Sr. Counsel - Anti-Financial Crimes

Description and Requirements
The Team You Will Join
In Government & Legal Affairs, you'll be an engaged and trusted partner - empowered to deliver innovative solutions, influence public policy, and achieve results that enable MetLife's growth and protect its global interests. Applying a commercial and contemporary mindset, you'll advocate for what's possible, overcome challenges, and embrace different perspectives. If you also pride yourself on acting with accountability, transparency, and respect, apply to join our Government & Legal Affairs team today.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an Anti-Financial Crimes (AFC) attorney to serve as a trusted legal advisor on anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), anti-money laundering (AML) and economic and trade sanctions (sanctions) laws and regulations. This role entails working closely and collaboratively with Compliance and Business Management on strategic initiatives and emerging matters, as well as helping ensure compliance across our global business operations. In addition, this role requires an ability to partner with peers to ensure discipline and consistency around Corporate Ethics and Compliance's global coverage model. This position carries significant responsibility given the highly sensitive nature of AFC matters and requires the ability to operate with confidence, independence, and sound judgment in complex and high-stakes situations.
The successful candidate will be expected to engage directly and independently with senior executives, including members of executive leadership, and to manage matters that require discretion, strategic thinking, and mature judgment. This role is suited for an attorney who is fully prepared to own complex AFC legal issues end-to-end, provide clear and decisive counsel, and influence outcomes at the highest levels of the organization.
Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior legal advisor on U.S. and international economic and trade sanctions including risk exposure, regulatory interactions and sanctions-related investigations and transactions as well as AML requirements, FCPA, and global anticorruption laws, including emerging regulatory developments
• Independently advise on the interpretation, implementation, and escalation of complex and sensitive AFC matters, including engagement with senior management
• Act as a primary legal point of contact with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and other relevant regulators, as appropriate
• Provide ongoing strategic legal advice to the Global Head of AFC Compliance and other executive stakeholders on high risk, high impact matters.
• Review, challenge, and advise on AFC policies, procedures, and enterprise-wide risk assessments with a focus on global consistency and regulatory expectations.
• Partner closely with Compliance and other Legal colleagues to drive disciplined execution of MetLife's global compliance model
• Serve as the AFC legal subject matter expert on M&A activity, strategic transactions, and complex third party relationships
• Provide counsel to MetLife's Government Affairs team on proposed gifts and entertainment requests
• Lead research, drafting, and development of executive level communications, guidance, and training related to AFC risks and obligations
• Manage outside counsel, including setting legal strategy, overseeing deliverables, and reviewing and approving invoices

Required Qualifications

• Hold a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and be admitted to the New York State (or other appropriate) bar
• Have at least 5-7 years of experience in the area of sanctions and at least one of the following relevant subject matters-- AML or ABC--at a major law firm, government agency, and/or in-house legal department
• Demonstrated experience operating as a senior, independent legal advisor on complex, sensitive regulatory matters involving significant judgment and risk
• Proven ability to engage directly and confidently with senior and executive leadership on high risk or confidential regulatory matters
• Strong experience advising within highly regulated industries, ideally in complex, global environments
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with the ability to distill complex legal and regulatory issues into clear, actionable guidance for leadership
• Strong record of discretion, sound judgment, and the ability to manage matters autonomously without over-reliance on supervision
• Demonstrated executive presence, influence, and credibility, including the ability to lead discussions, challenge assumptions, and drive outcomes with senior leaders

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in the insurance or financial services industry, including exposure to global regulatory frameworks
• Prior experience with government-facing litigation, government and/or internal investigations, and regulatory enforcement actions
• Demonstrated leadership and influence skills, including the ability to challenge constructively, persuade stakeholders, and drive alignment across functions
• Advanced drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills suited for executive level review and decision making

Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.
The expected salary range for this position is $159,900 - $213,200 . This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation and stock-based long-term incentives. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
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, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World's 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the 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 our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we're inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it's #AllTogetherPossible . Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law ("protected characteristics").
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.
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