Senior Legal Counsel

A leading global life insurer with a market‑leading high‑net‑worth and complex solutions portfolio in Singapore is seeking a highly accomplished Senior Legal Counsel to join our dynamic legal team. This pivotal role serves as the organisation’s lead counsel for all enterprise legal matters, including Strategy, Transformation, Operations, IT, HR, Finance and Regulatory.

The position requires strong stakeholder management across senior internal and external partners, along with a strong work ethic, exceptional drafting capability, analytical strength and the ability to drive complex negotiations to successful outcomes

Position Responsibilities:

• Leading legal strategy and providing comprehensive legal advisory services to senior stakeholders across all enterprise functions — including Operations, Technology, HR, Finance, Strategy and Transformation
• Provide commercially and solutions-oriented guidance to senior management, on complex corporate, regulatory, operational and governance matters.
• Provide effective legal oversight of digital, data, and technology initiatives, enabling innovation while managing cybersecurity, outsourcing, procurement, and operational‑resilience risks.
• Shape and safeguard enterprise‑wide transformation programs, partnering with Strategy and Operations to design legally robust operating models and implement regulatory‑aligned change.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations and drafting (procurement, vendor, outsourcing, shared‑services, cloud, data, facilities, corporate services), securing resilient and risk‑efficient outcomes.
• Oversee enterprise risk, crisis management, and incident response, partnering with cross‑functional teams to ensure readiness, continuity, and transparent regulatory engagement.
• Support workforce‑related initiatives, including People & Culture policies, organisational change, investigations, and cross‑border employment matters with thoughtful, commercially grounded advice.
• Enhance legal operational excellence, improving processes, frameworks, templates and automation to elevate the effectiveness and influence of the legal function.
• Working closely with the Compliance team on regulatory developments and issues to offer holistic and consolidated L&C position.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 6-10 PQE in in-house legal counsel roles or as a corporate commercial or disputes lawyer in top financial markets law firms.
• Law degree from a reputable law school.
• Singapore-qualified.
• Working knowledge of MAS regulations and guidelines.
• Strong personal commitment to excellence.
• Highly solutions-oriented and outcome-driven.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and analytical skills.
• High integrity with sound judgment.

When you join our team:

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.

• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.

• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact hr@manulife.com.

Hybrid