Vice President, Group Functions Technology - Finance & Treasury Systems

Company 1 - The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company; Toronto; On-site; CAD 171,000 - 318,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services group is seeking a VP for Group Functions Technology to drive technology strategies and manage finance systems. This role requires extensive experience in financial services and technology, with a focus on operational excellence and strategic leadership. The successful candidate will lead complex projects and collaborate across global teams to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Benefits

Health and dental benefits

Retirement savings plans

Paid time off program

Employee assistance plans

Qualifications

• 15+ years in strategy, process or technology in financial services.
• Strong understanding of financial and cash management frameworks.
• Ability to manage high-profile conflicting priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage IS application integrations and infrastructure projects.
• Develop technology strategies and oversee execution.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Operational efficiency

Financial management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology

Job description

The VP Group Functions Technology (GFT) Finance Systems is accountable for formulating and driving global information services, technology strategies, management, and implementations for Manulife Group Finance (GF) as well as day to day operations for our finance and treasury portfolios. This role is the Information Services lead for the Finance and Treasury and has a clear mandate to identify opportunities to utilize technology to maximize productivity as well as efficiencies while supporting the evolving needs of the business and their clients across Canada, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and the rest of Asia. This includes developing the IS application strategy and overseeing its execution to meet goals within agreed targets and budget for GFT Finance Systems.

This role is accountable for effectively leading and managing large and complex IS application integrations and the coordination of technical infrastructure projects, ensuring that the communication of requirements and expectations are clear and projects are completed on time and deployed in a controlled and user inclusive manner across the enterprise globally.

This role will require a deep understanding of both financial processes and cash management best practices, as well as the ability to drive operational excellence and delivery efficiency. This role has accountability directly to the SVP & CIO of Group Functions Technology and to provide services to the heads of the various Group Finance Functions and their teams including the VP, Chief Accountant as well the SVP & Treasurer.

Responsibilities :

Individual Accountabilities :

• Partner with the functions and provide thought leadership, develop and provide authoritative advice related to emerging and innovative solutions.
• Develop a service oriented team and culture across GFT and collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and prioritize technology requirements for finance and treasury initiatives.
• Operate within budget targets to add value while ensuring business goals are met.
• Oversee all technology roles, services, budgets and savings within GFT and manage the relative spend ratio between build and run.
• Implement technology vision and operating model within GFT.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement in service management to effectively achieve associated SLA’s and SLO’s and enable the success of the technology strategy for business units throughout the enterprise.
• Maintain and adhere to governance for Sox compliance, regulators, internal and external auditors as well as all key risk and control standards for Information Risk Management.
• Execute technology talent strategy and headcount planning across the areas of accountability and the selection, retention and development of senior level professional staff for the GFT group, across Canada and global operating areas.

Key Shared Accountabilities :

• Leveraging technology to optimize efficiencies and standardized business processes.
• In conjunction with the Global Enterprise Architecture & EngineeringOffice, develop appropriate application architecture standards for Group Functions and enforce adherence.
• With a focus on key vendors, leverage global practices for the execution of vendor management strategy in coordination with Procurement and vendor management policies.
• Active participation and input into appropriate Business Continuity Planning, Disaster Recovery, Information Risk and Security globally for GFT.

Job Requirement :

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 15+ years of increasing responsibility in strategy, process or technology oriented areas with deep and broad knowledge of financial services and the insurance industry.
• Strong understanding of financial and cash management frameworks, regulations, and industry standards
• Ability to manage multiple high profile conflicting priorities typically found in a large and complex project portfolio that spans multiple business lines, ensuring deliveries are on time and budget.
• International exposure and ability to work with a variety of cultures and perspectives. Senior professional with extensive experience developing and integrating complex services and systems.
• Strategic thinker, thinks conceptually beyond day-to-day business realities, creates a clear vision for the business and adopts a long-term perspective.
• First-hand experience in management of unexpected crisis and ensures timely resolution.
• Ability to engage and influence at all levels of the organization. Interacts in ways that gain acceptance and commitment, influence opinion and resolve conflicts.
• Proven interpersonal skills : two-way communications skills (oral and written), ability to build relationships, influence others, work with a diverse internal and international customer base.
• Solid track record of delivering innovative sustainable technology solutions, reducing costs, increasing productivity.
• Able to function as an organizational change agent and see beyond current situations towards enterprise-wide higher level process and systems improvements and reengineering departments through leadership, and innovation.
• Strong services and systems aptitude; demonstrated project management and planning skills; balances strategic skills with tactical execution skills.
• Strong operations efficiency orientation (process, costing, etc.) and ability to effectively manage ongoing operations within budget targets while identifying opportunities for ongoing efficiency.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across our offices in Asia, Canada, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2022, we had more than 40,000 employees, over 116,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 34 million customers. At the end of 2022, we had $1.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) in assets under management and administration, including total invested assets of $0.4 trillion (US $0.3 trillion), and segregated funds net assets of $0.3 trillion (US$0.3 trillion). We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Salary & Benefits

The annual base salary for this role is listed below.

Primary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

171,200.00 CAD - $317,700.00 CAD

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact 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 for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

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