Product manager, group benefits

Société Financière Manuvie; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 93,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife is seeking a Product Manager to support the strategy, management, and execution of the disability product portfolio. You will collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations, Underwriting, and Finance to implement new products, deliver enhancements, and lead strategic initiatives.

The role focuses on disability products including Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Absence Management, with responsibilities spanning opportunity assessment, recommendations, coordination, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of project management experience with cross-functional teams.
• University degree preferably in business or health.
• Strong communication and relationship management skills.
• Ability to clearly convey business priorities and translate complex products into value propositions.
• High level of self-motivation and ownership of deliverables.
• Experience in consulting or a start-up environment (preferred).
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and solve problems in a matrixed environment.
• Understanding of disability insurance or group benefits space.
• Willingness to travel as required.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio management: monitor performance, needs, risks and opportunities.
• Translate portfolio priorities into practical roadmaps and requirements.
• Manage product initiatives from discovery to implementation with timelines and risks.
• Coordinate cross-functional work on product, service, process, and experience improvements.
• Develop evidence-based business cases using customer, market, financial, and operational data.
• Build relationships across the organization to enable partnerships.
• Lead special projects to support the Product and Platform organization.
• Partner with digital teams to optimize purchasing journeys and marketing collateral.
• Collaborate across Business Units to align distribution strategies with Canada goals.
• Serve as first point of contact for product inquiries.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

University degree in business or health

Job description

The Product Manager supports the strategy, management, and execution of the disability product portfolio. Working in close collaboration with teams such as Marketing, Sales, Operations, Underwriting and Finance, the Product Manager will help implement new products offerings, deliver product enhancements, strategic initiatives and lead special projects.

The Disability Product team is responsible for the ongoing management and evolution of the disability portfolio, including Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Absence Management and Consultation Services. Reporting to the Director, Disability Products, the Product Manager plays a key role in assessing opportunities, developing recommendations, coordinating delivery, and monitoring portfolio performance in support of Group Benefits priorities.

Individual Responsibilities:

• Portfolio management: Support the ongoing management of the disability portfolio by monitoring product performance, customer and market needs, operational issues, risks, and emerging opportunities
• Strategy and planning: Translate disability portfolio priorities into practical roadmaps, business requirements, recommendations, and implementation plans.
• Initiative delivery: Manage assigned product initiatives from discovery and scoping through implementation, including timelines, dependencies, risks, decisions, and stakeholder communications.
• Product development and enhancement: Coordinate cross-functional work to develop and implement product, service, process, and experience improvements across the disability portfolio.
• Business analysis: Develop clear, evidence-based assessments and business cases using customer, market, financial, operational, and claims insights.
• Relationship management and influence: Develop relationships with individuals across the organization to identify opportunities for partnerships and ensure shared goals are reached
• Special Projects: Lead initiatives in support of the broader Product and Platform organization

Shared Responsibilities:

• Partner with Member and Sponsor digital teams to ensure that purchasing journeys and marketing collateral are engaging and optimal
• Collaborate across Business Units (BUs) to align distribution strategies with Group Benefits business practices, sponsor expectations and Canada segment goals
• Be the first point of contact for all questions and support sales/distribution on any product inquiries

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of project management experience working with cross-functional teams to lead initiatives from scoping to execution
• University degree preferably in business or health
• Strong communication and relationship management skills
• Ability to clearly convey business priorities, project status, and to translate complex products into clear, compelling, value propositions
• High level of self-motivation and keen sense of owning and delivering on project deliverables

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in consulting or a start-up environment
• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and solve problems creatively in a highly matrixed and regulated environment
• An understanding of disability insurance products or an understanding of the group benefits space more broadly
• Willingness to travel as required

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

Toronto, Ontario

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary range is expected to be between

$92,900.00 CAD - $142,900.00 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.