AVP, Distribution Growth and Advisor Enablement

sunlife; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Sun Life Financial is seeking a strategic leader to drive growth, capability building, and organizational effectiveness across advisor channels in Canada. You will lead analytics, design development programs, and manage recognition initiatives to enable advisors and elevate client value.

You will collaborate with sales, product, marketing, and leadership to deliver measurable impact while overseeing national events and learning platforms.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in financial services, strategy, analytics, or advisor channel management.
• Deep understanding of advisor-led distribution models and sales dynamics.
• Proven expertise in learning and development, business effectiveness, or organizational improvement.
• Strong ability to lead teams, influence across functions, and drive change.
• Data-driven mindset with experience designing KPIs and measurement frameworks.
• Comfortable with technology evaluation and vendor management.
• Experience in regulated financial services environment.
• Bilingualism (French, English) required for Quebec only where staff speak both languages.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and analytics for Business Growth initiatives and align with channel management priorities.
• Develop annual Business Growth strategy and KPIs with measurable outcomes.
• Monitor advisor performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Present data-driven insights to senior leadership.
• Design and deliver learning and development programs for advisor productivity.
• Build tiered practice management for advisors at different career stages.
• Drive adoption and measure effectiveness against business outcomes.
• Lead end-to-end rewards and recognition programs with modernization and engagement.
• Coach and develop the recognition team for high-impact campaigns.
• Manage budgets and measure success by participation and retention.
• Plan and deliver national events and experiences (in-person, hybrid, virtual).
• Manage full event lifecycle and assess business impact.

Skills

Strategy & Analytics

Leadership

Learning & Development

People & Stakeholder Management

Data-driven mindset

Vendor management

Regulated financial services

Bilingual (French/English) for Quebec

Tools

Learning Management Systems

Job description

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you'll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do.

At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful.

When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives.

Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description

Retail Advice & Solutions harnesses the collective power of Sun Life Financial Distribution and Insurance Solutions. We lead with advice and provide choice to Clients through holistic solutions and an advice continuum. Join our Business Growth team within Distribution Channel Management and drive strategic growth across Sun Life's advisor channels. You'll orchestrate business strategy through analytics, learning and development, practice management, advisor recognition, and high-impact events. You'll enable advisors to succeed in their practices while building meaningful connections and provide valuable and holistic advice about health, wealth and protection needs to support their Clients at every life stage. This is a pivotal role influencing across sales, product, marketing, and leadership to deliver scalable, measurable impact.

What will you do?

Strategic Growth & Analytics

• Lead strategy and analytics that guide Business Growth initiatives and align with channel management priorities
• Develop annual Business Growth strategy and comprehensive measurement frameworks with clear KPIs and outcomes
• Monitor market trends and advisor performance; identify improvement opportunities and recommend solutions
• Present data-driven insights to senior leadership that drive strategic decisions

Learning & Practice Management

• Design and deliver learning and development programs that strengthen advisor productivity and client value
• Build a tiered practice management suite tailored to advisors at different career stages
• Drive adoption and measure effectiveness against business outcomes

Rewards & Recognition

• Lead end-to-end rewards and recognition program management with a focus on modernization and engagement
• Coach and develop the recognition specialist team to execute high-impact annual campaigns
• Manage budgets and measure success through participation, engagement, and retention metrics

Event Programming & Execution

• Plan and deliver high-quality national events and experiences (in-person, hybrid, and virtual)
• Manage full event lifecycle and measure business impact

What do you need to Succeed?

• 10+ years of progressive experience in financial services, strategy, analytics, or advisor channel management
• Deep understanding of advisor-led distribution models and sales dynamics
• Proven expertise in learning and development, business effectiveness, or organizational improvement
• Strong ability to lead teams, influence across functions, and drive change
• Data-driven mindset with experience designing KPIs and measurement frameworks
• Comfortable with technology evaluation and vendor management
• Experience in regulated financial services environment
• A s this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only as the position includes managing both French and English-speaking staff (Quebec and outside Quebec) and providing daily support to the team.

Preferred Background

• Insurance distribution or wealth management experience
• Corporate L&D or talent management background
• Familiarity with digital event platforms and learning management systems

This role is ideal for a strategic leader who thrives at the intersection of growth, capability building, and organizational effectiveness.

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome