Manager, Personal Lines, Market Segment Leader

Wawanesa Insurance; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Canadian mutual insurer is seeking a Manager, Personal Lines to oversee portfolio performance in the Ontario & Atlantic regions. This role involves strategic leadership to drive growth, profitability, and collaboration across multiple business functions. Ideal candidates will possess a strong background in P&C insurance with at least three years of leadership experience. The position offers competitive salary, a hybrid work model, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Annual bonus plan

Generous vacation time and personal days

Premium-free benefits and pension plan

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of progressive leadership experience in the Canadian P&C insurance industry.
• Experience in product management, underwriting strategy, and portfolio oversight.
• Demonstrated financial acumen with experience managing P&L.

Responsibilities

• Execute budget strategies and action plans for Ontario & Atlantic regions.
• Provide oversight of the Ontario & Atlantic businesses, identifying issues.
• Partner with sales/distribution teams on key broker strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Quantitative analysis

Problem-solving

Communication

Bilingual (English/French)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, insurance, or a related field

MBA or relevant professional designation (i.e. FCIP, CIP)

Job description

Job ID: 9685

Employment Type: New Role

Working Business Language: English.

Salary: At Wawanesa, salary is only one component of a holistic, comprehensive and competitive offering that we provide to our employees. In addition to salary, full‑time and part‑time permanent employees are eligible for an annual bonus plan, leave of absence top‑up programs and provided with generous vacation time, personal days, premium free benefits and pension plan. The salary offered for this role is determined with consideration to various factors, including but not limited to: your work location, local labour market conditions, external market salary data, internal pay equity and the knowledge, skills, experience and anticipated proficiency in the role. The salary offered is estimated to be within the following range: $115,000 – $140,000. Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply.

About Us

At Wawanesa, we offer a hybrid work environment that offers flexibility to our employees in balancing in‑office (2 days per week or 15 hours per week in a Wawanesa office) and remote work. You may work from any of the following locations: Toronto (North York), ON; Kitchener, ON; Ottawa, ON.

The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (“Wawanesa Mutual”), founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $3.5 billion in annual revenue and assets of $10 billion (CAD). Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.7 million members in Canada, and we are home to more than 3,300 employees distributed across the Canadian regions and communities where we operate. We give back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. We are also proud to be recognized as one of Manitoba’s Top Employers. To learn more visit wawanesa.com.

We are currently looking for dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic individuals who thrive in an environment that welcomes change and are looking for an opportunity for diverse experience and advancement on a growing team.

Job Overview

The Manager, Personal Lines, Market Segment Leader (Ontario & Atlantic), reports to the Director, Personal Lines, Market Segment Leader. This role carries delegated accountability for portfolio performance, including profit, loss, and growth of all personal insurance products within the Ontario & Atlantic regions. The Manager ensures alignment with Wawanesa’s mutual purpose and long‑term business goals while influencing and collaborating on strategies and tactics across the organization to deliver on the Personal Lines (PL) annual budgetary objectives for Ontario & Atlantic regions.

This position requires strong strategic and partnership capabilities, working directly with leaders across the business to optimize performance, identify growth opportunities, prioritize initiatives that impact financial results in Ontario & Atlantic, and drive execution in collaboration with key functions, including pricing, underwriting, product development, underwriting excellence, sales/distribution, marketing/communications, claims, IT, finance, analytics and actuarial/reinsurance.

Job Responsibilities

• Execute on behalf of the Director, Personal Lines, Market Segment Leader, budget strategies, accountabilities and action plans for Ontario & Atlantic Regions to achieve Personal Lines (PL) annual financial objectives.
• Provide comprehensive oversight of the Ontario & Atlantic businesses, identifying issues and opportunities in leading KPIs, recommending plans/strategies/tactics to achieve budget objectives while influencing and collaborating with enabling functions to deliver optimal outcomes.
• Partner with sales/distribution teams on key broker strategies, including bids, growth deals, portfolio transfers, skims, broker appointments and cancellations, as well as M&A opportunities. Execute growth tactics such as mass add, cross‑sell, up‑sell, Flex, and renewal sticker programs. Monitor results. Report variances (positive / negative) to the Director level and additional action plans needed to close gaps.
• Develop and deliver go‑to‑market strategies and messaging in collaboration with sales/distribution and marketing/communications for changes, ensuring clarity and alignment for brokers and members when product or pricing changes occur.
• Drive portfolio optimization by balancing growth, profitability, and risk while ensuring products remain competitive and aligned with member needs.
• Collaborate with other regional Market Segment Leaders across the team on emerging/shared trends and market issue resolutions nationally.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements within Ontario & Atlantic, collaborating with legal and compliance functions to proactively address emerging issues.
• Monitor and evaluate product and underwriting performance, along with the broader financial performance of Personal Insurance.
• Assess emerging risks and market dynamics to inform business decisions and continuous improvement; adjust strategies to mitigate risk based on industry, economic, and legislative developments.
• Embed Wawanesa’s values of integrity, service, innovation, and collaboration in all activities, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mutual purpose.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, insurance, or a related field. MBA or relevant professional designation (i.e. FCIP, CIP) considered an asset.
• Minimum 3 years of progressive leadership experience in the Canadian P&C insurance industry, with experience in product management, underwriting strategy, and portfolio oversight.
• Proven success leading initiatives and driving cross‑functional collaboration within a matrixed organization.
• Strong technical expertise in pricing, product, underwriting, and actuarial practices, with exceptional quantitative and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated financial acumen with experience managing P&L.
• Critical thinker who leverages data and scenario analysis to inform decision‑making; decisive and accountable with the ability to prioritize effectively.
• Persuasive and influential leader, able to motivate others and drive success without relying solely on direct reporting relationships.
• Deep understanding of Ontario personal insurance markets, regulatory environments, emerging risks, and evolving member needs.
• Understanding of Atlantic personal insurance markets, regulatory environments, emerging risks, and evolving member needs an asset.
• Strong alignment with Wawanesa’s mutual values of integrity, service, innovation, and a commitment to looking after one another.
• Monthly travel required.
• Bilingualism in English and French considered an asset.

Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

At Wawanesa, we are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our people – this is supported by having a representative workforce.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including racialized persons, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, gender‑diverse and neurodiverse individuals, and anyone who can contribute to the further diversification of thought and ideas.

We aim to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodations during any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out in confidence to [e-mail].

All Wawanesa job applicants are subject to Wawanesa’s Privacy Policy.

Please note that the recruitment process for this position may involve the use of AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants. All final decisions are taken or reviewed by human recruiters and human hiring leaders in compliance with all applicable legislation.