Technical Product Owner – People & Communications Technology

Manulife; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 75,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider in Toronto is searching for a Technical Product Owner to lead HR digital transformation initiatives. In this hybrid role, you will drive user-centric solutions, collaborate with diverse teams, and manage the product backlog. Ideal candidates will have over 5 years of HR tech experience and proficiency in Agile methodologies. The salary range is CAD 75,880 - CAD 140,920, along with extensive benefits and opportunities for growth.

Benefits

Health and dental benefits

Mental health support

Generous paid time off

Retirement savings plans

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in product ownership or solution delivery within HR technology.
• Proficient in HR processes with experience in Workday and HRMS integrations.
• Ability to lead cross-functional agile teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Own and prioritize the product backlog for PeopleComms.
• Collaborate with teams to deliver user-centric solutions.
• Manage dependencies and communicate product vision.

Skills

Product ownership

HR technology

Agile methodologies

Process improvement

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Advanced degree in HR, Business, or Technology

Tools

Workday

JIRA

Confluence

Power Platform

Azure

Job description

Overview

Lead the digital transformation of HR as the Technical Product Owner for People & Communications (PeopleComms) at Manulife. Define and deliver tech solutions that improve the colleague experience, enable agility, and support central initiatives. This is an outstanding opportunity to build the future of HR technology in a global organization and make a significant impact on our colleagues' day-to-day lives. Your expertise will drive innovative solutions that are both scalable and user-centric, ensuring a detailed and outstanding experience for all collaborators.

Responsibilities

• Own and prioritize the product backlog, aligning initiatives with PeopleComms transformation goals and strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with HR, build, and engineering teams to deliver scalable, user-centric solutions through agile practices.
• Represent the customer\'s perspective by integrating feedback and monitoring critical metrics to fuel ongoing improvement.
• Manage dependencies, eliminate obstacles, and communicate product vision, roadmap, and progress to collaborators.
• Stay ahead of new technologies (GenAI, Power Platform, cloud) and assess their applicability to HR tech solutions.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in product ownership or solution delivery within HR technology or enterprise transformation.
• Proficient in HR processes and hands-on experience with Workday, HRMS platforms, and integrations.
• Familiarity with AI-powered platforms, data analytics tools, and modern cloud-based HR systems.
• Demonstrated capability to lead cross-functional agile teams, interpret business needs into technical requirements, and manage collaborators efficiently.
• Experience with agile delivery tools (JIRA, Confluence) and technologies such as Power Platform, Azure, and GenAI.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in Agile methodologies (e.g., Scrum Product Owner, SAFe).
• Experience working in global organizations with distributed teams.
• Advanced degree or equivalent experience in HR, Business, or Technology-related field.
• Experience implementing GenAI solutions in enterprise environments.
• Knowledge of change management practices in digital transformation.

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.

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].

Salary and Location

Referenced Salary Location: Toronto, Ontario

Working Arrangement: Hybrid

Salary range is expected to be between $75,880.00 CAD - $140,920.00 CAD

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [e-mail] for the salary range for your location. 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. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

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.