Director, Strategy & Transformation

Manulife; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 145,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife is recruiting a Director, Strategy & Transformation to strengthen governance, portfolio oversight, and execution discipline across the Canada Segment. The role drives investment prioritization, planning, and executive-level decision support while partnering with senior leaders to translate strategy into measurable outcomes.

The successful candidate will lead cross-functional teams, develop executive-ready narratives, and deliver transparent portfolio insights to the Canada Segment and

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in transformation, program/portfolio management, strategy, governance, or complex project delivery, with experience supporting senior-level decisions and priorities.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills, with demonstrated experience developing clear, compelling materials and recommendations for senior executives, ELT, and Board-level audiences.
• Strong business and analytical judgment, with the ability to assess business cases, challenge assumptions, identify risks and dependencies, and support informed trade-offs.
• Proven ability to translate complex strategy and delivery information into clear, executive-ready insights and recommendations.
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and mobilize cross-functional teams in a complex organization.
• Bilingualism (English and French) is a strong asset; if in Québec, proficiency in both languages will be required to support clients from various provinces outside of Quebec

Responsibilities

• Lead and evolve portfolio governance and management practices, including prioritization, investment planning, delivery oversight, dependencies, and executive decision support.
• Help build the Canada Segment’s next-generation transformation and portfolio management capability, including the evolution of broader PMO capabilities.
• Lead annual and multi-year portfolio planning, partnering with Finance, business leaders and functional partners to assess investments, challenge business cases, and align resources to strategic priorities.
• Provide senior leaders with clear portfolio insights, recommendations, and trade-offs, supported by consistent standards for reporting, benefits realization, and delivery performance.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships to surface risks and dependencies early, strengthen accountability, and continuously improve how the portfolio is governed and delivered.
• Support high-profile strategy and enterprise exercises, translating complex business issues into clear perspectives, recommendations, and executive narratives.
• Develop compelling materials for Canada Segment and Enterprise Leadership Teams, the Board of Directors, Rating Agencies, and other senior stakeholders.
• Partner across the organization to synthesize strategic, financial, and business perspectives and ensure senior leaders are well equipped for key discussions and decisions.

Skills

Portfolio governance

Executive communication

Strategic planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk assessment

Bilingual English/French

Job description

The Canada Segment manages a significant portfolio of strategic investments and transformation initiatives. This role will help strengthen enterprise governance, portfolio oversight, and execution discipline to ensure investments are aligned to business priorities and deliver measurable outcomes.

The Director, Strategy & Transformation, will help build and evolve these capabilities, strengthening how investments are prioritized, governed, and delivered and providing greater transparency and decision support across the portfolio.

The selected candidate will be a rigorous, hands-on builder and self-starter with strong program governance and delivery discipline, analytical capabilities, and sound business judgment. They will bring fresh perspectives, challenge assumptions, and turn ideas into action, while navigating complex, cross-functional transformations and partnering with senior leaders to drive accountability and outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Transformation Portfolio Governance (75%)

• Lead and evolve portfolio governance and management practices, including prioritization, investment planning, delivery oversight, dependencies, and executive decision support.
• Help build the Canada Segment’s next-generation transformation and portfolio management capability, including the evolution of broader PMO capabilities.
• Lead annual and multi-year portfolio planning, partnering with Finance, business leaders and functional partners to assess investments, challenge business cases, and align resources to strategic priorities.
• Provide senior leaders with clear portfolio insights, recommendations, and trade-offs, supported by consistent standards for reporting, benefits realization, and delivery performance.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships to surface risks and dependencies early, strengthen accountability, and continuously improve how the portfolio is governed and delivered.

Enterprise Visibility and Strategic Initiatives (25%):

• Support high-profile strategy and enterprise exercises, translating complex business issues into clear perspectives, recommendations, and executive narratives.
• Develop compelling materials for Canada Segment and Enterprise Leadership Teams, the Board of Directors, Rating Agencies, and other senior stakeholders.
• Partner across the organization to synthesize strategic, financial, and business perspectives and ensure senior leaders are well equipped for key discussions and decisions.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in transformation, program/portfolio management, strategy, governance, or complex project delivery, with experience supporting senior-level decisions and priorities.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills, with demonstrated experience developing clear, compelling materials and recommendations for senior executives, ELT, and Board-level audiences.
• Strong business and analytical judgment, with the ability to assess business cases, challenge assumptions, identify risks and dependencies, and support informed trade-offs.
• Proven ability to translate complex strategy and delivery information into clear, executive-ready insights and recommendations.
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and mobilize cross-functional teams in a complex organization.
• 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.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

Acerca de Manulife y John Hancock

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Referenced Salary Location

Toronto, Ontario

Modalidades de Trabajo

Híbrido

Salary range is expected to be between

$145,130.00 CAD - $195,130.00 CAD

Los empleados también tienen la oportunidad de participar en programas de incentivos y recibir una compensación vinculada al rendimiento empresarial e individual. El salario real variará según las condiciones del mercado local, la geografía y factores relacionados con el puesto como conocimientos, habilidades, requerimientos, experiencia y educación/formación. Si solicitas este puesto fuera de tu ubicación principal, por favor escríbenos a [e-mail] para conocer el rango salarial correspondiente a tu ubicación.

Manulife ofrece a los empleados aptos una amplia variedad de beneficios personalizables, entre ellos, beneficios de salud, odontológicos, de salud mental, oftalmológicos, por discapacidad a corto y a largo plazo, cobertura de seguro de vida y por muerte accidental y desmembramiento, adopción/subrogación y bienestar, y planes de asistencia al empleado/familiar. También ofrecemos a los empleados admisibles varios planes de ahorro para la jubilación (incluidos planes de pensiones y un plan mundial de propiedad de acciones con contribuciones equivalentes del empleador) y recursos de asesoramiento y educación financiera. Nuestro generoso programa de tiempo libre remunerado en Canadá incluye feriados, vacaciones, días personales y días por enfermedad, y ofrecemos la gama completa de ausencia laboral reglamentaria. Si se está postulando para este puesto en los EE. UU., póngase en contacto con [e-mail] para obtener más información sobre las disposiciones relativas al tiempo libre remunerado específicas de EE. UU.

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