Program Director

Sun Life Financial; Southwestern Ontario; Hybrid; CAD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Incentive plans

Job summary

Sun Life Financial is seeking a Program Director for Group Retirement Services Operations to lead a large, cross‑functional transformation. You will govern multiple workstreams, align priorities with senior stakeholders and deliver measurable business value.

The role requires extensive program management, agile/hybrid delivery experience, and certification. Sun Life offers a hybrid working model and incentive plans in addition to base pay.

Qualifications

• Group retirement business experience or knowledge.
• Significant experience leading large, complex transformation programs with multiple workstreams and stakeholders.
• Proven program and project management across planning, finances, resources, risk, dependencies and reporting.
• Ability to lead governance and translate complex info into clear actions.
• Experience coordinating business and technology leaders in matrixed orgs.
• Ability to anticipate cross-program impacts and maintain momentum.

Responsibilities

• Lead integrated execution of a large-scale transformation with multiple workstreams.
• Develop and manage the integrated program plan across scope, milestones, dependencies, resources, financials, risks and readiness.
• Lead governance and Steering Committee activities with senior leaders.
• Partner with business, technology, operations, finance, risk and change leads to align priorities.
• Proactively manage cross-program risks and dependencies, escalating as needed.
• Own consolidated executive reporting and measure program benefits with Finance.
• Integrate delivery, readiness, change management and adoption to realize benefits.

Skills

Program management

Executive reporting

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Agile/Hybrid delivery

Risk & issue management

influencing without authority

Communication to executives

Education

Project management certification (PMP PgMP PRINCE2)

Job description

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful. When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description: Group Retirement Services Operations is undertaking a large, complex enterprise transformation involving multiple interdependent business and technology workstreams. As Program Director, you will provide program integration and execution leadership, partnering with the Executive Sponsor, Steering Committee, workstream leads, and senior stakeholders to turn strategy into measurable business outcomes.

You will establish the governance, integrated planning and execution discipline needed to align teams, manage dependencies, facilitate timely decisions and maintain momentum. This opportunity is well suited to an experienced transformation leader who can create clarity and accountability in a complex, matrixed environment while keeping teams focused on business value.

What will you do?

• Lead integrated execution of a large-scale transformation program spanning multiple projects, workstreams, teams and delivery partners.
• Develop and manage the integrated program plan across scope, milestones, dependencies, resources, financials, risks, decisions and business readiness.
• Lead program governance and Steering Committee activities, providing senior leaders with clear visibility into progress, key decisions, risks, dependencies and trade‑offs.
• Partner with business, technology, operations, finance, risk, change management and workstream leaders to align priorities, accountabilities, sequencing and delivery.
• Proactively manage cross-program risks, issues, dependencies and resource constraints, driving resolution and escalating matters requiring senior leadership decisions.
• Own consolidated executive reporting and maintain an integrated view of program outcomes and benefits, partnering with workstream leads and Finance to monitor expected business value.
• Integrate technology delivery, business readiness, change management, operating‑model impacts, implementation, adoption and benefit realization to support successful program outcomes.

What do you need to succeed?

• Group retirement business experience or knowledge.
• Significant experience leading large, complex transformation programs involving multiple workstreams, delivery teams, dependencies and senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated program and project management expertise across integrated planning, financial and resource management, risk and issue management, dependency management, change control and executive reporting.
• Ability to lead governance and facilitate senior‑level decision‑making by translating complex information into clear recommendations, trade‑offs and actions.
• Experience coordinating business and technology leaders in complex, matrixed organizations and influencing outcomes without direct authority.
• Ability to anticipate cross‑program impacts, solve complex delivery challenges and create clarity and momentum where priorities or ownership are ambiguous.
• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information clearly to executive, business and technology stakeholders, combined with effective facilitation, negotiation and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Experience delivering programs from planning and mobilization through implementation and benefit realization using Agile, waterfall, iterative or hybrid approaches.

As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French‑speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada Assets Project or program management certification such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent. Agile or scaled Agile experience and related certification. Experience within Sun Life’s Digital Enterprise.

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors.

• In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance.
• Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e‑mail a request to [e-mail].

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you.

We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.

Salary Range: 130,000/130 000 - 180,000/180 000

Job Category: Project Management - Process

Posting End Date: 05/11/2026

Shine together

At Sun Life, you can be your most brilliant self. Our supportive, flexible, and inclusive work environment is one where you – and your career – can thrive. Whatever your aspirations, collaborative leaders and colleagues are ready to help you learn, grow, and succeed.

Make life brighter We’re a global company with a passion for people. Our purpose is to help Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. As a team of 30,000 across 26 countries, our impact is far-reaching, and locally relevant

There’s power in numbers. As part of Sun Life’s growing team, you have an impact on people in your community and around the world.

Shape the future With an optimistic eye on a brighter future, we drive to innovate. Be part of leading change, push boundaries and try new ways of working. Use data to drive bold actions. Be agile and pivot as we test and learn.

At Sun Life, we’re driving transformation, sustainability and innovation for our Clients, employees, partners, and communities.

Join us. Together, we can make the future brighter. Join a top employer for a brighter future.