Suspense Reporting Manager

Manulife; Kuala Lumpur; Hybrid; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife is seeking a Finance Reconciliation Specialist to manage suspense accounts, mitigate financial risks, and support regional initiatives across Asia. You will partner with Operations and Finance to drive process improvements, enhance automation, and strengthen controls.

The role requires 5+ years in financial accounting, strong Excel and stakeholder management skills, and experience with Cadence/BlackLine. Hybrid working arrangement in the Asia region is offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business.
• 5+ years of progressive financial accounting experience.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience with Cadency or BlackLine is a plus.
• Proficient in Excel and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Prepare regular reconciliation, matching rate and aging reports of suspense accounts owned by assigned business area. Ensure that commentaries are provided reflecting the review and results of investigation.
• Monitor and report accounts at risk of exceeding materiality threshold and/or beyond clearing standards for assigned business unit; coordinate with account owner for follow up action.
• Identify possible adjustments needed as a result of analysis and reconciliation including write offs of unclaimed property (custodian).
• Meet all set deadlines by the Operations team and financial reporting cycle for sign offs, risk reporting, write offs and any reports or requirements set by the department.
• Onboard new accounts into the suspense account management tool (Cadency).
• Review/edit matching rules to increase auto-matching rate through Cadency in collaboration with Process & Modernization team.
• Ensure separation of duties and suspense account management standards as established by Asia Finance.
• Escalate risks and issues requiring immediate attention and drive resolutions.
• Lead touchpoint meetings with business operations and leaders per business area as needed.
• Maintain process documents to capture the business and accounting model.
• Conduct peer-to-peer quality checks for journal entries and reports.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Excel mastery

Communication

Finance reconciliation

Education

University degree in accounting

Accounting designation

Tools

Cadency

BlackLine

Job description

Join a dynamic finance operations team where you'll play a key role in managing reconciliation activities, mitigating financial risks, and ensuring the integrity of critical suspense accounts. You'll partner with stakeholders across Operations and Finance to drive process improvements, enhance automation, and strengthen controls. Beyond day-to-day operations, you'll also contribute to regional strategic initiatives that shape the future of finance processes across Asia.

Responsibilities

• Prepare regular reconciliation, matching rate and aging reports of suspense accounts owned by assigned business area. Ensure that commentaries are provided reflecting the review and results of investigation. 2) Monitor and report accounts at risk of exceeding materiality threshold and/or beyond clearing standards for assigned business unit. Coordinate with assigned account owner for follow up action.
• Identify possible adjustments needed as a result of analysis and reconciliation including write offs of unclaimed property (custodian).
• Meet all set deadlines by the Operations team and the financial reporting cycle for sign offs, risk reporting, write offs and any all reports or requirements set by the department.
• Responsible for the onboarding of new accounts into the suspense account management tool (Cadency).
• Partner with Operation and Finance Process & Modernization team to review/ add/ edit matching rules to increase auto‑matching rate through Cadency.
• Ensuring that right practices are observed and followed, such as separation of duties and suspense account management standards established by Asia Finance.
• Escalate appropriately to ensure risks and issues requiring immediate attention are managed and resolved.
• Lead touch point meetings, if needed, with the business operations and the leaders per business area.
• Responsible for maintaining process documents to capture the essence of the business and accounting model.
• Conduct peer‑to‑peer quality checks for journal entries and reports produced by team members, if any.
• Special projects will arise from time to time require strong financial knowledge, analytical and organizational skills with an innovative mindset. The role will participate in Asia regional priorities and strategic projects as assigned or other Adhoc activities as required by senior management pertaining to the introduction of new services, products, and processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• University Business Degree and/or recognized accounting designation
• 5+ years of progressive financial accounting experience
• Strong stakeholder management skills requiring persuasion and influencing, relationship building and negotiation skill
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving capabilities
• Strong technical accounting skills
• Experience in Blackline, Cadency or any Finance reconciliation system is an advantage
• Self‑starter, detail-oriented, willingness to take ownership and accountability of processes
• Strong oral/written communication skills required to interact with senior officers and representatives from other Divisions and functional departments
• Highly organized with an ability to work in a fast‑paced, multi stakeholder environment and manage multiple priorities
• Understanding of Lawson or general finance systems / applications available in the market.
• Intermediate to Advanced knowledge of Excel (i.e. mastery of excel formulas and pivot tables is a must). Proficient in MS Office suite including Outlook, Word, Power Point, and Project.

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].

Working Arrangement

Hybrid