Product Owner-Commercial Lines

Wawanesa Insurance; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Vacation time

Benefits

Pension plan

Personal days

Job summary

The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company is seeking a Product Owner-Commercial Lines to guide digital insurance product delivery across Canada. You will liaise with technology, analytics, and business operations, promoting compliance, innovation and member-centric strategy.

Role requires Agile proficiency, stakeholder management, and a results-driven mindset; hybrid work environment with opportunities to influence multiple business units across Canada.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in product management/ownership within the insurance industry.
• A post-secondary degree and CIP or equivalent is preferred.
• Proven success delivering digital products supporting underwriting, claims, or member engagement.
• Deep understanding of Agile/Scrum with JIRA/Confluence experience.
• CSPO or equivalent certification preferred.
• Bachelor's in business administration or technology is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Define a clear product vision aligned to business unit strategies.
• Own and groom the product backlog and prioritise features.
• Collaborate with payables, billing, underwriting, claims, fraud, distribution, and customer experience teams.
• Lead cross-functional squads to deliver scalable, compliant insurance solutions.
• Ensure decisions are informed by data and member feedback.
• Facilitate sprint planning, backlog grooming, and releases.
• Monitor KPIs like member satisfaction and fraud mitigation.
• Stay informed on industry regulations and emerging tech.

Skills

Agile/Scrum

JIRA

Confluence

Stakeholder management

Roadmap planning

Data-driven decisions

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration

CSPO certification

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Job description

Job ID: 10354

Employment Type: Existing Role

Work Environment: 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: Winnipeg, MB; Wawanesa, MB; Vancouver, BC; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Toronto (North York), ON; Kitchener, ON; Ottawa, ON; Montreal, QC; Moncton, NB; Dartmouth; NS.

Working Business Language: English.This role is considered a head-office role and will be required to communicate with internal stakeholders across Canada where the primary business language utilized is 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: $110,000 - $140,000. Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply.

About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company

Founded in 1896, The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, 100% owned by its members, with more than $4.1 billion in annual revenue and $12.5 billion in assets. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Wawanesa is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance solutions throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, a leading national distributor of personal and business insurance. In March of 2026, Wawanesa entered into an agreement to acquire Everest Insurance Company of Canada to strengthen its commercial insurance capabilities and advance its long-term growth strategy. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.8 million members and we are home to more than 3,000 employees across Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $4 million annually to charitable organizations, including more than $2 million each year in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at 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

As Product Owner-Commercial Lines, you will play a strategic and member-focused role, guiding and contributing to the development of digital insurance solutions that deliver measurable results across multiple business units. This position is essential for ensuring product delivery aligns with enterprise objectives and meets both member needs and the organization’s strategic vision. You will act as a vital liaison among technology, analytics, and business operations, promoting innovation, regulatory compliance, and a member-centric approach while ensuring fiscal responsibility is maintained throughout each development cycle.

Job Responsibilities

• Define and communicate a clear product vision that supports business unit strategies and enhances member experience across insurance offerings.
• Own and manage the product backlog, prioritizing features and enhancements based on business value, regulatory requirements, and member impact in consultation with their larger functional leadership team.
• Collaborate closely with payables, billing, underwriting, claims, fraud, distribution, and customer experience teams to gather insights and embed operational feedback into product development.
• Lead cross-functional squads—including developers, designers, analysts, and business stakeholders—to deliver scalable, compliant, and high-quality insurance solutions.
• Ensure product decisions are informed by data, member feedback, and evolving market trends within the insurance sector.
• Facilitate sprint planning, backlog grooming, and release management in alignment with business unit timelines and KPIs.
• Monitor product performance using metrics such as member satisfaction, operational efficiency, and fraud mitigation effectiveness.
• Act as a liaison between technology teams and business units to ensure strategic alignment and transparent communication.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across product teams and business partners.
• Stay current on industry regulations, emerging technologies, and competitive trends to inform product strategy and risk management.
• Drive vendor and product performance in alignment with contract commitments, ensuring service levels and deliverables meet expectations.
• Stay informed on relevant software releases; evaluate potential impacts and coordinate planning to support adoption and continuity .
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in product management or ownership within the insurance industry (Property & Casualty preferred).
• A post-secondary degree in related discipline and/or completion of Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) or equivalent Property & Casualty designation is preferred.
• Proven success in delivering digital products that support underwriting, claims, fraud detection, or member engagement.
• Deep understanding of Agile/Scrum methodologies and experience using tools like JIRA, Confluence, or similar platforms.
• Excellent planning, organizing and time management skills, with the ability to develop roadmaps and project plans by prioritizing and multitasking.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across business units and drive consensus.
• Experience translating business strategy into actionable product roadmaps and user stories.
• Analytical mindset with experience in testing, KPI tracking, and data-driven decision-making.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Technology, or a related field is an asset.
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or equivalent certification preferred.

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.