Director Individual Disability Income

MetLife, Inc.; Tampa (FL); Hybrid; USD 112,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with employer match

Job summary

MetLife is seeking a Director of IDI Claims Operations to lead the Individual Disability Income claims organization, ensuring high-quality decisions, regulatory compliance, and strong service outcomes. You will manage managers and SMEs, drive AI-enabled improvements, and collaborate across Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Actuarial.

The role emphasizes operational leadership across a long-duration, highly regulated area, with a hybrid in-office schedule.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of disability claims or IDI experience.
• Experience leading managers or complex operations in a matrixed environment.
• Knowledge of policy provisions, claim practices, and regulatory environment.
• Experience managing regulatory examinations, audits, or litigated claims.
• Ability to use metrics and analytics to diagnose issues and improve outcomes.
• Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day IDI claims operations from intake through benefit payment, managing staffing, capacity, quality, and service levels.
• Oversee complex, contestable, and escalated claim decisions and potential litigation.
• Lead market conduct examinations, regulatory inquiries, complaints, and audits to ensure compliance.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Actuarial on litigated claims and risk.
• Develop managers and SMEs with clear goals and accountability.
• Oversee quality assurance using metrics and reporting to drive improvement.
• Drive AI-enabled use cases in line with governance.
• Manage process, technology, and operating model changes, including system modernization.
• Oversee vendor and third-party partnerships to ensure quality and cost discipline.
• Develop leaders and collaborate with regulators, auditors, reinsurers, and brokers.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Analytics & metrics

Communication

AI adoption

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree

Professional designations (CLU, CEBS, DBM, CDMS, FLMI)

Job description

Description and Requirements

The Team You Will Join

On MetLife’s Global Customer Service and Operations (GCSO) team, customer care is built on trust, empathy, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Whether guiding customers through life’s important moments, solving challenges, or simplifying processes with innovative technology, you’ll help deliver a differentiated experience grounded in operational excellence. Backed by a collaborative team, you’ll play a vital role in strengthening the way we care and advocate for millions worldwide. Here, making a real difference isn’t just a goal - it’s what we do, one conversation at a time.

The Opportunity

The Director, IDI Claims Operations leads MetLife's Individual Disability Income (IDI) claims organization, with accountability for claim decision quality, regulatory and contractual compliance, service, financial outcomes, and talent across the IDI block, including in-force and closed-block business. Reporting to the Vice President, LTD / RTH / IDI, this role leads managers and subject-matter leaders and translates LTD, Return to Health, and IDI priorities into clear operating goals and measurable results.

IDI claims carry long-duration liabilities, individually underwritten contract provisions, and a high level of regulatory and litigation exposure. The Director serves as the primary operational point of contact for market conduct examinations, regulatory inquiries, external audits, and escalated or litigated IDI claims, and leads responsible adoption of approved AI-enabled capabilities that improve workflows, decision quality, productivity, and claimant outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day IDI claims operations from intake through benefit payment, managing staffing, capacity, quality, and service levels.


• Ensure consistent application of individual policy provisions and oversee complex, contestable, and escalated claim decisions and potential litigation.


• Serve as operational lead for market conduct examinations, regulatory inquiries, complaints, and audits, ensuring claim practices meet regulatory, contractual, and internal control requirements.


• Partner with Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Actuarial on litigated claims, remediation, and operational, financial, and reputational risk.


• Lead managers and subject-matter specialists, setting clear goals and performance expectations and promoting accountability.


• Oversee quality assurance and use metrics and reporting to drive improvement and inform senior leadership.


• Build AI fluency and lead the responsible implementation of AI-enabled use cases in line with enterprise governance and oversight requirements.


• Lead process, technology, and operating model changes, including system modernization, to simplify work and improve outcomes.


• Oversee vendor, offshore, and third-party partners to ensure service consistency, quality, and cost discipline.


• Develop leaders and claims professionals and partner with internal functions, regulators, auditors, reinsurers, and brokers to deliver shared priorities.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in disability claims, individual disability income, employee benefits, or a related insurance field; or Bachelor's degree


• People-leadership experience, including leading managers or complex operations in a matrixed environment


• Working knowledge of individual disability income policy provisions, claim practices, and the regulatory environment for disability claims


• Experience managing regulatory examinations, audits, complaints, or litigated claims


• Demonstrated ability to use metrics, reporting, and analysis to diagnose issues, guide decisions, and improve outcomes


• Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in business, insurance, risk management, or a related discipline


• Relevant professional designations (e.g., CLU, CEBS, DBM, CDMS, FLMI)


• Experience leading claims professionals through operational or technology change, including AI-enabled tools


• Experience with vendor, offshore, or third-party claims partners

Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.

The expected salary range for this position is $112,000 - $150,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.

Benefits We Offer

Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!

About MetLife

Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the \"World's Most Admired Companies\", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, 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 individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

As part of our New Frontier strategy, MetLife is building an AI-enabled, people-centered future. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, adaptability, and a growth mindset as we use AI to enhance how we serve customers, support communities, and evolve the way work gets done. At MetLife, AI is a responsible partner that supports human judgment, creativity, and continuous improvement while helping us build trust, inclusion, and long-term value.

Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s . Join us!

MetLife 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 [e-mail]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.

MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liabilities.

This posting is for a current vacancy and is anticipated to remain open for at least 90 days from the listed posting date.References

Visible links1. https://www.metlife.com/content/dam/metlifecom/us/noindex/pdf/HR-US-Benefits/US-Benefits-Overview-10-13-2025.pdf2. https://www.metlifecareers.com/ml/GreatPlaceToWork