Director of Product Growth

Manulife/John Hancock; Toronto; On-site; CAD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife/John Hancock in Toronto seeks a Senior Product Leader to accelerate growth for Global High-Net-Worth. You will connect product strategy with market execution and drive commercialization, partnerships, and distribution expansion to serve high-net-worth clients.

You will lead cross-functional teams, shape go-to-market strategies, and enhance market positioning while delivering innovative products and sustainable growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of insurance-related experience or experience in product management, product strategy, business development, commercialization, consulting, or financial services.
• Proven ability to develop and execute growth strategies that deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Experience working with distributors, advisors, private banks, strategic partners, or high-net-worth markets.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Executive presence with outstanding communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and drive results across multiple stakeholders and functions.

Responsibilities

• Drive Growth Strategy: Identify and assess opportunities for market expansion, product innovation, and business growth. Develop strategic business cases and recommendations for executive leadership. Lead initiatives that strengthen GHNW’s competitive position and long-term growth agenda. Partner with business leaders to evaluate emerging market and distribution opportunities.
• Commercialization & Go-to-Market: Develop commercialization strategies that accelerate product adoption and sales activation. Create compelling product value propositions and market narratives. Partner with Marketing and Distribution teams to bring products and solutions to market effectively. Ensure alignment between product strategy, customer needs, and market execution.
• Strategic Partnerships: Evaluate, develop, and execute partnership opportunities that support business growth. Support partnership assessments and commercialization initiatives. Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Channel Enablement: Collaborate with Distribution to enhance broker and advisor readiness. Develop sales tools, suitability frameworks, and commercialization support materials. Improve distributor engagement and accelerate early product adoption.

Skills

Insurance industry experience

Product strategy

Stakeholder management

Executive presence

Strategic thinking

Job description

The Opportunity

The Global High-Net-Worth (GHNW) Life Insurance Business was formed in 2023 to leverage Manulife’s enterprise-wide capabilities in serving this customer segment. By bringing together Manulife Bermuda with Manulife Hong Kong’s and Manulife Singapore’s International Brokerage Channel, the GHNW business can capitalize on the strengths of the three business units to accelerate growth in the HNW and Ultra HNW markets. Manulife Bermuda is viewed as a leader in the Global High-Net-Worth life insurance market with capacity to write insurance on residents in over 150 countries. For 20 years, we have delivered value through innovation, driven growth through differentiated products and provided superior service by partnering with our third‑party distributors to identify better ways to access and serve our customers.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Product Management (Head of Product), this role will operate as a leader, a strategist, a consultant and an implementer, and will focus on accelerating growth through product commercialization, strategic partnerships, distribution expansion, market development, and business innovation. As a key member of the Product team, you will connect product strategy with market execution, helping transform business opportunities into sustainable growth. You will work with cross‑functional stakeholders to identify opportunities, shape go‑to‑market strategies, strengthen market positioning, and drive product adoption.

Responsibilities

• Drive Growth Strategy: Identify and assess opportunities for market expansion, product innovation, and business growth. Develop strategic business cases and recommendations for executive leadership. Lead initiatives that strengthen GHNW’s competitive position and long‑term growth agenda. Partner with business leaders to evaluate emerging market and distribution opportunities.
• Commercialization & Go‑to‑Market: Develop commercialization strategies that accelerate product adoption and sales activation. Create compelling product value propositions and market narratives. Partner with Marketing and Distribution teams to bring products and solutions to market effectively. Ensure alignment between product strategy, customer needs, and market execution.
• Strategic Partnerships: Evaluate, develop, and execute partnership opportunities that support business growth. Support partnership assessments and commercialization initiatives. Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Channel Enablement: Collaborate with Distribution to enhance broker and advisor readiness. Develop sales tools, suitability frameworks, and commercialization support materials. Improve distributor engagement and accelerate early product adoption.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of insurance‑related experience or experience in product management, product strategy, business development, commercialization, consulting, or financial services.
• Proven ability to develop and execute growth strategies that deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Experience working with distributors, advisors, private banks, strategic partners, or high‑net‑worth markets.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Executive presence with outstanding communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and drive results across multiple stakeholders and functions.

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.

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.

Equal Opportunity

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: In Office

Salary range: $125,100.00 CAD - $175,100.00 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. 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.

Benefits and Programs

• 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.
• 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.

Recent awards

• 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

Additional Information

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.