Product Improvement Manager

Why you’ll love working here:

• high-performance, people-focused culture

• our commitment that equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to our work environment and business success, which helps employees feel valued and empowered to be their authentic selves

• learning and development initiatives, including workshops, Speaker Series events and access to LinkedIn Learning, that support employees’ career growth

• membership in HOOPP’s world class defined benefit pension plan, which can serve as an important part of your retirement security

• competitive, 100% company-paid extended health and dental benefits for permanent employees, including coverage supporting our team's diversity and mental health (e.g., gender affirmation, fertility and drug treatment, psychological support benefits of $2,500 per year, parental leave top-up, and a health spending account).

• optional post-retirement health and dental benefits subsidized at 50%

• yoga classes, meditation workshops, nutritional consultations, and wellness seminars

• the opportunity to make a difference and help take care of those who care for us, by providing a financially secure retirement for Ontario healthcare workers

Job Summary
 

The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) is a defined benefit (DB) pension plan that is dedicated to providing a secure retirement income to more than 490,000+ members in Ontario’s healthcare sector. More than 800 employers across the province offer HOOPP to their employees. The Plan Operations Division is responsible for providing service to members in order to deliver on HOOPP’s pension promise. 

The Product Improvement Manager is responsible for the effectiveness and continuous improvement of existing products that enhance the service experience of HOOPP’s current and prospective members and employers. The individual will be responsible for understanding and managing the evolving needs of the pension business, with the ability to identify emerging risks, raise issues, manage stakeholders of various levels in the organization and find resolutions to deliver the right business outcomes. The individual will also ensure product upgrades and maintenances are carried out as planned supporting business/operational readiness for the division. They have an in-depth understanding of the customer experience and value proposition of HOOPP’s service model and can leverage digital capabilities and communications to provide product features and service offerings that are appreciated and valued by our members and employers.  

What you will do:

• Develop and implement innovative product enhancements  for members and employers (e.g., changes to features, processes, etc.), that will enhance adoption, satisfaction, and overall experience. Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, making data-driven adjustments to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with organizational goals which includes ensuring appropriate economic value.

• Oversee the change management process for product enhancements, ensuring plan operations teams are fully informed of the value these changes bring and are adequately prepared to support them from both servicing and administrative perspectives.

• Translate product strategies into product initiatives and lead or support multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams in delivering enhancements to product, service, or process design.

• Identify, build, and own business requirements from all major stakeholders for specific product features and services enhancements

• Manage product and service positioning, ensuring consistency across the product offering and service platform

• Manage the portfolio of existing product features, promoting adoption and maintaining competitiveness with features provided by other peer plans

• Ensure the successful and timely completion of multiple, simultaneous initiatives and ensuring key success metrics are met.

• As part of project management, develop the plans, schedules, and status on specific initiatives, monitor progress, delivery outcomes and manage communications with impacted stakeholders.

• Monitor the marketplace for opportunities, improvements, regulatory and industry-wide developments; collect and analyze information and data regarding trends, internal and external stakeholders in order to propose product innovations and enhancements

• Provide input and direction on vendor negotiations and external consultant arrangements; management of vendor relationships as required to support the product enhancement

• Build cohesive and compelling presentation material that can be used by senior management to build support and buy-in for operations initiatives; make presentations to various stakeholders and audiences as necessary

• Create and maintain a leadership presence within the division by influencing and championing successful change including new ways of doing business, challenging existing business processes

• Develop cross-functional business partnerships and buy-in to facilitate initiatives

• Be creative and diligent both in sourcing new ideas and addressing various challenges in their advancement; be innovative, think out of the box, be a problem solver and solution provider

What you bring:

• University degree or post-graduate and/or combination of equivalent training, education and experience is required

• 5 - 8 years progressive experience in product development, digital technology, marketing, or other relevant industry experience

• Minimum of 5 years of pension business experience, ideally in another part of the pension environment, including banking, insurance, or consulting business, preferably within product development

• Minimum of 3 years of experience developing comprehensive business cases, strategies, KPI’s, and product roadmaps

• Proven track record of launching products or defining service experience for external customers

• Ability to develop, articulate and deliver compelling arguments and presentations using different media

• Possess a risk and controls mindset in the development of product features and service experience to safeguard member information and balance operational risk and regulatory compliance

• Skilled at developing strong, authentic relationships with internal and external partners and stakeholders to collaborate and effectively manage competing priorities

• Minimum of 3 years leading multi-disciplinary teams to deliver on projects, with knowledge on defining and tracking success metrics

• Proven ability to use critical, rational, and logical thinking

• Excellent time-management skills, specifically in project management with an ability to delegate and influence key stakeholders

• Proven communication and negotiation skills

• Adaptable to change and an ability to remain resilient under pressure

• Capable of working in environments where processes can be both structured and ambiguous

• Ability to see big picture but manage details.