Senior Manager, Integrated Absence Management

About Rivian
Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract.
As a company, we constantly challenge what's possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations.
Role Summary
The Senior Manager, Integrated Absence Management is responsible for overseeing all employee Absence Management programs. This position involves designing and implementing comprehensive strategies and policies to address employee absences, including disability, leaves of absence and workplace injuries. The Senior Manager will collaborate with cross-functional teams at our manufacturing plant in Normal, IL to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations while providing exceptional support throughout their employees' absences and workplace injury claims.
Responsibilities

• Develop and execute Integrated Absence Management and workers' compensation programs that align with the organization's objectives and culture.
• Formulate strategies to reduce absenteeism, improve employee health, and enhance workforce productivity.
• Stay informed about federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to leave management, workers' compensation, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and workers' compensation laws.
• Ensure the organization's Absence Management and workers' compensation policies and practices are fully compliant with legal requirements and industry standards.
• Create, implement and maintain Absence Management and workers' compensation policies and procedures.
• Educate employees and managers on company policies related to leave, disability, and workers' compensation.
• Provide HR and managers with expert guidance and support relating to leaves of absence, including illness, disability, or work injury-related matters.
• Develop clear communication channels and materials to help employees understand their rights and responsibilities.
• Lead the management of workers' compensation claims, from reporting to resolution, ensuring a streamlined process.
• Implement and oversee stay-at-work (SAW) and return-to-work (RTW) programs for employees recovering from workplace injuries.
• Collect and analyze data related to absence trends, workers' compensation claims, and costs.
• Generate comprehensive reports and utilize data insights to identify areas for improvement and guide decision-making.
• Collaborate closely with HR, legal, benefits, safety & risk departments to ensure seamless coordination in Absence Management and workers' compensation.
• Establish strong working relationships with external vendors, such as insurance providers, to ensure effective service delivery.
• Provide training to HR professionals, managers, and employees on Absence Management, workers' compensation best practices, and compliance requirements.
• Supervise and mentor a team of professionals responsible for leave of absence, disability, and workers' compensation functions.
• Foster a high-performance culture and drive continuous improvement.
• Continuously evaluate and refine the effectiveness of Absence Management and workers' compensation programs, making necessary adjustments for better outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in Absence Management, leave administration, workers' compensation in a high-capacity manufacturing environment.
• Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM) or Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS) certification a plus.
• Expert knowledge of relevant employment laws and workers' compensation regulations.
• Outstanding leadership and team management skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with HRIS and Absence Management software.

Equal Opportunity
Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
Candidate Data Privacy
Rivian may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes ("Candidate Personal Data"). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.
Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian's service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.
Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.
Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.