Global Head of Compliance Testing

Manulife Financial; Toronto; On-site; CAD 130,000 - 241,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife Financial in Toronto, Ontario seeks an experienced compliance testing leader to evolve a global program into a technology-enabled, AI-driven testing model. The role supports regulatory assurance, governance, and various legal entities to strengthen coverage and efficiency.

The candidate will drive automation, advanced analytics, continuous monitoring, and GenAI-enabled testing methods while coordinating with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of compliance or audit experience with strong knowledge of financial markets and processes.
• CPA or CIA designation or equivalent.
• Ability to present to Senior Executive leadership and management teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a risk-based control testing program assessing design adequacy and effectiveness of key regulations/controls across the company.
• Develop sampling methodologies to support testers across the company.
• Establish automated control validation to expand monitoring coverage.
• Define strategic plan for the testing group and timely execution of testing and assurance.
• Prepare clear, concise, actionable reporting to senior leadership and governance committees.
• Oversee a global team responsible for executing the testing program.
• Identify and implement testing automation and analytics where appropriate.
• Demonstrate strong critical thinking, decision-making, and innovative problem-solving.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Audit experience

Leadership experience

Education

Degree in Legal/Finance

Job description

Manulife is seeking an experienced professional to lead the Global Compliance Testing program and team, with a mandate to evolve the function into a technology-enabled, risk-responsive, and AI-enabled testing model. Supporting legal entity and Segment CCOs, the individual will be responsible for managing and transforming the program by integrating automation, advanced analytics, continuous monitoring, and AI/GenAI-enabled testing methodologies, while working closely with other teams within Regulatory Assurance and Governance to strengthen coverage, efficiency, governance, and regulatory alignment.

Position Responsibilities

• Independently develop and maintain a risk-based control testing program to review and challenge the design adequacy and effectiveness of key regulations / controls across the company
• Develop and implement sound sampling methodologies and requirements to be deployed by testers across the company
• Establish an automated control validation strategy to efficiently expand coverage of monitoring.
• Establish the strategic plan for the design and development of the testing group and the timely execution of testing and assurance to further strengthen the control environment.
• Prepare and deliver clear, concise, and actionable reporting to senior leadership and governance committees.
• Oversee a global team responsible for executing the risk-based testing program.
• Proactively identify and implement testing automation and analytics where appropriate.
• Excellent critical and creative thinking, decision-making and innovative problem-solving skills

Required Qualification

• Degree ideally in Legal, Finance or a related field
• 10 years + of compliance/audit or similar experience, with a good understanding of financial markets, products, services and processes
• CPA, CIA or a related designation
• Confidence and credibility to deliver and present to Senior Executive leadership and business unit management teams
• Ability to foster and build relationships, engage, and influence others, with diverse subject matter experts.
• Flexible and adaptable when dealing with change with a strong awareness and understanding of cultural diversity
• High level of self-motivation and keen sense of “owning” and delivering on project deliverables
• Leadership experience working for a global financial institution
• Strong understanding of control frameworks, testing methodologies, and risk concepts (inherent, residual, appetite, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the Financial Services Industry, with specific focus on testing
• Demonstratable understand of investment instruments and a general knowledge of compliance concepts
• Accuracy and high attention to detail – clear and precise writing skills
• Stakeholder Management – communicates complex and ambiguous topics with clarity and ease, able to interface with different stakeholders at all levels; skilled in both oral and written communication
• Experience implementing continuous auditing or monitoring frameworks enabled by analytics or AI.
• Experience with AI/GenAI or agent-based solutions in audit or testing.
• Exposure to AI transformation or digital enablement initiatives.
• Problem solver and decision maker – effectively leverage internal resource and external industry market insights to assimilate, synthesize, and recommend solutions for complex challenges; takes ownership to make informed and timely decisions and own implementation of solutions
• Significant experience in regulatory compliance testing
• Experience in building diverse, high performing teams
• Proven success in building and implementing testing programs to evaluate the design and adequacy of effectiveness of key controls
• Self-motivated with strong collaboration and influencing skills
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple tasks and competing priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt

Key Leadership Behaviors

• Strong relationship skills including a demonstrated ability to deal effectively with staff at all levels.
• Proven leadership and management skills in achieving departmental, project and individual objectives, and in developing staff. Excellent customer focus and commitment to quality.

• Driving continuous improvement in quality and cost effectiveness of services provided.

• Exercising and demonstrating sound business judgment. Ability to influence in a matrix environment. Highest level of Integrity accompanied by strong moral and ethical principles
• Champion is responsible for AI adoption and innovation and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Working Condition

• Will need to travel on occasion, mostly in North America and at times in Asia and Europe.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-JH

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 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

$129,800.00 CAD - $241,200.00 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.