Leave Management Manager (Manager III), Grade M3

Salary : $101,474.00 - $179,619.00 Annually
Location : 101 Monroe St Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Job Number:
Department: Office of Human Resources
Division: OHR 33 Policy, Practice and Strategic Communications
Opening Date: 10/09/2026
Closing Date: 10/16/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt

About the Position
Please Note: The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $101,474 to $169,032, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is seeking an experienced, knowledgeable, and people-centered leader to manage the Leave Management unit within the Policy, Practice & Strategic Engagement Division. In this role, you will lead a team of leave management specialists, serve as the County's primary subject matter expert on employee leave law, and ensure that every case, from a straightforward FMLA request to a legally complex situation involving protected leave, is handled with accuracy, consistency, and care.
This job is for you if you:

• Are known as the person others come to when a leave situation gets complicated - and you consistently provide guidance that is accurate, clear, and legally sound.
• Take pride in building teams that get the details right, and you know how to coach people toward higher performance with both honesty and encouragement.
• Approach sensitive situations with discretion, professionalism, and empathy.
• Approach every case, even the most frustrating or repetitive ones, with the understanding that for the employee involved, it may be one of the most stressful experiences of their working life.
• Thrive in a structured, compliance-driven environment and welcome opportunities to improve how things work.

What You'll Be Doing
This is a role for someone who brings both deep technical expertise in leave administration and the leadership presence to build a high-performing team, advise senior stakeholders, and drive meaningful improvements in how the County supports employees through some of the most important moments of their lives.
Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Directly supervise a team of leave management specialists, managing their caseloads, performance, customer service delivery, and professional development.
• Serve as the County's primary subject matter expert on FMLA, MD FAMLI, USERRA, PWFA, and related federal, state, and local leave statutes.
• Review and approve complex or escalated leave determinations, including intermittent FMLA designations and cases intersecting with multiple leave types.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, policy guidelines, and compliance audit processes that keep the unit operating at the highest standard.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders in developing the County's program to comply with the new state-mandated FAMLI program.
• Manage case records in the leave management system from intake through closure, maintaining complete and accurate documentation.
• Coordinate with HR and Payroll teams to ensure proper application of leave pay and benefit continuation.
• Develop and deliver group training sessions for employees and supervisors on leave rights, responsibilities, and processes.
• Review leave program data to surface trends, identify operational risks, and inform management decisions.
• Lead process improvement efforts that reduce administrative burden, improve case timeliness, and enhance the employee experience.

Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Five years of progressively responsible professional experience in leave management or employee benefits.

Education:Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.

Equivalency:An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Preference for interview will be given to qualified candidates with experience in the following areas:

• SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable HR certification; or a leave management certification (e.g., CLMS).
• Prior experience in a public sector or government HR setting.

• Experience creating or delivering HR training content to employee or supervisor audiences.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

Leave Benefits

Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.

Retirement Benefits

All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.

Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness

Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.

Free Mass Transit Benefit

County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.

Reduced Child and Health Care Costs

Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.

Employee Wellbeing

We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.

Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01

What is your highest level of completed education?

• N/A
• High School/GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Juris Doctor
• Doctorate

02

How many years of progressively responsible professional experience in leave management or employee benefits?

• No Experience
• 1-2 Year's Experience
• 3 Year's Experience
• 4 Year's Experience
• 5 Year's Experience
• 6 Year's Experience
• 7 Year's Experience
• 8 Year's Experience
• 9+ Year's Experience

03

Please provide additional details regarding your professional experience leave management or employee benefits. Also, include the positions listed on your resume where you performed these duties.
04

Do you currently an active SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable HR certification; or a leave management certification (e.g., CLMS)?

• Yes
• No

05

Please provide details of the active SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable HR certification; or leave management certification (e.g., CLMS) that you currently possess.
06

Do you have experience working in a public sector or government HR setting?

• Yes
• No

07

Please provide details of your experience working in a public sector or government HR setting. Also include the positions listed on your resume where you performed these duties.
08

Do you have experience creating or delivering HR training content to employee or supervisor audiences?

• Yes
• No

09

Please provide details of your experience creating or delivering HR training content to employee or supervisor audiences. Also include the positions listed on your resume where you performed these duties.
Required Question