VP, Operational Risk Oversight

Manulife Financial Corporation; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife Financial Corporation seeks a senior leader to direct the Global ORM function, aligning operational risk management with regulatory expectations and industry practices. You will collaborate with executives and cross-functional teams across the globe to mature information risk capabilities and drive strategic risk programs.

The role emphasizes transforming operating models, leading talent development, and ensuring compliance with global ORM standards while interacting with regulators

Qualifications

• Minimum 12–15 years in Business Resiliency, Crisis management or ORM in a large enterprise.
• Experience leading global teams and cross-functional collaboration.
• Track record transforming business models in a multinational corporation and delivering globally.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Global ORM function and support Head of Technology, Operational and AI Risk.
• Oversee enterprise ORM program design and regulatory alignment.
• Drive risk transformation and global operational initiatives.
• Foster talent development and manage team budget.
• Engage with regulators (e.g., OSFI) and internal stakeholders across functions.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Influencing

Education

Bachelor/Master in a relevant field

Tools

ORM tools

Regulatory knowledge

Job description

Position Responsibilities:

• Delivering information risk expertise and advice to the business users enabling them to manage their Resilience & Crisis response risks efficiently and effectively.
• Managing the Resilience & Crisis risk team and function with direct reports in multiple locations with responsibility for all staffing decisions related to this team.
• Adjusting and setting risk commitments within the team. In a changing environment, constantly reviewing and balancing the team’s business-as-usual commitments with short-term/immediate priorities and long-term strategic initiatives. Completing short-term planning and creating long-term strategy that will mature information risk capabilities ensuring the practices keep pace with both internal drivers (company strategy and goals) and external drivers (technology, regulations, threats, vulnerabilities, etc.).
• Fostering and maintaining a talent pipeline to ensure staff openings and hiring are managed proactively; devising training paths and development plans to ensure skills within the team are fostered and strengthened to meet both the current and anticipated demand; maintaining and if appropriate attaining new certifications. Anticipating the needs of skills, knowledge, and tools for their team.
• Being responsible and accountable for team budget and spending.
• Staying abreast of new regulations, laws, and requirements for relevant risks across jurisdictions and overseeing compliance with same as required. Ensuring staff are properly trained and keep current with information risk and resilience developments, and technology (both in use at Manulife and across the industry).
• Interacting with and cooperating with information risk teams globally ensuring uniform processes and compliance with Global Information Risk Management processes, procedures, policies, standards, templates, and guidelines.
• Maintaining and fostering enduring relationships with internal customers namely:
  • Executives and other staff within business lines
  • project managers, developers, and others.
  • Executives and peers within the wider Information Risk Management community executives and others within other second- and third-line of defense teams (Audit Services, Operational Risk, Compliance, Investigative Services, Enterprise Risk, etc.)

• Leading the Global ORM function and supporting the Head of Technology, Operational and AI Risk in overseeing operational risk across the Company

• Leading the implementation of the Company's enterprise-level ORM program and ensuring the program adds value to the organization and is aligned with regulatory expectations and industry practices.

• Responsible for driving operational risk transformation towards an effective and efficient integrated model with overall operations. Reimagine and lead with a strategic lens.
• Drive and implement strategic and global operational initiatives to support business goals
• Lead talent transformation to attract and retain highly skilled individuals
• Ensuring core program elements are appropriately designed and implemented including the following:

• • Company's ORM Framework document and Operational Risk Policy and Standards.
  • Risk Appetite for Operational Risk.
  • Risk and Control Assessment program.
  • Operational incident data collection database and related processes.
  • ORM scenario and stress testing program
  • Evaluating operational risk on significant projects/programs, new/revised products, and M&A transactions.
  • Key risk indicator tracking;
  • Operational risk reporting including quarterly dashboard.
  • Leading the development and implementation of ORMsupporting technology (i.e. Archer
• Responsible for communication and reporting requirements related to the ORM Program including the following:
  • Supporting the Operational Risk Committee to facilitate its effective operation and oversight of enterprise level operational risk.
  • Acting as the key point of contact for discussions with Manulife's primary regulator (OSFI)and other regulators as appropriate.
• Act as an ambassador for the ORM program across the Company. Ensuring appropriate communication of the program's benefit and requirements to generate the required organizational support
• Collaborating with other global functional groups to ensure other specific operational risk programs are integrated into the ORM program
• Keeping abreast of industry developments, best practices and trends in ORM. This includes monitoring international developments as they pertain to operational risk and future requirements that may be established by OSFI, or other regulators
• Need to collaborate extensively with other Global functions and segments to enhance and implement the ORM program
• Effectively communicate requirements and value proposition to build and maintain support.

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of 12-15 years with focus on Business Resiliency, Crisis management and ORM principles, processes and deliverables within a large enterprise.
• Possess extensive operations and business experience in a dynamic, complex, and demanding corporate environment where challenges are addressed on a large, global scale
• Have a successful track record of transforming business models within a large-scale multinational corporation, culminating in an outstanding track record of global execution and delivery.
• High ability to collaborate with functions and segments globally to develop impactful solutions.
• Desirable to have technical expertise in operational risk and controls, and continued process improvements / change management.
• Strong communication, influence skills and analysis skills. Ability to communicate risk management practices to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Possess uncompromising ethics, unwavering integrity and understanding of risk.
• Have a team-oriented outlook, inspiring collaboration and building bridges between cross-functional teams.
• Advanced critical-thinking skills and the ability to passionately but diplomatically question assumptions and look for the less obvious answer. Ability to leverage data and analytics to improve business outcomes.

• Expertise in best practices of various aspects of information risk management and prior experience as a leader in Information Risk.
• Knowledge of the regulatory environments in Canada and the US.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong leadership, communication, consulting, decision-making and influencing skills.
• Superior presentation and facilitation skills to all levels and audiences.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships.
• Strong team player (collaborative).
• Problem solving, innovative and strategic thinker.
• Empowers others.
• Influences others to think strategically.
• Solid knowledge and understanding of the industry, strategic direction of the Company and operational challenges.
• Strong time management and organizational skills to manage multiple tasks and changing priorities.
• Ability to work effectively in a matrix organization and influence across organizational lines.
• Clear, broad, transparent, effective and inclusive communication; able to present information to executive management as well board members in simple, logical business terms.
• Passion, tenacity, conviction and courage in leadership and decision making.
• Agent of change - challenging status quo and being bold with strong managerial courage.
• Have a global mindset, customer empathy and desire to achieve excellence.
• Strong leadership - ability to lead self and others
• Superior relationship management skills, with experience in effectively addressing and resolving conflict without impacting relationships.
• Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders to achieve results that will have a significant business impact
• Strategic and innovative problem solving.

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].

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary & Benefits

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.