We are Allianz Partners. The leader in assistance and insurance solutions in the areas of international health, assistance, automotive and travel insurance. Allianz Partners is a global family of over 19,000 employees across 78 countries. This role is in the International Health part of the business, which has a number of well-known customer facing brands such as Allianz Care, NEXtCARE and Medi24. 

The International Health line of business provides international health, life and disability insurance and services, reinsurance and administration services to a wide range of customers. These include multinational companies, intergovernmental organisations (IGOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private individuals, families and students. Our mission is to ensure that customers have access to quality healthcare through our support, care and commitment to go the extra mile. We are a truly global health partner for our customers, ensuring fast and simple access to the best advice, treatment and value for our customers.

      
JOB OVERVIEW

Lead Counsel for the Allianz International Health Business for APAC Region. Provide legal guidance, interpretation, advice and recommendations for action to internal stakeholders and senior/executive management, mainly the Global Head of Legal, regarding local and international regulations in the healthcare industry in APAC. Serves as a subject matter expert by providing legal advice and interpretation of new legal requirements, as well as applicability to Allianz healthcare and life products in APAC. Provides legal advice and recommendations for action to executives and management regarding matters of increasing complexity which have a sizable monetary impact  on business activities and operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Projects / Contract role

• Lead legal advisor for new market entries, global new business projects and regulatory projects in APAC;
• Lead strategic negotiations with international partners and companies to ensure optimum legal structure and to negotiate and finalise agreements while ensuring Allianz is contractually protected in its arrangements;
• Representing Legal at cross-company project meetings for new business arrangements;
• Manage applications for new and renewals of licenses (reinsurance licenses) in APAC region;
• Develop and maintain a framework and standards to ensure effective legal support on governance, licensing, projects, contract review and other key legal risk topics;
• Manage relationships with international external counsel on complex legal briefs and taking responsibility for external legal budget
• Responsible for ensuring quality management of contract templates for projects in APAC (NDAs, insurance, reinsurance, distribution and service contracts and other agreements with external parties);
• Review of marketing material and policy documents in line with local regulations in Hong Kong, Singapore and other APAC regions where Allianz does business;
• Product development advice (legal and regulatory) regulations in Hong Kong, Singapore and other APAC regions where Allianz does business;
• Regulatory advice and research regarding Allianz  sales practices in APAC region;
• Internal and preliminary research of and advice on recently enacted laws, regulations and sub-regulatory guidance, insurance supervisory, licensing, health insurance laws, outsourcing and data protection rules in the jurisdictions in which Allianz sells or proposes to sell in APAC as well as determining business impacts and working with the business to devise and implement solutions;
• Conducts significant legal research, translates business requirements into plain language, and documents and distributes legal summaries for internal business clients. Summarizes significant legal requirements for business areas to identify impact and action steps to comply. Drafts and executes legal documents.
• Work closely with Compliance team to ensure that existing arrangements, policies and procedures, marketing material, existing and new products, and regulatory compliance training material comply with applicable laws and regulations in APAC.
• Act as senior legal point of contact and overview to global Business Solutions Team to ensure client agreements are in line with local laws;
• Develop and maintain a contractual framework and standards for APAC client and broker contracts in collaboration with the Business Solutions Team;  
• Develop and maintain templates and guidance notes for Business Solutions Team to follow;
• Escalate key risk issues to Global Health of Legal. 
• Reviews contracts for new vendors and subcontractors in APAC. 
• Supports legal team in AGCS in representing AGCS in any communications or interactions with local regulators bodies and other administrative forums on international health matters. 
• Support provider contracting activities and act as senior legal point of contact and overview for medical provider and contracts lawyers working on provider agreement in APAC region. 

Litigation / Complaints Management 

• Managing international health related complaints and coordinating within the health team in AGCS, reviewing responses to customer, regulator and observing complaints management process and submissions with local ombudsman is involved.
• Managing international health related litigation including liaising with external counsel where relevant and keeping relevant management team informed. 

Advisory Role / Knowledge Sharing 

• Act as the subject matter expert on insurance supervisory, licensing, health insurance laws, outsourcing and provide ongoing expert advice and guidance to the Global Head of Legal for International Health, senior management and Legal team; 
• Participation in relevant Committees;
• Provide advice to the Global Head of Legal on: legal rules and principles; regulatory developments; regulator policy statements; and legal trends and developments in APAC;
• Proactively provide legal input on relevant business issues;
• Proactively maintain awareness and provide input on regulatory/compliance developments, risks and potential impacts on business;
• Provide training to the business on legal issues (i.e. offshore selling);
• Implement Allianz Group standards and Allianz Partners standards as required.
   

REQUIREMENTS
To be successful in this position you will need to have the following skills/ experience:

• Qualified lawyer with minimum 7 years PQE with significant experience in a senior legal role within a financial services institution in Singapore and/or Hong Kong and familiarity with the principles and practice of financial services regulations in APAC. 
• Legal experience in another APAC country desirable
• Experience in an in-house legal role required.  Experience in a similar industry (insurance /reinsurance) essential
• Exposure to cross border financial/ insurance regulatory environment
• Excellent written English required
• Demonstrated expertise with legal acumen, drafting and analytical skills
• Experience demonstrating strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Experience demonstrating high level of interpersonal skills and diplomatic finesse 
• Admitted to practice law in Singapore or Hong Kong and in good standing of applicable bar association(s).
   

As an equal opportunity employer, Allianz Partners recognizes that our strength lies in our people and we are committed to diversity and inclusivity. So if you would like to be part of a global company that offers international career opportunities, kick-start your career and dare to join us!

For more information, please visit: www.allianzcare.com