Proposal Manager

Manulife; Southwestern Ontario; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife is seeking an accomplished proposal writer for our Waterloo, Ontario team. The role focuses on driving revenue through high-quality RFPs and complex proposals for asset management and financial services clients.

The incumbent will mentor junior staff, coordinate proposal production, and collaborate with SMEs to shape strategic responses. A strong background in finance, leadership, and communication is essential.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of related experience in the financial services industry.
• 3–6 years as a proposal writer.
• Demonstrates leadership.
• Strong verbal and written communication with multiple management levels and internal clients.
• Detail oriented with excellent organization and project management skills.
• Self-motivated with the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to spot inaccurate or inconsistent data.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with ownership.
• Well-organized and self-directed with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multi-task.

Responsibilities

• Drive sales and revenue growth through the completion of RFPs.
• Complete larger and/or more complex proposals and questionnaires.
• Review work for junior team members.
• Assist or lead process improvement projects or initiatives.
• Act as a back-up to the proposal services director.
• Answer, edit and complete sales proposals, client reports and ad hoc questionnaires with accuracy and by deadline.
• Coordinate all aspects of the proposal document production process to meet firm standards.
• Collaborate with the distribution team and SMEs to determine strategic approach for proposals.
• Research appropriate responses through supplied databases and other sources.
• Assist with ad hoc team projects.
• Assist distribution and legal counsel with reviewing content and contractual language.

Skills

Leadership

Proposal writing

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in liberal arts, business or communications

Tools

Adobe

Microsoft Office

Job description

Tenured team member with a proven track record within proposal services. Assists in the training/development of the team. May have formal supervisory responsibility. May act as a back-up when the Proposal Services Manager/Director is out of the office. Expert proposal writer for asset management firms. The incumbent is an expert in the proposal writing process for the financial services industry. This job description does not represent a comprehensive listing of job duties that are required of the employee performing this role. We reserve the right to change duties or assign additional duties at any time with or without notice.

Position Responsibilities

• Drive sales & revenue growth through the completion of RFPs
• Complete the larger and/or more complex proposals and consultant questionnaires that may require additional research, analysis, creativity, and judgment.
• Reviews work for junior team members
• Assist or lead process improvement projects/initiatives
• Act as a back-up to the proposal services director
• Answer, edit and complete sales proposals, client reports and ad hoc questionnaires with accuracy and by deadline
• Coordinate all aspects of sales proposal document production process to assure the overall quality meets firm standards
• Collaborate with the distribution team and subject matter experts (SMEs) to determine strategic approach for proposals
• Research appropriate responses through supplied databases as well as any other identified sources
• Assist with ad hoc team projects
• Assist the distribution and legal counsel with reviewing legal content and contractual language
• Has knowledge and experience with managing requests for most product vehicles covered by the team.

Required Qualifications

• 2‒4 years of related working experience in the financial services industry
• 3‒6 years as a proposal writer
• Demonstrates leadership
• Bachelor's degree required, preferably with liberal arts, business, or communications focus
• Effective communication skills, verbal and written, with ability to interact successfully with various management levels and internal clients in a complex work environment, including internal clients at remote sites
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse range of people who possess a variety of skills and experience
• Detail-oriented with excellent organization and project management skills
• Self-motivated with the ability to prioritize and execute tasks to meet strict deadlines
• Strong analytical skills and ability to spot inaccurate or inconsistent data
• An entrepreneurial spirit along with a keen sense of ownership
• A well-organized and self-directed individual who can work with minimal amount of supervision
• Capability to efficiently complete tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work well under pressure; able to multi-task
• Ability to work both independently and within a team as required
• PC proficient, particularly in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint[Years of experience]

Decision Authorities

• Not all work produced requires a supervisory review
• Encourage proactive behavior from all contributors to avoid unnecessary delays
• Assign work and direct junior team members in coordinating and executing questionnaires

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

$85,300.00 CAD - $135,300.00 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.