Senior Counsel - Employee Benefits & Comp

Description and Requirements
Role Value Proposition:
MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. We're united by our purpose to help our customers and each other create a confident future; we're guided by empathy; and we're inspired by each other to make a difference in the lives of our coworkers, customers, communities, and the world at large. At MetLife, it's #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!
Legal Affairs - 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 Senior Counsel position will support the Legal team in advising human resources business partners (the "business partners") on a variety of legal domestic and international employee benefit matters, including retirement, deferred compensation programs and health & welfare plans.
Key Responsibilities:

• Provide legal counsel on full range of issues in support of the in-house ERISA plans and other employee benefit programs
• Partner in the legal support for the review of general commercial contracts for employee benefit plans and other arrangements
• Provide proactive and timely legal advice and knowledge sharing to business partners and other stakeholders

• Draft and amend employee benefit plans and deferred compensation arrangements, including employee communication materials, as needed
• Support business partners in review of general commercial contracts with respect to vendor relationships on behalf of benefit plans
• Track legislation affecting employee benefits to determine the impact to in-house employee benefit plans and communicate to business partners the impact of laws to employee benefit plans
• Provide legal counsel to business partners on employment tax-related issues including the determination of taxation of compensation, fringe benefits and payroll related items

• Provide legal assistance and counsel for ad hoc projects as needed

Essential Business Experience and Technical Skills:
Required:

• Minimum of eight years of experience as legal counsel in either a law firm, a consulting firm or as in-house counsel

• Firm knowledge of U.S. benefit laws with respect to retirement, deferred compensation, health & welfare, including IRC, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA and PPACA
• Working knowledge of international benefits programs, regulations, and income tax treaties
• Strong writing skills
• Team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to multi-task and prioritize
• Good business acumen and ability to provide both technical and practical legal counsel to internal business partners
• Current member of a state bar in good standing
• Juris Doctorate degree required

Preferred:

• Master of Laws ("LLM") a plus

At MetLife, we're leading the global transformation of an industry we've long defined. United in purpose, diverse in perspective, we're dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our customers.
The salary range for applicants for this position is $153,700 - $204,900.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the 2024 "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World's 25 Best Workplaces™ for 2024, as well as the 2024 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For ®, MetLife , through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world's leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by empathy, we're inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it's #AllTogetherPossible . Join us!
Equal Employment Opportunity/Disability/Veterans
If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at [email protected]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.
$153,700 - $204,900
#BI-Hybrid