Director of Pharmaceutical Innovation and Supplier Management

Sun Life Financial; Waterloo; On-site; CAD 105,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a Director of Pharmaceutical Innovation to lead strategic initiatives in the Pharmaceutical Benefits sector. This pivotal role involves managing supplier relationships, driving product innovation, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. You'll collaborate with a dynamic team to enhance product offerings and maintain the company's leadership in the market. Join a forward-thinking organization that values diversity and empowers its employees to achieve their best. Enjoy a competitive salary and benefits while making a meaningful impact on the lives of clients and communities.

Benefits

Wellness programs

Pension Plan participation

Flexible work options

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge in Group Benefits and Pharmaceutical Benefits.
• Strong project management and strategic vision skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier relationships and negotiate contracts.
• Lead product development and improvement initiatives.

Skills

Pharmaceutical Benefits expertise

Project management

Strategic vision development

Communication skills

People management

Negotiation skills

Cross-business unit collaboration

Problem-solving

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:

About the role:

The Director of Pharmaceutical Innovation and Supplier Management works in the Pharmaceutical Benefits and Innovation core team collaboratively with other directors and is responsible for the development of the Pharmaceutical Benefits strategy as well as the execution and implementation of it within Sun Life Health Solutions and Group benefits business. The individual works closely with internal and external stakeholders and leads a team of Product Specialists and Best Practice consultants to execute on all product-related strategies within the portfolio. The role reports to the Assistant Vice President (AVP), Product Development in Sun Life Health

What you will be doing:

Supplier Relationship Management

• Cultivate and manage relationships with key suppliers and third-party vendors to enhance the Pharmaceutical Benefits offering.

• Negotiate contracts and agreements with suppliers to ensure optimal terms and conditions.

• Monitor supplier performance and address any issues to maintain high standards of service and product quality.

• Collaborate with suppliers to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement in product offerings.

• Represent Sun Life and the Pharmaceutical Benefits and Innovation team at supplier meetings and industry conferences, as applicable.

• Help Sun Life maintain its leadership in the Pharmaceutical Benefits space in the insurance industry.

Innovation and Development

• Evolve strategic vision and prioritization for the Pharmaceutical Benefits portfolio in collaboration with other Pharmaceutical Benefits directors and internal stakeholders.

• Provide key input into various decisions affecting products

• Lead and drive feasibility studies and concepts, evaluating the overall value they can deliver as a basis for prioritization of future product development projects connected to third-party suppliers.

• Accountable for the outcome of successful development within the product portfolio, particularly those involving third-party suppliers.

Maintenance & Process Improvement

• Design and implement continuous improvement to the product development process that strives to improve partner engagement and reduce time/cost of launching solutions.

• Refine the new idea evaluation process such that there is an ongoing inventory of viable new product ideas to draw from, especially those involving third-party suppliers.

• Ensure product solutions remain competitive, meet ongoing sales and profitability goals, and abide by the appropriate regulatory requirements.

What you need to succeed:

• Expert level subject matter expertise: deep knowledge of the Group Benefits business with specific knowledge in Pharmaceutical Benefits.

• In-depth business knowledge including in areas of product development, project management, and marketing.

• Proven ability to develop strategic vision, and develop projects to execute on the vision.

• In-depth level of knowledge of group insurance customers, market segments, industry trends and sales process.

• Ability to be agile and have the capacity to work on multiple portfolios and projects concurrently.

• Proven expertise building strong cross business unit relationships.

• Expert level communication (verbal and written) skills.

• Strong presentation skills and demonstrated ability to present at internal and external client meetings.

• Experienced people manager and strong coach with a focus on developing the team reporting to the role.

• Innovative and creative problem solver who is a proven collaborator with experience facilitating group discussions.

• Broad business acumen, strong decision making skills.

• As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada or worldwide.

What’s in it for you?

• In 2025, Sun Life ranked among the top 100 most sustainable global corporations by Corporate Knights for the 16th consecutive year, leading Canadian insurers.

• Wellness programs that support the three pillars of your health – mental, physical, and financial.

• Pension Plan participation starts immediately, and you are automatically enrolled. We help you save more withSun Life automatic and matching contributions and by including both your salary and bonus when makingcontributions.

• Being a member of the Sun Life family, a group of people united by our Purpose: to help Clients and Employeesachieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives.

Unique Requirement: As a condition of the role, the successful candidate must obtain a Government of Canada Reliability Status security clearance through Sun Life.

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] .

At Sun Life we strive to create a flexible work environment where our employees are empowered to do their best work. Several flexible 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:

105,000/105 000 - 180,000/180 000

Job Category:

Product

Posting End Date:

04/05/2025