Director, Forward Deployed Organization Architect

The Opportunity

We are transforming how work happens across the enterprise. As AI and human capabilities evolve, we need practical builders who can rethink how value is delivered and shape the workforce needed for the future.

Forward Deployed Org Architects design, pilot, and scale new ways of working for a human-centered, AI-powered organization. Embedded within priority business areas, the role assesses current workflows, identifies where AI can automate, augment, or transform work, and translates those insights into future-state designs across workflows, roles, skills, decision rights, operating models, and workforce transition plans.

Working across business, AI strategy, risk, data, People Partners, Talent CoE teams, and change partners, this role tests new models, measures impact and creates repeatable systems to help Manulife scale proven human-AI ways of working.

How You Will Lead

• Embed within business teams to understand how work creates value to identify priorities.

• Balance innovative thinking with practical judgment, helping leaders decide where to automate, augment, redesign, or simplify.

• Map existing systems, understand the trade-offs, and make informed decisions 

• Design with adoption in mind, balancing the power and potential of AI with human-centered design principles and sustainable work experiences 

• Lead with an experimentation mindset, using evidence, feedback, and learning loops to improve decisions and outcomes.

• Bring an AI power-user mindset and practical curiosity, without chasing trends or over-engineering solutions.

Position Responsibilities:

• Assess current workflows, systems, and alignment to enterprise priorities.

• Identify and design human + AI work models that improve business outcomes, colleague experience, customer impact, speed, quality, cost, or risk 

• Translate redesigned work into practical operating model choices, including human + AI role archetypes, accountabilities, decision rights, skill needs, capacity implications, and workforce transition plans 

• Design and lead pilots that measure impact, build adoption, and create repeatable patterns for scale.

• Collaborate across business functions, AI, technology, risk, data, People Partners, Talent CoE teams, and change partners 

• Support an innovative, team-oriented environment that builds capability and reinforces new ways of working across Manulife.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience leading workforce transformation, organization design, operating model design, or AI-enabled work redesign.

• Demonstrated success redesigning work across functions, processes, roles, or teams.

• Experience advising executives and moving solutions from strategy and design into pilots, adoption, and scaled implementation.

• Strong understanding of organizational systems and human behavior in large organizations 

• Strong narrative-building skills; ability to translate complex information into clear, meaningful, executive-ready recommendations 

• Comfort with continuous learning, experimentation, and building clarity in ambiguous environments.

• Required Applied AI Fluency: Ability to leverage data, analytics, AI-powered tools, and scenario modeling to inform workforce and operating model design decisions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in financial services, insurance, banking, wealth, or asset management 

• Experience facilitating executive workshops in large, complex organizations.

• Experience with responsible AI, risk, controls, governance, regulatory environments, or enterprise compliance.

• Experience with strategic or skills-based workforce planning, job and skills architecture, talent intelligence, or human performance architecture 

• Experience in consulting, business architecture, service design, product operating models, agile delivery, or enterprise AI transformation.

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.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

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

Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. 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. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [email protected] for the salary range for your location.

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.

We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.