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Position:  Head of Investments Governance and Regulatory Compliance

Job Location: Whippany, NJ   

Department: The Compliance Risk Management department (CRM) delivers a compliance risk framework that enables the businesses and functions to comply with applicable internal and external rules and regulations and maintain risk levels within MetLife's risk appetite. CRM provides constructive challenge to the business and functions, partnering closely with them to implement strong processes and effective controls, as well as a to foster a culture of compliance.

Within CRM, the Investments Compliance Department provides compliance oversight and coverage of MetLife Investment Management (MIM), MetLife's Affiliated Insurance Companies (AIC), and MetLife's two U.S. registered broker-dealers. 

The Role: This role will be responsible for overseeing the Investments Compliance governance structure through the management of compliance risks and activities, identifying opportunities to implement necessary controls to ensure consistency and alignment to CRM programs. The individual will lead a team to drive strategic initiatives and provide support to Investments Compliance.

This role will be the key point of contact for the Enterprise Compliance Programs team (ECP) and will manage implementation of core compliance programs such as policies and procedures, training, regulatory change management, and metrics and reporting. In partnership with Operational Risk and first line stakeholders, the role will lead the coordination and management of the non-financial risk assessment process for Investments to produce insight into risks and controls, driving the requirements, and monitoring the quarterly trigger framework. In addition, the role will lead and coordinate the development of testing and monitoring activities for Investments Compliance, helping to create a more strategic and risk-based testing and monitoring plan that is refined and scoped effectively.  

In addition, this role will lead a team of Compliance associates responsible for Compliance Governance activities specific to MetLife's Investments business. These activities include regulatory filings (including Forms ADF, PF, and CRS), political contributions and lobbying activities, record retention, electronic communications, and identification and mitigation of conflicts of interest.

Being a pro-active and strategic leader and anticipating where issues may arise is critical, and the ability to get ahead of regulatory expectations is key to success in the role.  The individual will be required not only make sound judgment-based decisions and answer complicated compliance risk-related questions, put appropriate controls in place to mitigate risks, and exercise judgment to know when issues need to be further escalated to senior management for consideration and deliberation, but also manage a global team of compliance professionals who do the same.  This role will work in partnership with the businesses and functions on strategic business initiatives

This role will report to the Global Investments Chief Compliance Officer and will be based in New Jersey.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of Compliance professionals responsible for day-to-day governance operations for Investments Compliance including regulatory filings, testing and monitoring, regulatory change implementation, policy governance, electronic communications, and conflicts of interest.
• Review existing Compliance issued policies and procedures and make enhancements to strengthen processes, procedures and policies and stay head of regulatory requirements and expectations for asset management businesses.
• Lead and support the development of appropriate surveillance and monitoring tools, keep abreast of developing technology, and understand expectations among global regulators.
• Lead NFRA implementation in Investments, actively influencing to drive key decision-making, collaborating with regional risk and first line leadership and supporting and advising local Compliance and Risk teams.
• Oversight of material Regulatory Change developments, including staying abreast of changes in the regulatory environment, analysis of the business impact of regulatory changes in all regions/countries, enforcement trends and ensure risk assessments appropriately address emerging risk.
• Work closely with the ECP teams to support implementation of global ECP policies and programs in Investments.
• Take Compliance-lead role in the region on Privacy related projects in the region (e.g. ServiceNow) with the support of the Global Privacy Office.
• Monitor and support other aspects of CRM programs in Investments, including Compliance policy and procedure development, Monitoring and Testing, Issues management, training, governance and reporting and lead and guide team members in identifying potential enhancements and solutions.
• Deliver and enhance compliance risk reporting to management to enable effective reporting of compliance issues and metrics to drive compliance risk awareness and first line ownership of compliance risk.
• Provide Compliance advice and support to regional strategic initiatives.
• Develop talent with active focus on diversity and inclusion.
• Support and lead other regional / CRM initiatives as needed.

Key Relationships:

• Reports to: SVP & Chief Compliance Officer, Investments  
• Direct reports/team:  3 Compliance Officers    
• Key Stakeholders: Leadership across Investments and CRM  

Essential Business Experience and Technical Skills:

• 7-10 years' experience in risk and/or compliance or related business (insurance/financial services) field
• A background or experience working with an institutional asset manager
• Highly organized and collaborative with excellent written and oral (cross-cultural) communication skills, maturity and presence to interact with and influence members of MetLife's senior leadership
• Experience interfacing with senior leaders to provide guidance with respect to compliance matters while accomplishing business objectives; the ability to easily translate compliance matters to business executives and external stakeholders, interfacing with relevant regulatory authorities if needed
• Proactive, commercial and solutions oriented, intellectually curious; operates with a sense of  urgency
• Ability to coordinate across lines of business and organizations to influence actions
• Ability to identify risks and apply strategies to minimize them
• Ability to manage complex projects to a successful outcome
• Ability to navigate complex and competing goals and interests to achieve results
• Strong people leader able to build, coach and lead effective and highly engaged teams
• Proactive change management leader able to strengthen compliance coverage across businesses and functions by collaborating on best practices and methodically implementing them

Leadership Competencies:

• Motivates People - Gains people commitment to achieve business objectives through clear communication of the company's vision and flexing leadership styles to inspire high performance.

• Creates Partnerships - Authentically builds trusted relationships and collaborates across global, diverse and multi-functional teams to successfully drive business objectives.
• Models our Values - Creates a culture that promotes the company's values and standards through role modeling, accountability and ownership of decisions.
• Drives Results - Sets aggressive goals and is accountable for continuously driving improved performance, leading change and ensuring high standards.

MetLife:

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 help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

We are one of the largest institutional investors in the U.S. with over $670 billion of total assets under management as of December 31, 2021. We are ranked #44 on the Fortune 500 list for 2019. In 2019, we were named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the fourth year in a row. DJSI is a global index to track the leading sustainability-driven companies.      

MetLife is committed to building a purpose-driven and inclusive culture that energizes our people. Our employees work every day to help build a more confident future for people around the world.

We want to make it simple for all interested and qualified candidates to apply for employment opportunities with MetLife.  If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to accommodations@metlife.com or call our Employee Relations Department at 1-877-843-3711.

MetLife is a proud Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer dedicated to attracting, retaining, and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment at MetLife without regards to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.

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