Director of Strategy, Affinity

Manulife; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 140,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider is seeking a Director of Strategy for their Affinity business. This role involves shaping strategic initiatives, leading execution, and providing insights through analysis. Candidates should have 8-10 years of experience, a university degree, and strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills. Bilingualism in English and French is preferred. The position supports a hybrid working arrangement with a competitive salary range from CAD 140,350 to CAD 190,350.

Benefits

Customizable health benefits

Retirement savings plans

Generous paid time off program

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years of progressive business experience including successful execution of complex projects.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to build detailed business cases.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and conflict management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead ongoing research efforts for senior leadership and product development.
• Manage the agenda for key governance forums and track action items.
• Provide leadership within a culturally diverse cross-functional team.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Project management

Analytical skills

Bilingualism (English and French)

Education

University degree

Advanced degree or professional designation

Job description

The Director of Strategy, Affinity plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing strategic initiatives for ManulifeCanada’s Affinity business. This position is integral to setting the vision, driving execution, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. The Director will lead strategic planning, help govern the investment portfolio, and track program execution while providing insights through research and analysis, and acting as a trusted advisor to the business’ leadership team. This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to collaborate with stakeholders to deliver measurable outcomes.

Position Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead ongoing research efforts in support of senior leadership, assigned projects, and product development efforts to enable customer-focused, fact-based business decisions.
• Serve as business lead for assigned strategic initiatives and projects, including creating business cases, gaining leadership commitment, and leading/monitoring implementation and continued alignment with business objective.
• Demonstrate ability to break down complex problems into actionable steps and create solutions where blueprints may not exist.
• Develop executive presentation materials and performance reports, evaluating options for business growth and facilitating decisive executive actions.
• Effectively communicate with leaders, project sponsors, and senior leadership to create consensus on key objectives and strategies.
• Lead effective non-financial business planning, strategy, and market research discussions with senior staff.

Chief of Staff & Governance

• Support the head of the business in managing priorities, preparing executive materials, and ensuring governance of strategic programs.
• Manage the agenda for key governance forums on behalf of Affinity’s Leadership Team, tracking action items and driving timely resolution.
• Coordinate cross-functional working groups as needed.
• Monitor progress of strategic initiatives, track success metrics, and elevate risks or issues as needed.
• Drive governance of the annual planning process and funding requests.

Leadership

• Provide leadership within a culturally diverse cross-functional team with an attitude of customer first.
• Act as the primary liaison between the Affinity business and the Canada Strategy & Transformation team, ensuring Affinity-specific priorities and activities are surfaced to the Canada Strategy & Transformation team while translating Canada-level strategic direction into actionable plans for the Affinity business.
• Coach and assist direct reports and peers.

Required Qualifications

• 8-10+ years of progressive business experience including successful execution of complex projects.
• University degree required; advanced degree or professional designation preferred. Management consulting experience is an asset.
• Prefer excellent understanding of financial services industry and Affinity business models.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to build detailed business cases.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and conflict management skills.
• Ability to work with and influence cross-functional teams.
• Effective conceptual, diagnostic, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Well-developed planning and project management skills.
• Bilingualism (English and French) is a strong 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.

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

$140,350.00 CAD - $190,350.00 CAD

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.