DIRECTOR OF ABSENCES & ACCOMMODATIONS (HYBRID-CHARLOTTE, NC)

Job Description

Job Description

 

A family of companies and experiences

As the leading foodservice and support services company, Compass Group USA is known for our great people, great service and our great results. If you’ve been hungry and away from home, chances are you’ve tasted Compass Group’s delicious food and experienced our outstanding service. We have over 284,000 US associates who work in award-winning restaurants, corporate cafes, hospitals, schools, arenas, museums, and more in all 50 states. Our reach is constantly expanding to shape the industry and create new opportunities for innovation. Join the Compass family today!

great people. great services. great results.

Each and every individual plays a key role in the growth and legacy of our company. We know the next big idea can come from anyone. We encourage developing and attracting expertise that differentiates us as a company as we continue to raise the bar.

Job Summary:

The Director, Absences and Accommodations provides enterprise leadership for the organization’s leave and accommodation programs, including strategy, governance, operations, compliance, and continuous improvement. This role leads a team of leave and accommodation professionals and partners closely with HR, Legal, Employee Relations, Payroll, Benefits, vendors, and business leaders to ensure consistent, compliant, employee-centered, and operationally effective service delivery.

The Director is responsible for strengthening the end-to-end employee and manager experience across FMLA, ADA, STD, LTD, state and local leave programs, and related accommodation processes. This role will use data, technology, process discipline, and strong cross-functional partnership to improve service quality, reduce risk, and support business needs.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead the enterprise strategy for employee absences, leaves, and accommodations, ensuring alignment with business priorities, legal requirements, and employee experience goals.
• Provide leadership and oversight for leave and accommodation operations, including case quality, service delivery, escalation management, compliance, and process consistency.
• Lead, develop, and manage a team of leave and accommodation professionals, establishing clear expectations, coaching for performance, and building team capability.
• Strengthen governance for absence and accommodation programs, including policies, procedures, process controls, escalation protocols, compliance monitoring, and quality assurance.
• Provide strategic guidance on complex, sensitive, or high-risk cases, balancing employee needs, legal requirements, business impact, and organizational values.
• Drive continuous improvement of absence and accommodation processes, system workflows, reporting, and technology solutions to improve efficiency and the employee and manager experience.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes, assess organizational impact, and lead related policy, process, communication, and training updates.
• Develop, analyze, and report on operational metrics, trends, risks, and outcomes to improve performance and support business decisions.
• Partner with HR, Legal, Employee Relations, Payroll, Benefits, vendors, and business leaders to ensure consistent and effective leave and accommodation practices.
• Oversee compliance audits, quality assurance activities, and vendor performance to ensure adherence to regulatory, service, and organizational standards.
• Lead communication and training efforts to help employees and managers understand their rights, responsibilities, and available support related to absences and accommodations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in leave administration, disability management, benefits, accommodations, or related HR functions.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience managing teams, programs, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, STD, LTD, state and local leave laws, and related accommodation requirements required.
• Experience managing leave vendors, leave management systems, audits, reporting, or process improvement initiatives preferred.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of leave, disability, and accommodation laws and practices, including FMLA and ADA.
• Strong enterprise judgment with the ability to balance compliance, employee care, operational needs, and business risk.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, set clear expectations, build capability, and drive accountability.
• Strong communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to advise leaders and influence cross-functional partners.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to use data and trends to improve outcomes.
• Operationally disciplined, with the ability to build scalable processes, governance routines, and quality standards.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a complex, regulated environment while maintaining accuracy, consistency, and compliance.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, HRIS platforms, leave management systems, reporting tools, and related technology.

Apply to Compass Group today!

Click here to Learn More about the Compass Story

 

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act. 

 

Compass Corporate maintains a drug-free workplace.

 

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

 

Associates at Corporate are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Personal Leave
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

 

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.

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Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details:

Req ID: 1551738

Compass Corporate 

Alexis Ditaway 

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