Director, Change Enablement, Global Change Enablement CoE

Manulife Financial; Toronto; On-site; CAD 145,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentive programs

Flexible work environment

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Manulife Financial is seeking a seasoned Director, Change Enablement to lead strategic transformation across the organization. The role involves coaching teams, conducting readiness assessments, and shaping comprehensive enablement strategies with senior leadership.

A global, hybrid work environment supports collaboration and impact-driven outcomes. The ideal candidate brings 5–7 years of change enablement experience, proficiency in ADKAR/Kotter, and a track record of delivering large-scale

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in change enablement or transformation
• 5+ years executing large-scale initiatives or programs
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills
• Quantitative change readiness measurement ability
• Strong planning and time-management skills
• Prosci ADKAR or CCMP certifications preferred
• Experience in global teams and project management tools
• Willingness to travel as needed
• Hybrid onsite/offsite readiness

Responsibilities

• Strategy Development: collaborate with executives to align transformation strategies with long-term goals.
• Project Leadership: oversee a portfolio of transformation projects ensuring timely delivery and strategic alignment.
• Change Enablement: lead initiatives using structured methodologies and develop communication plans for adoption.
• Stakeholder Engagement: gather insights, build consensus, and drive transformation with executive sponsorship.
• Performance Measurement: establish KPIs to track progress and impact.
• Innovation Promotion: foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Resource Management: allocate budgets and timelines efficiently.
• Risk Management: identify risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Learning & Development: design and deliver training to improve change capability.

Skills

Change enablement

Change frameworks

Program execution

Stakeholder management

Change analytics

Planning & organization

ADKAR/CCMP certifications

Global teams

PM tools familiarity

Travel flexibility

Hybrid work readiness

Tools

PM tools

Job description

The Director, Change Enablement, Global Change Enablement CoE, will be reporting to the Head, Global Change Enablement. They will be part of a global team with a mandate to accelerate a change-adaptive mindset as a core role skillset in Manulife’s DNA. This key role will help ensure everyone knows and owns their role in change by empowering colleagues with the learning, tools, resources, and community so they can better adapt to change that happens every day, and effectively rollout and sustain impactful transformation.

This is a critical role responsible for enabling change initiatives across the organization. It involves leading and coaching project teams using structured methodologies, conducting impact and readiness assessments, and developing comprehensive Change Enablement strategies. The Director will work closely with senior leadership, including ELT and GLT members, to ensure effective collaboration and manage relationships with Executive Sponsors. This role is highly visible at the leadership level and demands outstanding leadership skills, including high emotional intelligence, stakeholder management, and the ability to influence and collaborate effectively.

Position Responsibilities

• Strategy Development: Collaborate with executive leadership to develop and implement transformation strategies that align with the organization's long-term goals.
• Project Leadership: Oversee and manage a portfolio of transformation projects, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Change Enablement: Lead transformation initiatives using structured methodologies, , conducting impact and readiness assessments at the leadership level and design communication strategies, ensuring successful adoption and implementation of new processes, systems, and cultural shifts.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders across the organization to gather insights, build consensus, and drive transformation initiatives, empowering teams to deliver significant business outcomes, providing mentorship and fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Performance Measurement: Establish metrics and KPIs to track the progress and impact of transformation efforts, providing regular updates to executive leadership.
• Innovation Promotion: Foster a culture of innovation by identifying opportunities for improvement and encouraging creative solutions.
• Resource Management: Allocate resources effectively and efficiently to support transformation projects, including managing budgets and timelines.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks to transformation initiatives and develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes.
• Learning & Development: Develop and deliver training programs to equip colleagues with the skills and knowledge to navigate transformation effectively, continuously improve transformation processes and stay informed about the latest trends and best practices.

Required Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in change enablement, or transformation work, with a proven track record of leading large-scale initiatives.
• Solid understanding of change enablement methodologies, such as Kotter, Prosci ADKAR, or similar frameworks.
• 5+ years of experience working on the execution of large-scale initiatives or programs.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship management skills.
• Ability to quantitatively measure change readiness and track organizational awareness, understanding, and adoption over time.
• Strong organizational, time management, and strategic planning skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple initiatives effectively.
• Six Sigma training and certification is an advantage.
• Project Management training and certification is an advantage.
• Prosci ADKAR certification and/or Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP) designation preferred.
• Experience in global team environments and familiarity with project management tools and methodologies
• Ability to travel if needed.
• Amenability and readiness to work onsite and from home anytime (dependent on business need AND/OR current external environment/situation)

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

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 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].

Referenced Salary Location

Toronto, Ontario

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary range is expected to be between

$145,130.00 CAD - $195,130.00 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.

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.