Senior Associate, Absence Consultant, Complex Implementations

Location Designation: Fully Remote
Business Unit Overview:
Group Benefit Solutions delivers comprehensive insurance and absence management solutions for mid-size and large companies. Our work fosters a healthier, happier and more secure workforce, contributing to New York Life's legacy of being there when we're needed most. Here, you'll design, implement and support these solutions directly impacting customers' lives. At our core, we provide financial security and peace of mind to people through our absence, accident, disability, voluntary benefits and life insurance solutions.
Role Overview:
The Absence Subject Matter Expert (SME), Complex Implementations, serves as the strategic and technical authority for absence and leave solutions during highly complex new business and in-force implementations. This role partners closely with the Senior Implementation Manager to deliver a seamless onboarding experience while ensuring early, high-quality discovery, accurate translation of business requirements, and strong alignment between client expectations and New York Life's administrative capabilities.
This role serves as an expert advisor across complex absence implementations, including FMLA, PFML, ADA, state-mandated programs, company leave policies, and integrated disability/leave solutions. The SME plays a critical role in operational design, risk mitigation, client education, and implementation governance to ensure successful go-live and long-term client satisfaction.
What You'll Do:
Strategic Client Advisory & Discovery

• Lead early-phase discovery for complex absence implementations in partnership with the Senior Implementation Manager.
• Document clients' current-state absence practices, workflows, vendor relationships, and pain points.
• Conduct comprehensive requirements gathering across FMLA, state PFML, ADA, company leaves, and integrated disability programs.
• Translate ambiguous or highly customized client needs into structured, actionable implementation requirements.
• Educate clients on NYL's administrative model, case management approach, compliance framework, and service expectations.
• Guide clients through best practices and operational transformation aligned to NYL capabilities.
• Participate in finalist presentations to represent NYL's absence strategy and implementation strengths.

Implementation Design & Execution

• Serve as the absence design authority during implementation for clients typically 1,000+ lives, including large middle-market and national accounts.
• Collaborate with Configuration, Leave Operations, Claims, Data Exchange, Premium Administration, Contracts, and Enrollment teams to ensure accurate system setup.
• Develop and validate business requirement documents, process flows, case setup specifications, and leave policy rules.
• Ensure accurate customization of communications, eligibility rules, file feeds, pay rules, and administrative services agreements.
• Identify risks, gaps, red flags, and process dependencies early in onboarding and proactively implement mitigation strategies.
• Provide expert guidance on file feed requirements, HRIS integrations, case management configurations, and downstream system impacts.
• Partner with Electronic Interface Specialists and data teams to validate eligibility structures and integration readiness.
• Support merger & acquisition implementations and complex in-force modifications involving absence programs.

Governance, Risk Management & Quality Assurance

• Anticipate implementation risks before they emerge and escalate appropriately.
• Ensure integrity and timeliness of all absence-related data elements provided to internal setup units.
• Validate compliance alignment with federal and state leave regulations.
• Assist IM to ensure readiness for go-live through structured validation and operational sign-off processes in regards to absence.

Client & Broker Engagement

• Serve as primary absence subject matter authority for clients, brokers, TPAs, and internal stakeholders during complex absence implementations.
• Participate with the IM to facilitate expert team meetings to align internal stakeholders on responsibilities and deliverables.
• Support the IM for deliver client-facing absence education materials, process documentation, and system demonstrations when needed.
• Incorporate Voice of Customer insights to enhance client experience and future implementation practices.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Act as dedicated mentor and functional leader for absence.
• Serve as escalation resource for complex absence implementations.
• Lead or participate in cross-functional process improvement initiatives.
• Develop standardized best practices, documentation templates, and workflow enhancements.
• Educate internal teams on absence guidelines, compliance requirements, and implementation best practices.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives that enhance NYL's absence implementation model and market differentiation.

What You'll Bring:
Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in absence management, disability, or leave administration (FMLA, state-mandated leaves, ADA, company policies).
• Deep expertise in vendor-based and carrier-based absence administration models.
• Experience leading complex client implementations or consulting engagements.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate risks and translate ambiguous information into structured requirements.
• Strong knowledge of HRIS platforms, case management systems, integrations, file feeds, pay rules, and compliance frameworks.
• Proven ability to create detailed process flows, business requirement documentation, and client-facing education materials.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated success managing large, multi-location or national clients (1,000+ lives; 5,000+ preferred).
• Mastery of federal and state leave regulations and integrated disability programs.
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to manage multiple complex implementations concurrently.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Preferred Competencies

• Strategic consulting mindset with ability to influence operational transformation.
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to gain alignment across diverse stakeholders.
• High level of organizational agility within matrixed environments.
• Growth mindset and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Role Impact:
This role elevates absence implementation from case setup execution to strategic advisory leadership. By consolidating and enhancing the prior Senior Leave of Absence Implementation Specialist role, the Absence SME strengthens NYL's ability to deliver high-quality, risk-mitigated absence implementations, improve operational consistency and compliance integrity, enhance client education and expectation alignment, reduce downstream rework, and position NYL as a market leader in complex absence administration.
Pay Transparency
Salary Range: $85,000-$115,000
Overtime eligible: Exempt
Discretionary bonus eligible: Yes
Sales bonus eligible: No
Actual base salary will be determined based on several factors but not limited to individual's experience, skills, qualifications, and job location. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition to base salary, employees may also be eligible to participate in an incentive program.
Company Overview
At New York Life, our 180-year legacy of purpose and integrity fuels our future. As we evolve into a more technology-, data-, and AI-enabled organization, we remain grounded in the values that drive lasting impact.
Our diverse business portfolio creates opportunities to make a difference across industries and communities-inviting bold thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and purpose-driven innovation. Here, you'll find the rare balance of long-standing stability and forward momentum, supported by an inclusive team that honors tradition while embracing progress.
As a Fortune 100 mutual company, we offer a place to grow your skills, contribute to meaningful work, and deliver solutions that matter. Your ideas drive what's next, and your growth powers it.
Our Benefits
We provide a full package of benefits for employees - and have unique offerings for a modern workforce, including leave programs, adoption assistance, and student loan repayment programs. Based on feedback from our employees, we continue to refine and add benefits to our offering, so that you can flourish both inside and outside of work.Click hereto discover more about our comprehensive benefit options or visit our NYL Benefits Site.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At New York Life, fostering an inclusive workplace is fundamental to who we are and how we serve our communities. We have a longstanding commitment to creating an environment where individuals can contribute their best and succeed together. This foundation is rooted in our core values of humanity and integrity, ensuring that every employee feels valued and supported. By embracing a broad range of perspectives and experiences, we achieve greater success and fulfill our promise of providing financial security and peace of mind to families across all communities. Click here to learn more about New York Life's leadership in this space.
Recognized as one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies, New York Life is committed to improving local communities through a culture of employee giving and volunteerism, supported by the Foundation. We're proud that due to our mutuality, we operate in the best interests of our policy owners. To learn more about career opportunities at New York Life, please visit the Careers page of www.NewYorkLife.com.
Visit our LinkedIn to see how our employees and agents are leading the industry and impacting communities.
Visit our Newsroom to learn more about how our company is constantly evolving to meet our clients' and employees' needs.
Job Requisition ID: 95066