AVP, Head of Group Retirement Services Marketing, CXO

Sun Life Financial; Waterloo; Hybrid; CAD 135,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company seeks an AVP, Head of GRS Marketing. This role involves driving client-centric marketing strategies, managing a diverse team, and ensuring successful outcomes that enhance client relationships. With a solid grounding in digital marketing and financial services, the ideal candidate will spearhead initiatives to optimize member engagement and satisfaction.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid work model

Pension and savings programs

Professional development opportunities

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Great Place to Work certifications

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in marketing with a focus on digital channels.
• Strong leadership skills and experience in financial services.
• Proven track record in developing successful go-to-market plans.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver client-centric marketing strategies for GRS.
• Lead a team and manage budgets to meet business goals.
• Oversee marketing plans to promote GRS value propositions.

Skills

Digital Marketing

Stakeholder Management

Data Analysis

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field

Tools

Digital Marketing Tools

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

Job Description:

We seek a marketing leader to drive the client-centric marketing strategy and delivery for our Group Retirement Services (GRS) business. This team will help deliver on Sun Life’s ambition of helping Canadians achieve lifetime financial security, as we help clients save for important life moments.

The AVP, Head of GRS Marketing is responsible for developing and delivering marketing strategies that deepen relationships with clients (“plan members”) and retain those transitioning from their workplace retirement savings plans.

This role requires a strategic team leader with proven direct to consumer (DTC / D2C) experience in financial services, with a strong understanding of Group businesses, digital channels, customer relationship management and in leading go-to-market plans that drive business results. The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of investments and the group retirement services market, strong leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate across a matrixed organization to achieve business objectives.

This position reports to the VP, Canada Chief Marketing Officer.

Key Responsibilities:

• As the Head of GRS Marketing, you will work closely with business partners and teams with the Client Experience Office (CXO) to develop and manage our client-centric GRS marketing strategy that delivers on business goals. Deliver an annual marketing plan with updates to ensure alignment of marketing efforts with business goals as they evolve over time.

• Accountable for business results such as lead generation, sponsor and member engagement/satisfaction, and sales conversion for digital and human advice channels

• Lead a team and work with cross-functional partners from the business, digital, data & technology and other marketing areas to deliver on these efforts.

• Own and manage overall resources, team capacity, budgets and results for the GRS Marketing team.

• Oversee the team that develops comprehensive marketing plans to promote the value proposition of our GRS offerings for plan members – with the goal of delivering a better experience for members and helping them save more for their important life goals.

• Lead the team to leverage business priorities, segmentation & other data, channel planning, together with content creation & deployment capabilities to deliver relevant messaging in the right channel at the right time. Ensure value propositions are clear and concise for plan members.

• Oversee the Agile Delivery team to efficiently deliver the creation of marketing materials, including digital content, collateral, and presentations.

• Leverage market trends and customer insights to inform marketing strategies and identify growth opportunities. Encourage A/B testing and iterating content to continually optimize both client and business outcomes.

• Report on the performance of all marketing activity, always connecting back to business targets & results, using data and trends to optimize future efforts.

• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and company policies in all marketing activities.

What will you need to succeed?

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in marketing, with a focus on digital channels and in deepening relationships with existing clients.
• Experience in financial services, specifically with personal or group investments.Alternatively, group benefits experience may also be considered.
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful consumer-facing go-to-market plans, with the ability to quantify business impact of this work.
• Strong team leadership experience, with a coaching approach to develop top talent, and experience also leading across a matrixed organization
• Proficiency in digital marketing tools and platforms; ability to analyze data and make informed decisions.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Bias for action and creative problem solving, test and learn growth mindset, and analytics-based decision making.

As 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.

What's in it for you?

• Great Place to Work Certified for Most Trusted Executive Team in Canada – 2025, 2024 and 2023
• Great Place to Work Certified for Best Workplaces in Canada - 2025
• Canada Order of Excellence for Mental Health at Work certification from Excellence Canada. Sun Life is one of only four companies in Canada to ever receive this certification – 2024
• Top Work Places for Remote Work – Monster Canada - 2024
• Great Place to Work Certified for Best Workplaces in Canada – 2024 and 2022
• Great Place to Work Certified for Best Workplaces for Women in Canada - 2024
• Flexible hybrid work model. #LI-Hybrid
• Pension, stock and savings programs to help build and enhance your future financial security
• Work and professional development that is united by our Purpose: to help Clients and Employees achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives
• A friendly, collaborative and inclusive culture
• Be part of our continuous improvement journey in developing the next greatest digital enterprise experience.
• Competitive salary and bonus structure influenced by market range data
• The opportunity to move along a variety of career paths with amazing networking potential

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 applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to [e-mail] .

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you! Several work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Salary Range:

135,000/135 000 - 220,000/220 000

Job Category:

Marketing

Posting End Date:

03/08/2025