Senior Counsel - Employee Benefits (Remote or Hybrid)

Overview

This role supports the success and compliance of the organization’s Employee Benefits business, focusing on supplemental health products and employer-provided life insurance. You will be part of a team of four attorneys providing strategic legal guidance and support within the Protection Solutions and Savings & Investments businesses.

Preference is given to candidates near the following offices: Denver, Cedar Rapids, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Remote candidates will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and support in the development, filing, offering, and administration of life insurance products and services for the Employee Benefits division, including term accident, disability, hospital indemnity, executive health, medical gap, retiree medical, Medicare supplement, and employer-provided life products.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate legal contracts, documents, and agreements, including marketing, distribution, administration, TPA, and/or vendor agreements (for review of senior team members).
• Research, counsel, and draft recommendations to address regulatory challenges, including:
  • State-based claims processing requirements
  • Benefit coordination with group health plans
  • Benefit triggers and eligibility
  • ERISA preemption clause application to state insurance mandates
• Advise on legal risks and potential impacts of business decisions, including escalated claims and consumer complaints.
• Monitor, review, and interpret changes in laws, rules, and regulations, particularly related to insurance regulations.
• As needed, support the Life Insurance division.
• Draft regulatory responses, disclosures, and other correspondence that may include market conduct issues from state and federal regulators (for review of senior team members).
• Collaborate with internal compliance teams to develop and implement policies and procedures to mitigate legal risks.
• Handle legal issues requiring identification and evaluation of multiple factors.

Requirements

• JD from an ABA accredited law school.
• Member of the Bar in good standing of any US jurisdiction.
• Five years of experience at a sophisticated law firm or in-house counsel with insurance regulatory legal experience and/or a focus on supplemental health insurance, state insurance matters, and life insurance, with knowledge of relevant laws, rules, and regulations.
• Effective communicator, both in writing and orally, with the intended audience.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced environment.
• Agility and adaptability in providing legal advice.
• Comfort working in a rapidly changing corporate environment.
• Proficiency using MS Office.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Action-oriented, timely, and organized; ability to prioritize workload with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to honesty, inclusion, and respect; open to and able to champion differing ideas and perspectives; collaborates in a fully inclusive manner.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with individual and group life insurance products.
• Experience with voluntary benefits insurance products, including supplemental health and/or long-term care, and with the ACA, HIPAA and ERISA laws.
• Ability to generate and implement creative, cost-effective, and realistic solutions that create business impact and support growth.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• Salary generally ranges between $165,000 - $185,000 annually.
• The salary range is a good faith estimate; actual starting pay is determined by qualifications, experience, geography, work location designation (in-office, hybrid, remote), and operational needs.
• Salary may vary above or below the stated amounts, as permitted by applicable law.
• Typically eligible for an Annual Bonus based on the Company Bonus Plan/Individual Performance, at the company’s discretion.

Benefits (for eligible employees)

• Pension Plan
• 401k Match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Disability Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Employee Discounts
• Career Training & Development Opportunities
• Competitive Pay
• Bonus for Eligible Employees
• Paid Time Off starting at 160 hours annually for employees in their first year of service.
• Ten (10) paid holidays per year (typically mirroring the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) holidays)
• Wellness Coaching and Reward Dollars (holistic wellness program)
• Parental Leave – fifteen (15) days of paid parental leave per calendar year to eligible employees with at least one year of service at the time of birth, placement of an adopted child, or placement of a foster care child.
• Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Back-Up Care Program
• PTO for Volunteer Hours
• Employee Matching Gifts Program
• Employee Resource Groups
• Inclusion and Diversity Programs
• Employee Recognition Program
• Referral Bonus Programs

Location

• Hybrid location for candidates near Baltimore/Cedar Rapids/Denver/Philadelphia (3 days in office).
• Remote location for candidates not near a core office location.