AVP, GWAM Expenses

Manulife/John Hancock; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 130,000 - 241,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental insurance

Mental health support

Vision insurance

Disability insurance (short/long-term)

Life and AD&D insurance

Adoption/surrogacy benefits

Wellness programs

Pension plan

Global share ownership plan

Financial education resources

Paid time off

Job summary

Manulife/John Hancock in Toronto seeks an AVP to lead GWAM Expenses, guiding the expense management framework and partnering with the CFO and senior leaders to ensure strong financial controls and transparency. You will drive forecasting, budgeting, and performance analytics across global segments, while promoting accountability and cost optimization.

The role emphasizes leadership, deep FP&A expertise, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance or related field; CPA qualifications strongly preferred.
• 10-15 years of finance experience including FP&A, expense management, or financial reporting.
• Experience leading cross-functional stakeholders across numerous business units and regions.
• Minimum 5+ years in FP&A partnership with ownership of planning/forecasting cycles and performance analytics.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall expense management framework for GWAM across segments and functions.
• Provide strategic advice and actionable insights to senior leadership on expense performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead annual planning, budgeting, forecasting, and outlook processes for GWAM expenses.
• Oversee monthly expense reporting for senior management and governance forums.
• Oversee governance, allocations, and transparency of direct expenses and shared service charges.
• Apply a transformational mindset to drive efficiency via simplification, automation, and AI.

Skills

Expense leadership

Financial strategy

FP&A

Stakeholder management

Analytics

Education

Bachelor's in finance

CPA preferred

Job description

AVP, GWAM Expenses Working closely with the GWAM CFO, senior business and functional leaders, and Finance partners, the AVP delivers a consolidated view of expense performance, supports strategic decision-making, promotes accountability, and drives initiatives that enhance expense transparency, efficiency, and productivity. The role leads the development and implementation of consistent expense management practices across GWAM while ensuring strong financial controls, reporting integrity, and alignment with enterprise policies and objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Expense Strategy and Leadership Lead the overall expense management framework for GWAM, including segment and function expenses. Provide strategic advice and actionable insights to senior leadership on expense performance, risks, opportunities, and investment decisions. Communicate complex financial matters clearly and persuasively, demonstrating the judgment and executive presence required to influence senior leaders and drive decisions across GWAM. Represent GWAM in enterprise expense initiatives, governance forums, and transformation programs.

Planning, Forecasting and Performance Management Lead the annual planning, budgeting, forecasting, and outlook processes for GWAM expenses. Partner with Strategy on the annual Book of Work to ensure associated investment requirements and financial impacts are appropriately captured in the annual plan. Deliver consolidated analysis of actual, forecast, and planned expenses, highlighting key drivers, risks, and opportunities. Establish and maintain performance measures and reporting that support business decision-making and accountability. Drive accountability for expense targets, partnering with business and functional leaders to develop and monitor corrective actions where required.

Expense Reporting and Financial Analysis Oversee the production of accurate and timely monthly expense reporting for senior management and governance forums. Provide financial analysis and scenario modelling to support expense decisions, resource allocation, and productivity initiatives. Support business and functional leaders in identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and optimize resource allocation.

Expense Governance, Allocations and Transparency Oversee the governance and analysis of direct expenses, allocated costs, and shared service charges impacting GWAM. Enhance transparency of expense reporting, allocation methodologies, and cost drivers. Ensure stakeholders have a clear understanding of expense performance and financial impacts.

Expense Transformation and Continuous Improvement Apply a transformational mindset to challenge existing processes and operating models, leveraging simplification, automation, and AI to drive greater efficiency and effectiveness. Lead initiatives that improve expense management capabilities through simplification, standardization, and automation. Partner with stakeholders to identify and track productivity initiatives, savings opportunities, and efficiency improvements. Drive the continuous evolution of expense processes, tools, and reporting capabilities.

Financial Controls and Risk Management Ensure appropriate financial controls, governance practices, and documentation are in place to support expense management activities. Maintain the integrity and accuracy of expense information, reporting processes, and financial systems. Support audit, compliance, and regulatory requirements related to expense management.

Team Leadership and Stakeholder Management Lead and develop a high‑performing team of finance professionals. Build strong partnerships with GWAM business leaders, functional leaders, enterprise Finance teams, and key stakeholders. Influence across the organization, building alignment and driving outcomes through strong relationships, credibility, and constructive challenge. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and strong financial stewardship.

Qualifications & Experience

Must-Have Bachelor’s degree in finance or related field; CPA qualifications strongly preferred. 10-15 years of finance experience including FP&A, expense management, or financial reporting. Experience leading cross-functional stakeholders across numerous business units and regions. Demonstrated experience leading, developing, and engaging high-performing finance teams. Minimum 5+ years in FP&A partnership (or equivalent) with ownership of planning/forecasting cycles, performance analytics, and senior stakeholder management.

Technical Skills Strong capability in business requirements, target operating model design, data/process controls, and testing/validation of financial systems in regulated environments. Demonstrated experience managing end-to-end expense actuals, planning, forecasting, and reporting processes.

Core Competencies

Strategic Leadership
Analytics & Insight Generation
Stakeholder Influence & Executive Communication
Collaboration & Team Leadership

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. #LI-Hybrid

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].

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 [e-mail] 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.

We’re Manulife. And we’re on a mission to make decisions easier and lives better. Better is what drives us. It’s what inspires us to find new ways to support customers and colleagues in living longer and healthier lives. It’s the reason we’re dedicated to investing in digital innovation and industry‑leading AI, and accelerating a sustainable and economically inclusive future. Joining us means you’ll be empowered to learn and grow your career. We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well‑being and inclusion are more than just words. And as part of our global team, you’ll help shape the future you want to see – and discover that better can take you anywhere you want to go. We’re proud of our accomplishments and recognition. Recent awards include: 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award Winner Manulife Named one of Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025 Financial Times World’s Best Employers Asia‑Pacific 2026 We’ve been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2026 #1 Life Insurer for AI Maturity by Evident 2026

Referenced Salary Location

Toronto, Ontario

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary range

Salary range is expected to be between $129,800.00 CAD - $241,200.00 CAD. 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 [e-mail] for the salary range for your location.