MetLife

Position: AVP & Assistant General Counsel: Distribution, Global Employee Benefits, Maxis & Affinity/Association Business

Location: 200 Park Ave (Preferred) or Virtual

Setting: Hybrid or Remote

Reports to: VP & Associate General Counsel

Travel: Less than 5%

The Team You Will Join

Building confident futures is at the center of all our work at MetLife. In Legal Affairs, that means empowering our trusted advisors and advocates to focus on what’s possible while safeguarding MetLife’s global interests. Collaborating with each other and our businesses around the globe, we support innovative solutions while protecting our customers, employees, communities, and shareholders. And we work in an environment founded on integrity, trust, candor, and respect, where new challenges and diverse perspectives are encouraged and celebrated.

This role sits within the Group Benefits Unit of the US Insurance Law Section of Legal Affairs focused on the US Group Business.  This Section provides strategic legal advice on a wide variety of issues impacting US Group Business.  Its members strive to provide actionable advice that considers commercial implications and to become trusted advisors to their business.

The Opportunity 

The AVP will lead the Affinity/Association, Distribution and MAXIS team providing advice on legal issues related to group insurance regulations and distribution, product development and design, marketing, sales and administration.  This will include supervising and developing subject matter expertise in the other attorneys that support distribution of MetLife products and products sold in the Affinity/Association and Global Employee Benefits space.  It also includes providing legal advice on the Maxis joint venture, where you will supervise the attorney who negotiates global pooling and captive reinsurance arrangements. In addition, the AVP will be responsible for supporting Group Benefits more broadly by taking on additional responsibilities with respect to substantive cross-product topics.  

How You’ll Help Us Build a Confident Future:

This role is primarily focused on providing legal risk mitigation strategies in connection with the distribution of Group Benefits products across multiple jurisdictions in the U.S, including in the Affinity/Association and Global Employee Benefits space. 

Other key responsibilities include drafting, negotiating and reviewing a variety of legal agreements with customers and vendors, regulatory filings, policyholder notices, requests for proposals, customer communications and sales materials. 

Specific responsibilities will include:

• Supervisory Responsibilities for Affinity/Association, Distribution and Global Employee Benefits/MAXIS: This AVP will serve as the lead attorney and Sub-Unit Head for Affinity/Association, Distribution and MAXIS. In addition, the AVP will be expected to supervise, train and support other team members on day-to-Affinity/Association, Distribution and MAXIS matters. 
• Lead Attorney for the Head of Broker Operations and Global Employee Benefits: The AVP will serve as the lead attorney for the Head of Broker Operations and Global Employee.
• Leading, managing and developing four attorneys.
• Supervising and assisting attorneys in advising the business on substantive legal issues.
• Thought leader and subject matter expert on Group Benefits products and administration issues.
• Providing strategic advice on trends and risk mitigation.

What You Need to Succeed (Required Qualifications):

• Minimum of twelve years of experience as legal counsel in either a law firm, a consulting firm, government, or as in-house counsel.
• Juris Doctorate degree and current member of a state bar in good standing.
• Material experience with group insurance and distribution.
• Strategic thinker and solutions oriented.
• Effective leader; prior experience managing a team of attorneys in a corporate setting.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in managing complex projects.
• Strong communication skills, including a strong desire and ability to make complex topics understandable for various audiences.
• Demonstrated capability for collaboration across diverse populations.

What Will Give You an Edge (Additional Skills)