Head of Bermuda Distribution

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company; United Arab Emirates; Hybrid; AED 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife seeks a Head of Bermuda Distribution to lead the HNW sales strategy, drive growth across international broker networks, and partner with product, underwriting, and risk teams to optimize outcomes.

The role requires a proven leader capable of managing diverse teams, delivering high-quality sales results, and building durable distributor relationships in a complex, global market. Hybrid work in UAE with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in financial services or HNW distribution.
• Residency in United Arab Emirates.
• Proven leadership and remote teams management experience.
• Strong understanding of international HNW market dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Bermuda Distribution function with strategic direction and day-to-day sales leadership.
• Own and deliver the Bermuda HNW sales plan, targets, and pipeline metrics.
• Coach and develop team members across multiple locations and time zones.
• Build strategic relationships with external distributors, brokers, and partners.
• Identify new distribution opportunities and expand GHNW reach.

Skills

People leadership

Sales leadership

Distributor relations

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Insurance/financial leadership qualifications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Sales reporting tools

Virtual presentation platforms

Job description

The Head of Bermuda Distribution reports to the Chief Distribution Officer – International Brokerage, Global High Net Worth and is a senior sales and distribution leader accountable for driving the growth, productivity, and commercial performance of the Bermuda HNW life insurance business. The Bermuda business operates with International Brokers across the globe with an emphasis on key financial hubs (Dubai, Switzerland, Miami, Hong Kong, Singapore). This role leads the Bermuda distribution agenda, owns the sales strategy and execution plan for assigned distributors and markets, and ensures the team delivers sustainable, high-quality sales outcomes aligned with GHNW business priorities.

As a people leader, the role is responsible for leading, coaching, and enabling the Bermuda Distribution team that operate across multiple locations to deliver the business plans, strengthen distributor engagement, and build a disciplined sales management culture. The incumbent will work closely with internal partners across Product, Underwriting, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Marketing, Finance, and Case Management to identify opportunities, remove barriers, enhance distributor experience, and ensure the Bermuda HNW proposition is positioned effectively in a competitive international life insurance market.

Position Responsibilities:

• Lead the Bermuda Distribution function and provide strategic direction, commercial leadership, and day-to-day management of the sales agenda for the HNW business.
• Own and deliver the Bermuda HNW sales plan, including sales targets, pipeline development, distributor productivity, conversion, persistency, and new business quality metrics.
• Lead, coach, and develop team members by setting clear priorities, driving accountability, building capability, and fostering a high-performance, collaborative, and client-focused culture.
• Build, deepen, and manage strategic relationships with key external distributors, brokers, private banks, and intermediary partners to expand GHNW reach and strengthen commercial outcomes.
• Identify and develop new distribution opportunities, partnerships, markets, and growth segments across Bermuda and other relevant international brokerage channels.
• Motivate and enable distributors to sell GHNW solutions through persuasive sales presentations, targeted marketing initiatives, educational programs, and proactive sales support.
• Translate market intelligence, competitor activity, distributor feedback, and client needs into actionable sales strategies, product positioning, and business development priorities.
• Represent GHNW as a credible senior commercial leader and brand ambassador with contracted distributors, senior distributor management, sales consultants, sales support teams, and strategic partners.
• Partner closely with Product, Underwriting, Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations, Case Management, Marketing, Finance, and Service teams to resolve complex matters, improve distributor experience, and support quality sales execution.
• Provide advanced product, case design, illustration, underwriting, and process guidance to distributors and internal stakeholders to support complex HNW life insurance opportunities.
• Actively manage the sales funnel and distributor performance through disciplined pipeline reviews, management information, KPIs, sales reporting, and follow-up actions.
• Ensure distribution activities are executed in line with applicable governance, compliance, risk, conduct, and sales quality expectations while supporting sustainable business growth.
• Support cross-enterprise collaboration by identifying opportunities to retain and grow business within Manulife and promoting relevant Manulife solutions through GHNW channels.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in financial services, life insurance, wealth, private banking, brokerage, or HNW distribution, with strong exposure to international HNW life insurance preferred.
• Residency in United Arab Emirates
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including leading, coaching, developing, and managing performance of sales or distribution professionals. Managing teams remotely for high performance is an advantage.
• Proven track record of delivering sales growth, managing distributor productivity, building pipelines, and converting complex HNW life insurance opportunities.
• Strong understanding of the [Bermuda] offshore HNW life insurance market, international brokerage distribution, and distributor relationship management.
• Advanced knowledge of life insurance products, case design, underwriting considerations, illustration techniques, and competitive positioning for HNW clients.
• Strong commercial judgment and strategic thinking, with the ability to translate market insights, distributor feedback, and business priorities into executable sales plans.
• Excellent relationship management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior distributor leaders, internal executives, and cross-functional partners across geographies.
• Strong governance, risk, compliance, and sales conduct mindset, with the ability to balance business growth with quality, sustainability, and regulatory expectations.
• Strong presentation, communication, negotiation, and facilitation skills, including the ability to deliver compelling sales presentations and distributor training.
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, global environment and collaborate with Product, Underwriting, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Marketing, Finance, and Service teams.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, accountability, resilience, and sound judgment when handling complex distributor, client, and internal matters.
• Comfortable working flexible hours to support distributors and internal stakeholders across multiple time zones; willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Bachelor’s degree required; relevant professional qualifications in insurance, financial planning, wealth management, or leadership disciplines would be an advantage.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, virtual presentation platforms, sales reporting tools, and other systems used to support pipeline management and distributor engagement.

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 [e-mail].

Working Arrangement

Hybrid