Director, Global Wellness Strategy

Manulife Insurance Malaysia; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Manulife is seeking a Director, Global Wellbeing to lead a mature global program, translating strategy into actionable initiatives that improve employee wellbeing, engagement and resilience across regions.

You will partner with Total Rewards, Talent COE—People Experience, and external partners to design programs, oversee budgets, measure outcomes, and drive continuous improvement in a complex matrixed organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Health Promotion, Public Health, Business, Psychology, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in wellbeing, benefits, employee experience, Total Rewards, or related HR functions.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing enterprise or global wellbeing strategies.
• Strong vendor management and stakeholder management experience.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the global wellbeing strategy aligned with organizational priorities and employee needs.
• Lead design, implementation, and ongoing management of global wellbeing programs.
• Evaluate and enhance existing programs to improve participation, outcomes, and ROI.
• Ensure a consistent employee experience across wellbeing offerings and governance processes.
• Foster collaboration with Total Rewards, People Experience, Benefits, and business teams to integrate wellbeing into broader programs.
• Oversee budgets, forecasts, and vendor relationships with service-level agreements.
• Develop meaningful metrics and prepare executive-level reporting on wellbeing outcomes.

Skills

Vendor management

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Influencing skills

Executive presentation

Global program leadership

HR / Benefits knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, Health Promotion, Public Health, Business, Psychology, or related field

Job description

The Director, Global Wellbeing is a member of the Global Pension, Benefits and Wellbeing Team, and reports to the AVP, Global Benefits and Wellbeing. The Director, Global Wellbeing will lead the next chapter of a mature and established global wellbeing program, building on a strong foundation while driving innovation, optimization, and greater global consistency. This role develops and executes a comprehensive global wellbeing strategy that supports all facets of employees’ wellbeing, while advancing business objectives and enhancing the employee experience. Partnering across Total Rewards, Talent COE-People Experience, business leadership, and external partners to design and deliver programs and initiatives that improve workforce wellbeing, engagement, productivity, and organizational resilience. The successful candidate will bring fresh ideas, thought leadership, and a forward-looking perspective, coupled with the ability to translate strategy into action and deliver measurable outcomes. The Director provides strategic leadership, governance, program oversight, vendor management, and analytics to ensure wellbeing programs meet the evolving needs of a modern global workforce.

Position Responsibilities:

Global Wellbeing Strategy (20%)

• Develop and lead the global wellbeing strategy aligned with organizational priorities and employee needs.
• Monitor emerging wellbeing trends and recommend innovative programs and practices.
• Partner with global and regional stakeholders to ensure programs are locally relevant while maintaining strategic consistency.
• Provide thought leadership and subject matter expertise in workforce wellbeing, driving programs and partnerships that strengthen employee wellbeing, engagement, and experience.

Program Design and Management (25%)

• Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing management of global wellbeing programs and initiatives.
• Evaluate and enhance existing programs to improve employee participation, outcomes, and return on investment.
• Ensure a consistent employee experience across wellbeing offerings.
• Develop wellbeing policies, frameworks, and governance processes.
• Foster collaboration with internal partners including, Talent COE – People Experience, Total Rewards, Benefits, Inclusion, Impact, ERGs, and business teams to identify opportunities to integrate wellbeing into broader Total Rewards and people programs.
• Oversee program budgets, forecasts, investment priorities, and business cases.
• Develop and manage relationships with wellbeing vendors, consultants, and strategic partners.
• Establish performance expectations and monitor outcomes against contractual commitments and service-level agreements.
• Conduct vendor evaluations, benchmarking, and sourcing activities, including RFP processes.
• Drive continuous improvement through vendor innovation and performance management.

Communications and Employee Engagement (10%)

• Partner with communications teams to develop comprehensive wellbeing communication strategies.
• Promote awareness and engagement through targeted campaigns and educational initiatives.
• Support leaders in fostering a culture of wellbeing across the organization.

Leadership and Team Development (15%)

• Lead and develop a high-performing wellbeing team.
• Create a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Analytics and Measurement (10%)

• Develop meaningful metrics to assess wellbeing program effectiveness and employee engagement.
• Leverage data and insights to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Prepare executive-level reporting and recommendations.
• Measure outcomes related to workforce wellbeing, participation, productivity, and employee experience.

Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management (5%)

• Ensure wellbeing programs comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and privacy requirements.
• Maintain appropriate governance, documentation, and controls.
• Assess and mitigate risks associated with wellbeing initiatives and vendor relationships.

Vendor and Partner Management (15%)

• Develop and manage relationships with wellbeing vendors, consultants, and strategic partners.
• Establish performance expectations and monitor outcomes against contractual commitments and service-level agreements.
• Conduct vendor evaluations, benchmarking, and sourcing activities, including RFP processes.
• Drive continuous improvement through vendor innovation and performance management.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Health Promotion, Public Health, Business, Psychology, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in wellbeing, benefits, employee experience, Total Rewards, or related HR functions.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing enterprise or global wellbeing strategies.
• Strong vendor management and stakeholder management experience.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and influencing skills.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead complex global initiatives in a matrixed environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting multinational organizations.
• Relevant wellbeing, benefits, health management, coaching, or HR certifications.
• Experience leveraging wellbeing data and workforce analytics to drive strategy.

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.

#LI-Hybrid 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].

Referenced Salary Location Boston, Massachusetts Working Arrangement Hybrid Salary range is expected to be between $128,550.00 USD - $222,820.00 USD. 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/John Hancock 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/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources.
• Our generous paid time off program in the U.S. includes up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence.

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.

Know Your Rights I Family & Medical Leave I Employee Polygraph Protection I Right to Work I E-Verify Company: John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) 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 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 recognitions. Recent awards include:

• 2024 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award Winner
• Manulife Named one of Forbes World’s Best Employers 2023
• Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2023
• We’ve been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024)
• Manulife included in Bloomberg’s 2023 Gender-Equality Index

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