Absence Management Specialist Unit Leader

Role Overview

MetLife’s Global Customer Service and Operations team is centered on dependable service, empathy, and continuous improvement. In this leadership role, you will head a team that reviews Disability and/or Absence claims within approved authority limits. Your focus will be on helping the team meet or exceed goals tied to claim accuracy, customer experience, and expense control.

What You’ll Do

• Coach and support team members so they have the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to perform successfully for MetLife and its customers.
• Explain the team vision and business objectives clearly so each person understands how their work contributes to overall success.
• Spot obstacles affecting claims handling, push back on barriers where needed, and escalate issues to senior leadership with practical solutions.
• Monitor accountability across the team through encouragement, corrective guidance, and development support tied to behavior and performance expectations.
• Step in quickly when performance gaps appear, whether for an individual or across the team.
• Lead people-management routines such as one-on-one check-ins, metric reviews, and career conversations, while ensuring all required training is completed on time.
• Use strong verbal and written communication skills in customer-facing and internal interactions.
• Support quality initiatives through claim file audits and call monitoring to uncover knowledge gaps, trends, and opportunities for service, quality, or compliance improvement.
• Ensure the team handles claim adjudication accurately, with attention to decisional, financial, coding, and compliance requirements aligned to customer plans/policies and regulations.
• Make sure the team sets up and administers concurrent claims correctly for programs such as Short Term Disability, Family and Medical Leave, Paid Family and Medical Leave, Statutory Disability, and employer-sponsored leave benefits.

Required Background

• At least 2 years of experience in Disability and/or Absence Management.
• Working knowledge of disability and/or absence management contract terms and provisions.
• Strong interviewing and communication ability, including the skill to speak with claimants in a way that gathers the needed information and sets clear expectations.
• Basic understanding of medical conditions, treatment options, prognosis, and FMLA and/or PFML requirements.
• Strong critical-thinking ability.
• Ability to give and receive feedback effectively with partners and team members.
• Strategic thinking and sound judgment when applying decision-making frameworks.
• Strong prioritization and time-management skills to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with internal and external customers.

Preferred Profile

• Associate degree.
• 2+ years of direct claims management experience is preferred.
• 5+ years of management experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected annual salary range for this position is $55,600 to $99,300. The role may also qualify for annual short-term incentive pay and stock-based long-term incentives, subject to applicable plan terms.

MetLife offers a broad U.S. benefits package that supports physical health, mental well-being, financial wellness, and family needs. Benefits include medical, prescription drug and vision coverage, dental insurance, company-paid short-term and long-term disability, company-paid life insurance, legal services, a retirement pension fully funded by MetLife, a 401(k) with employer match, discounts on voluntary insurance products such as auto, home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident coverage, plus an Employee Assistance Program, digital mental health resources, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance, and more.

About MetLife

MetLife is among the world’s leading financial services organizations, offering insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management to individual and institutional customers. The company operates in more than 40 markets across the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Its purpose is to help colleagues, customers, communities, and the broader world build a more confident future, guided by values centered on teamwork, integrity, impact, and forward thinking.

Equal Opportunity and Workplace Policies

MetLife is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law, including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy-related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, military or veteran status, or any other protected status.

If you need a disability-related accommodation during the application process, you may contact MetLife at accommodations@metlife.com. This information will be handled confidentially and used only to arrange suitable accommodation.

MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace. In Massachusetts, employers cannot require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of hiring or continued employment.