefits administration systems.

Desired Experience

  • 8+ years of progressive experience in leave and absence management, HR operations, or related field.
  • 3+ years of people management experience.
  • Bachelors Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; advanced degree or equivalent years of experience.
  • Proven track record of managing complex, global HR programs in matrixed organizations.
  • Strong business acumen with experience managing budgets and vendor contracts.
  • Deep knowledge of federal and state leave regulations and compliance frameworks.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and drive process transformation.

Compensation Overview

Tampa - FL - US: $162,010 - $196,318. The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities may be available.

Benefits Overview

  • Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.
  • Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account.
  • Work-life benefits include: Paid Time Off US Exempt Employees: flexible time off, 11 paid national holidays.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers

With a single vision as inspiring as “Transforming patients lives through science”, every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture.

On-site Protocol

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs.

Supporting People with Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments, and ongoing support in their roles.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.