At the core of our Canadian strategy, we put the customer at the center of everything we do. Our Group Benefits business supports over 27,000 employers and their employees across Canada. This leadership role is an incredible opportunity to have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of Canadian businesses. 

As a key member of the Plan Sponsor Experience team, the Director, Plan Sponsor Experience will be accountable for ensuring an exceptional plan sponsor experience for our largest and most complex clients (Plan Sponsors). This could include leading onboarding or material service recovery efforts for specific complex clients.  

This leader will work directly with clients as well as with a cross-section of internal partners including Distribution, Plan Sponsor Risk, Operations, Legal, Underwriting, Product, Marketing and IT.  The successful candidate will be accountable for oversight of key components of the Plan Sponsor  Experience and will work with internal partners to ensure successful delivery to our clients.  

This role requires strong problem-solving skills and a highly collaborative leader with proven capability in client relations, identifying risks, influencing internal stakeholders and navigating challenges to ensure business objectives are met. The successful candidate would be a highly effective change agent who can thrive in an ambiguous and dynamic environment.

Position Responsibilities:

• Work with internal partners to identify deliverables, interdependencies and impacted areas required to successfully deliver an exceptional client experience

• Liaise with clients to understand needs, manage expectations of delivery and provide regular status updates to ensure client satisfaction

• Maintain oversight of all components of plan sponsor experience and work with internal partners to ensure successful delivery

• Lead program management activities such maintaining an overall project plan, milestone and impact planning and progress reviews

• Identify and manage risks to timeline, operations and cost

• Drive a client experience focus while balancing impact to Manulife

• Serve as a primary point of escalation and solutioning for internal teams

• As necessary deep dive into specific workstreams to remove roadblocks and solve emerging issues

• Provide regular updates to executive leadership on status of initiatives

• Conduct root cause analysis to identify process improvements and implement upstream solutions

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to collaborate, partner, initiate and maintain cross-departmental and intra-divisional relationships

• Strong internal and external relationship management

• Understanding of Group Benefits products/financial arrangements including underwriting practices, compliance, and vendor management, is considered an asset

• Bias towards action and strong problem solving skills

• 7+ years of program management experience

• Excellent communication and influencing skills at various levels of the organizations

• Relationship building in a matrix environment

• Ability to handle complex issues with a proven ability to adapt to changes quickly and easily within the business and organization

• Ability to balance competing demands with little management direction/support

• Bilingualism (English and French) is a strong asset. If the successful candidate is in Québec, proficiency in both languages will be required to support clients from various provinces outside of Quebec.

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 recruitment@manulife.com.

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

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