A day in the life of an AVP Legal Operations & Network Strategy at MetLife Legal Plans:

The AVP Legal Operations & Network Strategy provides executive leadership for the department responsible for overseeing both the strategic management of MetLife Legal Plans nationwide attorney network and the business processes that support it. This role ensures operational effectiveness across panel management and claims collaboration while driving accountability to service level agreements audit standards and enterprise objectives. As a senior subject matter expert the AVP provides guidance on complex coverage matters and escalations ensuring cohesion between internal teams member experience and participating law firms.

This leader sets the vision and direction for a team of relationship managers and support professionals strengthening internal processes enhancing network engagement and delivering measurable performance outcomes. The role partners closely with Sales Support Legal Claims Finance and Operations to support growth initiatives fee strategy coverage evolution and sponsor reporting. Success requires strong business acumen and the ability to balance legal expertise operational scalability financial considerations and customer experience.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned attorney and proven people leader who understands how law firms operate and can confidently lead at both the executive and practitioner levels. This is a strategic leadership opportunity for a legal professional who wants to influence how legal services are delivered at scale while leading a high-performing department within a growth-oriented organization.

This position will be a hybrid position with roughly two days in the Cleveland OH office and three days remote.

Responsibilities (Essential Duties and Responsibilities):

Attorney Network Management

• Manage attorney panel including recruiting training supervising evaluating and re-credentialing and communicating with PLFs and visiting PLF offices as appropriate
• Lead a team 40 relationship managers to engage support educate and manage attorney relationships across the country
• Develop communications and strategies to strengthen our relationships engage educate and improve the network NPS
• Support coverage reviews including coverage determinations and coverage appeals.
• Manageannualreviewofnetworkattorneyfeestodetermineifadjustmentsneedtobemadetoexistingfee schedules including negotiation of fees.
• MaintainandupdateParticipatingLawFirmmanualonaregularbasis.
• Support and manage virtual panel engagement offering available to members.
• Lead a team of associates that support scheduling appointments with our attorneys

Sales Support

• Support Sales department in completing RFP (request for proposal) responses plan comparisons and competitor comparisons.
• Participateinfinalistmeetingscustomerfacingsalescalls/presentationsasrequestedbythesales/marketing organization.
• PartnerwithourSalesandLegaldepartmentsincreatingnewcoveragesand/orupdatingcoveragedefinitions and establish alignment of these changes throughout the organization.
• PartnerwithFinanceandLegaldepartmentsinestablishingnetworkandoutofnetworkattorneyfeesfornew coverage offerings.
• Approvespecialfeerequestsatfirmlevelduringrecruitmenttoournetwork.

Compliance/Audit Management

• Manage attorney panel including recruiting evaluating and re-credentialing to including malpractice checks.
• Managerecruitingofnetworkattorneysincluding:reviewingandapprovingallattorneyapplications
• Managetheattorneyauditsystemincludingassistingaccountingwithauditstandardsandcasesdetermining PLF status related to audit issues and managing training related audit issues
• Supportandmanageresponsesformembercomplaintsrelatingtocoverageclaimsprocessingandnetwork attorneys.
• Supportandrespondtoanylitigationwhichmayarisefromitemsdirectlyrelatedtopositionsmanagement responsibilities.
• Supportcompanylitigationbyresearchinglegalissuesand/orcoachingmembersoftheorganizationintheir responses.
• Supportandmanageauditactivityandresponsesrelatedtothepanelandclaimsdepartments.
• Obtain and maintain adjustor licenses as deemed necessary for role responsibilities.

Team Management

• Manage coach train supervise and develop direct reports.
• Managedepartmentalstaffinglevelspaidtimeoffperformancereviewsandcompensation
• Supportbudgetplanningbyensuringstaffingandcapacitymodelsarekeptuptodateandreflectswork responsibilities across the Attorney Network and Claims Management teams.
• Participateinuseracceptancetestingforanychangesinprocess/technologyforthePanelManagementand Claims departments.
• SupporttrainingofnewteammembersinthePanelManagementandClaimsdepartments.
• Serveasaresourceandprovidetrainingforotherdepartmentsoncoverageandattorneynetworkissues
• Managetheclientinquirysystemincluding:reviewandresolutionofdifficultinquiries;reviewallegationsof attorney misconduct or poor service; review of attorney status; and categorization of inquiries
• Support Strategic Planning efforts and deliver on the organizations objectives and key results.
• SupportorganizationwithachievingServiceLevelAgreementsandNPSgoals.
• ManageSLAreportoutrequestsforSponsors
• AssistLegalPanelandClaimsorganizationwithotheritemsasrequired.
• EnsurethatallemployeesareadheringtoandmodelingaftercompanySuccessPrinciples.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge skills and abilities required):

• Bachelors degree from an accredited university
• MustbelicensedingoodstandingintheStateofOhioorhavetheabilitytositfortheStateofOhiobar
• Possessaminimumof8yearsofexperienceasapracticingattorney
• Strongleadershipskillsandabilitytoworkwithinternalandexternalpartnersatalllevels
• Strongtimemanagementskillsandanabilitytoprioritizetasks
• Abilitytomotivateateamtoworktogethertoachieveandsupportorganizationalgoals
• Abilitytomanageteamandsupporttheindividualgoalsandobjectivesofteammembers
• Detail-orientedandwell-organizedwiththeabilitytohandleahigh-volumeworkload
• Self-motivatedwiththeabilitytotakeinitiative
• Abilitytocommunicateeffectivelybothverballyandinwriting
• Abilitytoanalyzeandmanageclientserviceissues
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive situations and documents

What Will Make You Special (Preferred knowledge skills and abilities):

• Experience in all aspects of the general practice of law and litigation matters
• Strongbusinessacumen
• Priorexperiencemanagingateam
• Priorclientrelationshipmanagementexperience
• Knowledgeoftheindustrybusinessandproduct
• Stronginterpersonalskills
• Strong mediation/conflict resolution skills
• Abilitytocoachmentorandtrainteammembers
• Abilitytothinkoutsidetheboxtoresolveissues

Characteristics of our Director of Panel Operations (Competencies):

• Customer/client-focused
• Detail-oriented
• Communication proficiency
• Businessacumen
• Abilitytothriveinbothateamatmosphereandanindependentworkenvironment
• Problem-solving/analytical skills
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Abilitytomeetdeadlinesanddeliverresults

Who We Are:

MetLife Legal Plans is the leading consumer legal service in the United States. Whether you are making a will after startingafamilynegotiatingthecontractonyourdreamhome orjustwantthepeaceofmindofhavingournetworkof 18000 attorneys on your side we make it easy and affordable to get quality legal help.

Wearetrustedbynearly7millionfamiliesandmorethan200Fortune500companieswhoprovideourserviceasan employee benefit.

company to dream bigger move faster and use creativity and technology to build products people love.

MLPs Success Principles:

• Wechangeandinnovateforsustainedperformance
• Wecollaborateandempowereachothertosucceed
• We deliver for our customers

Travel

Upto10%travelmayberequiredforthisposition.

Note:This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the associate in this position. Associates will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties as requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities aresubject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully the incumbent will possess the skills aptitude and ability to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge skills or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract implied or otherwise other than an at-will relationship.

MetLife Legal Plans 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 . This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.

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