AVP, Strategy & Transformation

Manulife John Hancock; Montreal; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife John Hancock in Montreal seeks an AVP, Strategy and Transformation to shape the Insurance Operations strategy and translate it into action. The role partners with senior leadership to distill enterprise priorities into a clear roadmap and ensure disciplined delivery across a focused portfolio of transformative initiatives.

You will drive governance, benefits realization and performance insights, while leading a high-performing team and aligning stakeholders across functions, geographies

Qualifications

• Significant senior-level experience in strategy and transformation within large organizations.
• Ability to translate enterprise strategy into executable roadmaps with governance and measurable benefits.
• Proven success in leading cross-functional initiatives and aligning senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define and refresh Insurance Operations strategy, priorities and multi-year roadmap.
• Lead integrated planning, governance, and performance measurement across a focused portfolio.
• Translate priorities into executable plans with milestones and decision points.
• Drive change leadership, alignment, and executive communications.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing strategy and transformation team.

Skills

Strategy leadership

Transformation programs

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

Job description

Shape the future of Insurance Operations by turning strategy into action. As AVP, Strategy and Transformation , you will lead the development and execution of the Insurance Operations strategy and provide focused oversight of its highest-priority transformation initiatives-connecting strategic direction, integrated planning, governance, performance insights and change leadership to deliver measurable business outcomes.

Reporting to the VP, Insurance Operations, you will serve as a trusted strategic partner to the leadership team, creating a clear line of sight from enterprise priorities to the Insurance Operations roadmap. You will enable disciplined execution across a focused portfolio of critical initiatives by aligning priorities, strengthening governance, surfacing risks and decisions, and helping leaders realize intended benefits-while initiative sponsors and delivery teams retain operational ownership.

Position Responsibilities

• Partner with the VP and leadership team to define and refresh the Insurance Operations strategy, annual priorities and multi-year roadmap in alignment with divisional and enterprise direction.
• Lead integrated business planning and strategic prioritization, aligning enterprise objectives, operational priorities, investments and transformation roadmaps.
• Translate strategic priorities into executable plans with clear outcomes, accountabilities, milestones, performance measures and decision points.
• Oversee a focused portfolio of high-priority transformation initiatives, partnering with business and delivery leaders to validate scope, business cases, dependencies and benefit-realization plans.
• Maintain an enterprise view of portfolio health, identifying cross-initiative risks, capacity constraints and opportunities for timely escalation, reprioritization and corrective action.
• Anticipate execution challenges, monitor customer, operational, technology, regulatory and industry trends, and provide evidence-based advice to senior leaders.
• Drive change leadership and stakeholder alignment across functions, geographies and value streams, ensuring strategic narratives and executive communications are clear, consistent and decision oriented.
• Lead and develop a high-performing strategy and transformation team, clarifying decision rights and fostering accountability, collaboration, inclusion, constructive challenge and continuous improvement.
• Own the Insurance Operations strategy and integrated transformation roadmap, including governance, reporting expectations and performance measures, subject to approval by the VP and applicable governance bodies.
• Recommend priorities, sequencing, resource trade-offs and corrective actions; escalate decisions beyond delegated authority and lead approved direct reports through objective setting, coaching, development and performance management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, strategy, finance, operations or a related discipline; an advanced degree or equivalent experience is an asset.
• Significant senior-level experience in strategy, transformation, operations or consulting within a large, complex organization.
• Proven ability to translate enterprise strategy into executable road maps, strong governance, measurable outcomes and sustained business benefits.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives, influencing senior stakeholders and driving alignment without direct authority.
• Strong business and financial acumen, executive communication skills, sound judgement and the ability to simplify complexity, manage risk and make decisions through ambiguity.
• Strategic, results-oriented and inclusive leader with strong change agility, constructive problem-solving and talent development capabilities; knowledge of insurance operations, customer journeys, technology-enabled transformation and relevant market or regulatory dynamics is an asset.
• Bilingualism (English and French) is an asset. If the successful candidate is in Québec, proficiency in both languages will be required to support clients from various provinces outside of Quebec.

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.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

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 t