MetLife

The Team You Will Join

MetLife’s Global Risk Management organization is aligned with and embedded within businesses to appropriately manage risks arising from products, services and business operations. The MIM Risk Management team is responsible for supporting and overseeing MetLife’s global asset management business, MetLife Investment Management (MIM). This team ensures that effective risk management is embedded in day-to-day operations and reflected in business strategies and related activities and represents MIM in enterprise risk discussions.

The Opportunity 

The Head of Risk for Real Estate will support the Chief Risk Officer of MIM to develop and implement a strong risk management and control framework alongside our business partners in MIM.  As the Head of Risk for Real Estate, you will play a critical role in promoting, supporting and advising MIM in identifying, monitoring and managing key risks associated with its Real Estate asset management business to enable achievement of strategy and objectives.  The role requires regular dialogue with the senior leadership of Real Estate including asset origination, research, rating, valuation and portfolio management teams for commercial mortgage loans, agricultural mortgage loans and commercial real estate equities, as well as Global Risk Management’s senior team. 

The objective is to oversee client portfolios to ensure positioning is consistent with MIM’s investment views and strategies, client’s intended risk/return profile and prudent risk management practices, and that risks are appropriately disclosed. While Portfolio Managers are responsible for day-to-day investment decisions and portfolio positioning, the role provides analytical support, oversight and appropriate challenge to portfolio risks and investment processes.

How You’ll Help Us Build a Confident Future:

• Monitor the risk profile of global client portfolios invested in commercial mortgage loans, agricultural mortgage loans and real estate equities. 
• Ensure that the CRO of MIM, the Head of Real Estate, the President of MIM and other members of the Global Risk Management team are well informed of the risks taken on behalf of clients.
• Develop, generate and review reports for assigned asset sectors to enable the assessment of portfolio risks from a variety of perspectives, understand sources of portfolio risks and prospective performance, deviations from client’s intended risk/return profile and prudent risk management practices.
• Train and manage assigned junior analyst(s).
• Organize regular meetings with Real Estate teams to understand investment views and strategies and express any issues or concerns.  Set agenda for formal risk review meetings, including appropriate reports and analysis, and summarize all meetings for senior members of the Risk team. 
• Provide appropriate review and challenge for underwriting assumptions, ratings, asset valuations and pricing. 
• Assist with responses to RFPs for the asset class as needed and serve as the representative for MIM Risk in meetings with current and potential clients.
• Lead the risk assessment and risk mitigation of new investment strategies and products for approval by the New Product Committee.
• Participate in due diligence for M&A transactions, as assigned.
• Work closely with business partners and other risk assurance functions (e.g. Compliance, Internal Audit and Operational Risk).  Assist in the implementation of MetLife’s enterprise operational risk management framework and key practices within MIM and its support functions as related to MIM’s Private Capital business.
• Oversee adherence to MetLife and MIM standards as well as asset management industry best practices.

What You Need to Succeed (Required Qualifications):

• 10+ years’ experience in an investment or risk management capacity, focused on real estate 
• Deep understanding of markets including credit risk, transaction structures and investment vehicles
• Ability to work effectively with others at all levels of the organization
• Proficiency in Excel, Power BI and real estate data systems
• Excellent data management, modeling and analytical skills
• Strong organization skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• MBA, CFA or equivalent preferred