Senior Release Train Engineer

Manulife; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 113,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Pension plan

Job summary

Manulife is seeking a Senior Release Train Engineer to lead large-scale Agile delivery and align cross-functional teams across Product, Engineering, Architecture, and Business. You will shape delivery conditions, governance, and leadership alignment to improve flow, predictability, quality, and business value.

You will partner with Product, Engineering, and Business leaders to drive PI objectives, manage risks, and foster continuous improvement within a complex, regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex technology programs at scale.
• Experience guiding an ART of 50–125 people in a regulated environment.
• Strong facilitation for cross-team planning (e.g., PI Planning).
• Proven ability to manage risks, dependencies, and program complexity.
• Experience coaching stakeholders on Agile practices and organizational change.
• Excellent communication with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and optimize flow across the Agile Release Train to ensure predictable delivery.
• Manage ART cadence: PI readiness, Planning, ART Sync, System Demo, and retrospectives.
• Translate strategy into measurable PI objectives and track value delivery.
• Coach leaders, teams, and stakeholders on scalable Agile practices.
• Identify and resolve program risks and dependencies; report status clearly.
• Leverage metrics to drive continuous improvement and alignment with business goals.

Skills

Agile leadership

Stakeholder management

Facilitation

Risk management

Coaching teams

Communication

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Join our Insurance Technology Team!

We’re transforming our Insurance Technology organization to create seamless, customer-first digital experiences used by millions every day.

As part of this journey, we’re looking for a Senior Release Train Engineer to lead large-scale Agile delivery, align cross-functional teams, and help drive meaningful business outcomes.

As a Senior Release Train Engineer, you will provide partnership for a large, complex Agile Release Train, helping establish and embed new ways of working across Product, Engineering, Architecture, and Business.

You will create the delivery conditions, governance, and leadership alignment needed to improve flow, predictability, quality, and measurable business outcomes.

Position Responsibilities

Program Delivery & Execution

• Lead and optimize the flow of work across the Agile Release Train (ART) to ensure efficient, predictable delivery
• Lead the full ART cadence, including PI readiness and Planning, ART Sync, System Demo, and retrospectives; ensure each event produces clear decisions, accountable actions, and measurable improvement.
• Translate business strategy and priorities into measurable PI objectives, align teams to committed outcomes, and track delivery progress and business-value achievement throughout the increment.

Agile Leadership & Coaching

• Coach leaders, teams, and stakeholders on Agile and scaled Agile practices (e.g., SAFe or similar frameworks)
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement
• Support teams in adopting best practices to improve delivery quality and speed

Risk & Dependency Management

• Identify, track, and resolve program-level risks and dependencies across multiple teams
• Provide clear and consistent communication on program status, risks, and progress

Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Leverage delivery metrics (e.g., velocity, predictability) to identify opportunities for improvement
• Guide teams in using data to improve planning, execution, and outcomes

Stakeholder & Resource Alignment

• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Business leaders to align priorities and delivery plans
• Support program-level planning, resource alignment, and budget awareness
• Contribute to value realization by ensuring delivery aligns with business goals

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of experience in complex technology delivery, including 3+ years leading scaled Agile delivery; demonstrated success guiding an ART of approximately 50–125 people, enabling enterprise transformation, facilitating at scale, influencing senior stakeholders, and operating in a regulated environment
• Demonstrated proficiency using Jira, Confluence, or comparable enterprise delivery tools,
• Strong facilitation skills for cross-team planning and coordination (e.g., PI Planning or similar)
• Demonstrated ability to manage risks, dependencies, and program complexity
• Experience coaching teams and stakeholders on Agile practices
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with modern software delivery practices (e.g., DevOps, CI/CD, DevSecOps)
• Practical AI literacy and experience applying generative AI or AI-enabled delivery tools to improve ART planning, dependency and risk analysis, forecasting, reporting, facilitation, and continuous improvement
• SAFe Release Train Engineer certification is strongly preferred; SAFe Practice Consultant or advanced Agile coaching certification
• Exposure to program budgeting, capacity planning, or resource management

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

$113,000.00 CAD - $163,000.00 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.