Senior Manager, Legal Counsel

Manulife (Singapore) Pte Ltd; Singapore; Hybrid; SGD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Flexible environment

Job summary

Manulife Singapore is seeking an exceptional Senior Legal Counsel to join our Products Legal team. This is a rare opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer to influence product design, launch, and regulatory engagement within a market-leading insurer.

You will counsel across Product, Distribution and Compliance, navigate MAS guidelines, and help deliver customer-centric outcomes in a fast-moving environment.

Qualifications

• Singapore-qualified lawyer with 6–10 years' PQE in top firms or high-performing in-house teams.
• Strong academic credentials from a reputable university.
• Experience advising on complex commercial, regulatory or contentious matters in insurance/wealth/financial services advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business leaders to design, structure and launch innovative insurance and wealth solutions, providing strategic legal advice from concept to market.
• Advise Product, Distribution, Actuarial, Operations and Compliance stakeholders to drive growth while navigating regulatory and customer-related issues.
• Shape strategic product initiatives balancing innovation, commercial objectives and regulatory expectations.
• Lead product governance forums and key business decision-making processes.
• Advise on emerging legal and regulatory developments impacting insurance products and distribution models.
• Draft and negotiate a broad range of commercial and product-related agreements.
• Represent Legal in regulators, industry associations and governance committees.
• Mentor junior lawyers and foster a high-performance team culture.
• Collaborate with Compliance to deliver pragmatic, commercially minded advice on regulatory matters.

Skills

Regulatory experience

Commercial drafting

Stakeholder management

MAS regulations

Insurance/financial services

Problem solving

Fast-paced environment

Integrity & accountability

Education

Law degree

Reputable university

Job description

Manulife Singapore is seeking an exceptional Senior Legal Counsel to join our Products Legal team. This is a rare opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer to play a central role in driving product innovation, strategic growth and regulatory engagement within a market-leading life insurer known for its high-net-worth, wealth and complex insurance solutions.

Unlike a traditional product counsel position, this role sits at the heart of the business. You will work alongside senior executives and business leaders to influence the design and launch of new insurance and wealth propositions, shape distribution strategies, navigate emerging regulatory developments and help deliver better customer outcomes in an increasingly complex environment.

You will be a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across Product, Distribution, Actuarial, Operations and Compliance. You will help solve some of the organisation's most challenging strategic, legal and commercial issues, balancing innovation, growth and regulatory expectations in a fast-moving industry.

The role also offers a unique opportunity to contribute to regional and global discussions on some of the industry's most significant developments, including customer and regulatory expectations, governance, emerging technologies and the future direction of financial services regulation. You will engage regularly with senior regional leaders and play a meaningful role in shaping Group-wide thinking and policy development.

For lawyers who enjoy operating as business partners, influencing key decisions and strategy, and helping bring ambitious ideas to life, this is an outstanding opportunity to build a career at the forefront of the insurance and wealth industry.

Position Responsibilities:

• Partner with business leaders to design, structure and launch innovative insurance, wealth and high-net-worth solutions, providing strategic legal advice from concept stage through to market launch.

• Act as a trusted advisor to Product, Distribution, Actuarial, Operations and Compliance stakeholders, helping drive business growth while navigating complex legal, regulatory and customer-related issues.

• Shape strategic product initiatives, new business opportunities and customer propositions, balancing innovation, commercial objectives, customer outcomes and regulatory expectations.

• Play a leading role in product governance forums and key business decision-making processes.

• Advise on emerging legal and regulatory developments impacting insurance products, distribution models and customer propositions, translating regulatory change into practical and commercially effective solutions.

• Help solve complex and often novel legal, regulatory and commercial challenges, working alongside cross-functional teams on matters of strategic importance to the business.

• Review, draft and negotiate a broad range of commercial, strategic and product-related arrangements, supporting key business initiatives and partnerships.

• Lead Manulife Singapore's participation in regional and global discussions on cutting-edge legal, regulatory and governance issues, helping shape Group-wide positions, policies and frameworks.

• Represent Legal in engagements with regulators, industry associations, senior management and governance committees, contributing to the organisation's response to significant market and regulatory developments.

• Work closely with Compliance and other control functions to deliver pragmatic, commercially minded and coordinated advice on regulatory matters and business initiatives.

• Mentor and support junior members of the legal team, helping foster a high-performance culture built on excellence, collaboration and continuous development.

Required Qualifications:

• Singapore-qualified lawyer with approximately 6-10 years' post-qualification experience, gained in leading law firms and/or high-performing in-house legal teams.

• Strong academic credentials, including a law degree from a reputable university.

• Experience advising on complex commercial, regulatory or contentious matters. Prior experience in insurance, wealth management or financial services is advantageous but not essential.

• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks and an ability to navigate evolving legal and regulatory landscapes. Familiarity with MAS regulations and guidelines would be an advantage.

• Outstanding legal drafting, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to distil complex issues into practical, business-oriented advice.

• Commercially minded and intellectually curious, with a genuine interest in understanding how products, markets and businesses operate.

• Highly solutions-oriented and outcome-driven, with the judgment to balance legal risk, customer outcomes and commercial objectives.

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to engage constructively with senior management and business leaders.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and deliver consistently high-quality work under pressure.

• Strong personal commitment to excellence, coupled with high integrity, sound judgment and a strong sense of accountability.

• A growth mindset, collaborative approach and desire to contribute to a high-performing team that values excellence, continuous improvement and professional development.

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.

Working Arrangement

Hybrid