Manager, Growth & Commercial Activation, Vitality

Manulife; Waterloo; Hybrid; CAD 93,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife in Waterloo, Ontario seeks a Manager, Growth & Commercial Activation for the Vitality program to lead activation strategies, engage advisors, and drive growth across traditional and entrepreneurial channels.

You will collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Product and Distribution, owning the go-to-market roadmap, defining audiences, messaging, and success metrics to translate priorities into market-ready activation plans.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in commercial activation strategy, marketing, product management, sales enablement, business development, or related commercial roles.
• 3+ years of experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and business functions.
• Experience developing and executing integrated commercial activation strategies, activation plans, or growth initiatives that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using advisor, customer, market, sales, or performance data to inform decisions and recommendations.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive alignment across multiple teams in a matrixed organization.
• Excellent communication, presentation, relationship-management, and problem-solving skills.
• University degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, Communications, Economics, or a related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the commercial activation strategy for the Vitality portfolio.
• Translate Vitality business priorities into clear and actionable market activation plans.
• Define target audiences, objectives, value propositions, positioning, messaging, channels, activation approaches, and measures of success.
• Develop differentiated commercial activation approaches based on advisor segment, firm, distribution model, and market opportunity.
• Partner closely with Traditional and Entrepreneurial Sales leaders to develop channel-specific activation strategies.
• Develop integrated go-to-market plans for priority initiatives, including advisor engagement, marketing, communications, digital activation, launch sequencing, and performance measurement.
• Lead cross-functional planning across Sales, Marketing, Product, Operations, Technology, and other business partners to ensure successful delivery of go-to-market initiatives.
• Develop and maintain the annual Vitality go-to-market roadmap and commercial calendar, ensuring activities are appropriately prioritized, sequenced, and aligned to business objectives.
• Determine the role of events and advisor engagement activities within broader activation plans and ensure they support defined commercial outcomes.
• Establish performance measures for commercial activation initiatives and monitor advisor engagement, activation, and growth outcomes.
• Conduct post-launch reviews, identify improvement opportunities, and recommend changes based on performance results and field feedback.
• Support business planning, business case development, leadership updates, and strategic recommendations related to Vitality growth priorities.

Skills

Commercial activation strategy

Cross-functional leadership

Analytical skills

Stakeholder influence

Communication

Education

University degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, Communications, Economics

MBA or relevant professional designation

Job description

The Manager, Growth & Commercial Activation, Vitality is responsible for developing and executing commercial activation strategies that drive advisor engagement, customer adoption, and business growth for the Vitality program. Working closely with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Distribution partners, this role translates Vitality priorities into integrated activation plans that bring the Vitality value proposition to market. The successful candidate will lead strategic growth initiatives across Traditional and Entrepreneurial distribution channels, using advisor insight, market opportunities, product propositions, communications, and activation strategies to drive measurable outcomes. This is an opportunity to own a critical growth lever for the business while helping shape how advisors and customers experience one of Manulife's most distinctive offerings.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the commercial activation strategy for the Vitality portfolio.
• Translate Vitality business priorities into clear and actionable market activation plans.
• Define target audiences, objectives, value propositions, positioning, messaging, channels, activation approaches, and measures of success.
• Develop differentiated commercial activation approaches based on advisor segment, firm, distribution model, and market opportunity.
• Partner closely with Traditional and Entrepreneurial Sales leaders to develop channel-specific activation strategies that reflect advisor needs, market opportunities, and business priorities.
• Develop integrated go-to-market plans for priority initiatives, including advisor engagement, marketing, communications, digital activation, launch sequencing, and performance measurement.
• Leverage advisor, market, competitive, and performance insights to identify opportunities, improve engagement, and optimize commercial activation strategies.
• Lead cross-functional planning across Sales, Marketing, Product, Operations, Technology, and other business partners to ensure successful delivery of go-to-market initiatives.
• Develop and maintain the annual Vitality go-to-market roadmap and commercial calendar, ensuring activities are appropriately prioritized, sequenced, and aligned to business objectives.
• Determine the role of events and advisor engagement activities within broader activation plans and ensure they support defined commercial outcomes.
• Establish performance measures for commercial activation initiatives and monitor advisor engagement, activation, and growth outcomes.
• Conduct post-launch reviews, identify improvement opportunities, and recommend changes based on performance results and field feedback.
• Support business planning, business case development, leadership updates, and strategic recommendations related to Vitality growth priorities.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in commercial activation strategy, marketing, product management, sales enablement, business development, or related commercial roles.
• 3+ years of experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and business functions.
• Experience developing and executing integrated commercial activation strategies, activation plans, or growth initiatives that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using advisor, customer, market, sales, or performance data to inform decisions and recommendations.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive alignment across multiple teams in a matrixed organization.
• Excellent communication, presentation, relationship-management, and problem-solving skills.
• University degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, Communications, Economics, or a related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within insurance, financial services, health engagement, loyalty, wellness, or customer engagement businesses.
• Experience supporting advisor, distribution, broker, or channel-based growth strategies.
• Strong understanding of customer segmentation, value proposition development, positioning, advisor engagement, and market activation.
• Experience working across Sales, Marketing, Product, and Digital teams to bring new initiatives to market.
• Experience developing business cases, growth strategies, commercial plans, or customer engagement programs.
• MBA, Master's degree, or relevant professional designation.
• Bilingualism (English and French) is an 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.

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

Waterloo, Ontario

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary range is expected to be between

$93,390.00 CAD - $143,390.00 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.