Director, Corporate Strategy

The Corporate Strategy team at Manulife partners with the Board, CEO, and senior leadership to define and advance the company’s long-term vision and strategic ambitions. We operate across segments, business units, functions, and geographies to shape enterprise priorities and enable sustainable growth.

Our mandate spans strategy development, strategic planning, portfolio optimization, and cross-functional alignment. We lead high-impact initiatives that inform executive decision-making and position Manulife to win in an evolving global landscape.

Your Role:

As a Director, you will play a critical role in shaping Manulife’s corporate and business strategy and driving strategic initiatives that advance our priorities. You will work closely with senior leaders to formulate strategies, structure strategic dialogues, and provide actionable insights—helping to translate corporate ambitions into tangible outcomes. You will also lead the annual strategic planning process, ensuring alignment between corporate, segment, and functional strategies.

Position Responsibilities:

Strategy Formation & Strategic Initiatives

• Partner with senior leadership to identify growth opportunities

• Act as a strategic advisor to design and execute enterprise and segment-level initiatives that deliver measurable impact.

• Conduct and synthesize competitive research, industry & market analysis, and emerging trends to inform strategic positioning and benchmarking.

• Develop thought leadership to influence corporate direction and leadership priorities

Annual Strategic Planning

• Drive the annual strategic planning in collaboration with the Board and ELT to shape strategic dialogues, and define corporate and segment level priorities

• Organize strategy offsites to support senior executives in defining strategic focus areas and ensure enterprise-wide consistency in priorities

• Partner with business segments and functions (e.g., segment strategy, function strategy, investor relations, FP&A, etc.) to ensure alignment between corporate and business unit strategies

• Act as a central facilitator to connect strategic updates across the enterprise, ensuring insights, priorities, and execution plans are integrated to inform decision-making

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to anticipate future trends, identify opportunities, and develop innovative solutions to drive long-term success.

• Influence & Collaboration: Skilled at building relationships and influencing decisions across diverse stakeholders and senior leadership.

• Executive Communication: Strong executive communication and presentation skills, with experience in storyboarding and developing materials for senior leadership.

• Execution Excellence: Proven track record of translating strategy into action and delivering results in complex, matrixed environments.

• Change Leadership: Ability to lead through ambiguity, inspire confidence, and drive alignment during periods of transformation.

• Talent Management & Development: Committed to coaching and empowering team members to achieve their full potential.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in corporate/business strategy, transformation, and management consulting profile, preferably in the financial services sector, and/or top-tier management consulting firm

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or related field; MBA or equivalent business graduate degree from a renowned university is strongly preferred.

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.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [email protected].

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [email protected] for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact [email protected] for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.