Director, Digitization & Automation, GWAM & GA Asia Operations

Manulife/John Hancock; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife/John Hancock is seeking a Director of Digitization & Automation for GWAM & GA Asia Operations. The role drives scalable digitization, automation, and digital solutions with a strong customer and operations focus.

You will lead change, enable data-driven decisions, and partner across a global matrix to deliver measurable outcomes. The position requires experience managing automation/AI at scale, familiarity with Microsoft tools, and a proven change agent capable of influencing diverse

Qualifications

• University degree and/or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience managing automation/AI at scale in complex environments.
• Knowledge of AI, automation, and digital tools including Microsoft stack.

Responsibilities

• Drive demand for digitization, automation and BI solutions with stakeholders.
• Lead innovation and digital delivery at scale.
• Define data and digital tools to solve business problems.
• Lead process redesign to improve quality, speed, and resilience.
• Own process assessment, cost/benefit, prioritization and resourcing.
• Build and lead a high-energy team delivering automation and digital solutions.
• Increase automation delivery velocity to improve efficiency and risk mitigation.
• Provide end-to-end engagement management and executive communications.

Skills

Automation at scale

AI & Automation

Executive communication

Change leadership

Stakeholder management

Data-driven insights

Education

University degree or equivalent

Tools

Power Platform

Azure

Job description

Director, Digitization & Automation, GWAM & GA Asia Operations

The Director, Digitization & Automation, GWAM & GA Asia Operations drives the identification, design, and delivery of scalable digitization, automation, and digital solutions across the business, with a strong customer and operational lens. The Director serves as a change agent, accelerating efficiency, creating capacity, reducing risk, and embedding digital and automation as core enablers of business strategy. This role blends automation-led transformation with data-driven insights and digital enablement to deliver measurable outcomes across highly matrixed, global operations. We’re looking for an individual who demonstrates a focus and passion for the customer and the business. A collaborative, transparent individual who can create and communicate a vision and engage others to work towards objectives. This role requires a highly visible individual who can drive change through relationships, thought leadership and exceptional business knowledge.

Position Responsibilities

• Drive demand for, and delivery of, digitization, automation and business intelligence solutions in partnership with key stakeholders
• Drive leading-edge innovation and digital as the core of delivery
• Define and govern the right data and digital tools to solve business problems at scale.
• Lead process redesign and transformation, reducing customer and employee effort while improving quality, speed, and resilience.
• Own process assessment and intake, including suitability evaluation, cost/benefit analysis, prioritization, and resourcing.
• Build and lead a high-energy, high-impact team capable of delivering automation, digitization, and digital solutions at scale
• Increase the volume and velocity of automation delivery, driving efficiency, capacity creation, and operational risk mitigation.
• Provide end-to-end engagement management, including executive communications and delivery oversight

Required Qualifications

• University degree and/or equivalent practical experience
• Previous experience managing/overseeing automation/AI at scale in complex environments
• Strong knowledge of AI, automation, and digital tools, with awareness of emerging technology trends, including knowledge of Microsoft stack of technology (e.g., Power Platform, Azure)
• Able to lead & influence change within processes and drive the teams towards new solutions or improvements of existing solutions, through constant challenges of the status quo
• Ability to break down complex cases, recommend and implement a solution
• Proven effectiveness as a change agent in complex operational environments.
• Role model our leadership behaviors
• Financial acumen, including experience managing costs and articulating benefits.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, judgment, and decision-making skills.
• Proven effectiveness in working within a matrixed, geographically dispersed team and leverage knowledge across the organization
• Effective communication skills - varying audiences ranging from executives to front line employees
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced, and ever-changing environment

Preferred Qualifications

• A hands-on, entrepreneurial leader with energy and passion for transformation that delivers real results.
• Technically proficient, with strong understanding of technologies and how to leverage them appropriately to achieve desired outcomes
• Strong curiosity and desire to make the complex clear and to always ask "why"
• Strong customer and business orientation - always designing solutions with strategy and outcomes in mind.
• Highly collaborative, transparent, and comfortable operating with stakeholders
• Strong ability to manage teams, keeping them motivated and engaged
• Curious and analytical, with the ability to simplify complexity and challenge the status quo constructively.
• Organized, self-directed, and effective at managing multiple, concurrent initiatives.

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.

We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words. And as part of our global team, you’ll help shape the future you want to see - and discover that better can take you anywhere you want to go.

Working Arrangement Hybrid

We’re Manulife. And we’re on a mission to make decisions easier and lives better. Better is what drives us.

It’s what inspires us to find new ways to support customers and colleagues in living longer and healthier lives. It’s the reason we’re dedicated to investing in digital innovation and industry-leading AI, and accelerating a sustainable and economically inclusive future.

Joining us means you’ll be empowered to learn and grow your career. We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words. And as part of our global team, you’ll help shape the future you want to see - and discover that better can take you anywhere you want to go.

We’re proud of our accomplishments and recognition.

Recent awards include:

• 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award Winner
• Manulife Named one of Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025
• Financial Times World’s Best Employers Asia-Pacific 2026
• We’ve been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2026
• #1 Life Insurer for AI Maturity by Evident 2026

Our ambition is to be the number one choice for customers. Learn more at https://www.manulife.com/.

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].