Senior Legal Counsel - Health and Welfare Benefits

Location: 1225 NEW YORK AVE NW, SUITE 1250B, Washington DC

Fidelity will not provide immigration sponsorship for this position.

Job Description

The Role

Be the legal voice behind innovative health and wealth solutions!

FMR LLC is seeking an experienced attorney with deep expertise in health and welfare benefits to join our legal team. As Senior Counsel in this highly visible role, you'll serve as a trusted strategic advisor to Fidelity's FSA and broader reimbursement account administration businesses, as well as HSA, benefits administration recordkeeping, and Fidelity Medicare services. You will partner with leaders across product, risk, compliance, technology, operations, sales, relationship management, and client-facing teams.

This position offers the opportunity to work on sophisticated and impactful legal issues within a highly collaborative culture that values excellence, professionalism, and long-term career development. You will help shape new products and services, advise on complex regulatory and legal matters, negotiate strategic business arrangements, and provide practical guidance that enables innovation and growth in an evolving healthcare and financial services landscape.

You'll partner with exceptional colleagues across the enterprise, engage in meaningful and strategic work, and be part of a legal department recognized for its business partnership, collaboration, expertise, and commitment to professional excellence.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment where strategic thinking, sound judgment, collaboration and client service are paramount, we want to meet you!

The Expertise and Skills You Bring

The role calls for the following experience and expertise

JD and 8+ years of law firm, industry, government, or regulatory practice with Employee Benefits, Health & Welfare, Healthcare, or related focus.

Considerable experience advising on health and benefits accounts, FSA and other reimbursement account administration, including the legal and regulatory issues that arise across the account lifecycle, from plan design and enrollment through funding, claims, reimbursement, substantiation, debit card use, appeals and account closeout.

Experience advising on the operational and regulatory framework for FSA administration, including eligibility and enrollment data, contribution and election changes, qualifying life events, claims and appeals, substantiation, reimbursements, forfeitures, carryovers and grace periods, debit card administration, and coordination with employers, payroll providers, recordkeepers, and other service providers.

Deep knowledge of the laws and regulations governing FSAs and related reimbursement accounts, including Internal Revenue Code Sections 125, 129, and 132; ERISA; COBRA; HIPAA; HITECH; and applicable nondiscrimination, cafeteria plan, claims administration, and privacy requirements. Experience with HSAs, HRAs, LSAs, DCAPs, commuter benefits, RMSAs, voluntary benefits, the ACA, CAA group health plan provisions, Transparency Rules, and Interoperability Rules is also valuable.

Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements involving service providers, financial institutions, healthcare carriers, technology providers, and strategic partners.

Experience advising on healthcare privacy and data protection matters, including HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, state health privacy laws, data-sharing arrangements, consumer health information, and emerging privacy requirements applicable to healthcare and benefits administration services.

Admitted to practice or willing to secure bar admission in the relevant jurisdiction.

The following experience is strongly preferred

Experience supporting FSA account administration and healthcare payment solutions, including debit card programs and program management, claims and substantiation processes, vendor oversight, operational controls, and participant communications.

Experience supporting HSAs and other reimbursement accounts and advising on privacy, digital health, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, interoperability, and emerging healthcare technologies.

Experience with Medicare or familiarity with banking, broker/dealer, securities, digital health, fintech, or other financial services regulatory frameworks.

In addition, the role calls for the following capabilities and skills:

Strong orientation to client service (for internal and external clients) with an emphasis on responsiveness to client inquiries.

Strong work ethic, excellent judgment, and keen attention to detail.

Strong research, analytical, investigatory, and problem-solving skills.

Strong presentation, oral communication, and writing skills.

Ability to effectively collaborate on projects and initiatives and to build relationships with business and legal partners, risk, and compliance, while exhibiting behavior consistent with Fidelity’s culture and values.

Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced and dynamic environment handling multiple projects simultaneously.

You provide primary legal support for Health and Benefits Accounts, advising on plan design, enrollment and election data, funding, claims and appeals, substantiation, reimbursements, forfeitures, carryovers and grace periods, debit card administration, participant communications, and operational processes.

You counsel product, operations, technology, sales, relationship management, and client-facing teams on federal and state laws, regulations, and industry developments affecting FSAs, DCAPs, commuter accounts, LSAs, HSAs, RMSAs and related benefits administration services.

You support FSA and HSA debit card and healthcare payment programs, including legal issues associated with program management, vendor oversight, banking relationships, network rules, fraud and operational controls, and participant experience.

You act as both a builder and guardian, helping the business achieve strategic objectives while appropriately identifying, managing, and mitigating legal and regulatory risk.

You partner with business leaders to develop strategies for complex legal, regulatory, operational, and commercial matters and provide practical, timely advice regarding health and welfare benefits products and services.

You assist with implementation of new clients, changes to FSA and reimbursement account service offerings, and new products driven by legislative, regulatory, operational, and market developments.

You help foster innovation by providing practical, risk-balanced solutions that support the delivery of world-class experiences for Fidelity's customers and clients.

The Team

You will play a significant role in advising Fidelity Health operations, product, technology, relationship management, sales, and other teams, with a particular focus on FSA and reimbursement account administration. Your role will be critical to the smooth running of Fidelity's benefits administration recordkeeping business and the teams that support healthcare across the enterprise. You will work collaboratively with a dynamic and highly skilled group of legal, risk, and compliance professionals.

Fidelity’s Onsite Working Model

Fidelity is transitioning to a full-time onsite working model through a phased rollout across regions and roles. Currently, some roles and locations require 100% onsite presence, while others require less. Onsite expectations are likely to evolve as the rollout continues. This transition does not apply to fully remote roles.

The base salary range for this position is $140,000-285,000 USD per year.

Placement in the range will vary based on job responsibilities and scope, geographic location, candidate’s relevant experience, and other factors.

Base salary is only part of the total compensation package. Depending on the position and eligibility requirements, the offer package may also include bonus or other variable compensation.

We offer a wide range of benefits to meet your evolving needs and help you live your best life at work and at home. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage and emotional well-being support, market-leading retirement, generous paid time off and parental leave, charitable giving employee match program, and educational assistance including student loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, and learning resources to develop your career. Note, the application window closes when the position is filled or unposted.

Please be advised that Fidelity’s business is governed by the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Investment Company Act of 1940, ERISA, numerous state laws governing securities, investment and retirement-related financial activities and the rules and regulations of numerous self-regulatory organizations, including FINRA, among others. Those laws and regulations may restrict Fidelity from hiring and/or associating with individuals with certain Criminal Histories.

Certifications

Category

Legal