Director, Transformation

Reporting to the VP, Global Marketing Strategy & Transformation, this role is an integral contributor to the development, governance, and execution of Manulife’s long-term strategy, and our ambition to be the #1 Choice for Customers.

The Marketing Strategy & Transformation team partners across Global Marketing to support client and customer needs, delivering the right data, insights, and execution rigour to solve complex business problems. This role provides forward-looking advisory services while ensuring effective monitoring, governance, and reporting to enable successful strategy execution.

Position Responsibilities:

Strategy

• Analyze key business priorities and generate insights that drive executive decision-making and enterprise value creation.

• Identify, prioritize, and manage key value creation opportunities aligned to strategic objectives.

• Translate strategic priorities into integrated, executable program roadmaps with clear outcomes.

Portfolio Management

• Own and drive large-scale, complex, cross‑segment programs spanning multiple business units and geographies.

• Maintain accountability for scope, dependencies, milestones, risks, and delivery discipline across the portfolio.

• Support business casing and investment decisioning for priority programs.

• Manage program and portfolio financials, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and financial targets.

• Oversee program costs and benefits, including forecasting, budgeting, variance analysis, and benefits realization.

• Ensure financial compliance with accounting standards, including IFRS 17, capitalization policies, and accruals.

Reporting & Analytics

• Develop executive-ready presentation materials, performance metrics, and portfolio reporting.

• Provide regular reporting on progress, financial results, risks, and KPIs to leadership forums.

• Leverage AI-enabled reporting and analytics to drive insight, transparency, and decision quality.

Risk Oversight

• Oversee risk management across the marketing organization, including enterprise and change-related risks.

• Ensure compliance with RCSAs, PCIRAs, CAPs, issue management, and change risk inventories.

• Partner closely with IRM, ORM, Privacy, and Compliance teams to ensure standards are met.

Program Delivery

• Provide senior-level oversight and support for program management and delivery across priority initiatives.

• Ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of transformation initiatives

• Drive transparency of portfolio performance, risks, and financials to leadership

• Enable adoption and business impact (not just delivery) across markets and segments

• Drive change management, adoption, and business readiness across global stakeholders

• Ensure initiatives translate into sustained behavioural and operating model change

• Develop communication and engagement strategies for transformation programs

Required Qualifications:

• Typically 8+ years of experience in program management, strategy, transformation, or related roles, ideally within large, matrixes organizations.

• Advanced degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or another quantitative discipline

• CPA/CA and/or MBA considered an asset.

• Experience leading large-scale enterprise transformation programs

• Experience in financial governance, benefits tracking, and value realization

• Experience working in AI, digital, or data-driven transformation environments an asset

Competencies:

• Strong financial services acumen in a fast-paced, high-performing environment.

• Demonstrated strategic, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Ability to deconstruct complex problems and operate effectively in ambiguous environments.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and collaboration skills within a matrixed organization.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, adaptable to diverse executive audiences.

When you join our team:

• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

• 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.   

#LI-Hybrid

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.