We are a leading financial services provider committed to making decisions easier and lives better for our customers and colleagues around the world. From our environmental initiatives to our community investments, we lead with values throughout our business. To help us stand out, we help you step up, because when colleagues are healthy, respected and meaningfully challenged, we all thrive. Discover how you can grow your career, make impact and drive real change with our Winning Team today.

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Job Description

The opportunity

At the core of our Canadian strategy, we put the customer at the center of everything we do. Our Group Benefits business supports over 25,000 employers and their employees across Canada. This leadership role is an incredible opportunity to have a significant impact on our Plan Sponsor journey.

As a key member of the Plan Sponsor Services team, the Director, Plan Sponsor Risk Management is accountable for evolving and managing a risk model that balances Plan Sponsors requirements and Manulife’s risk tolerance and service model.

This leader will work with a cross-section of internal partners including Distribution, Legal, Data & Analytics, Operations, Product, IT and HR. The successful candidate will also be accountable for liaising and negotiating externally with plan sponsors to partner and collaborate on master services agreements, audits and third-party requirements. This role requires strong communication, relationship management, complex problem-solving skills and a highly collaborative leader with proven capability in removing barriers and influencing internal and external stakeholders, to ensure business objectives are met. This individual will also anticipate, monitor, and proactively pivot approach to developing changes and trends that affect our business. This includes awareness of technology, third-party providers, regulatory developments, and competitor actions.

Responsibilities

• Lead Plan Sponsor Risk professionals that manage the complex contracting process with core strategic clients, including the negotiation and execution of:

• Plan Sponsor master services and IT/privacy/data agreement

• Plan Sponsor IT and claims audits; and

• Plan Sponsor third party vendor requirements.

• Assess and recommend the appropriate scope, team structure and funding model for Plan Sponsor Risk Management to adequately support the organization and respond to service demands

• Develop a strong pipeline of talent and foster an engaged team culture of high performers

• Lead the build and management of a customized commitment inventory and framework,

• Strategize, develop, and implement processes and procedures that support our Plan Sponsors complex contracting and third - party diligence/auditing requirements

• Identify and lead key strategic projects e.g.

• assessment and implementation of contract management tools

• contract evolution and enhancements

• Lead problem exploration and solution development in a matrix environment balancing Plan Sponsors needs and Manulife’s risk tolerance while providing exceptional customer service

• Work with various subject matter experts proactively to create consistent templated responses to emerging Plan Sponsor complex contract request and questionnaires

• Provide regular updates to Group Benefits leadership team on the emerging risks within the GB landscape, as well as internal service delivery vs. client commitments

• Support the management of Manulife’s staff benefits plan including

• improving the operational support model for staff plan

• overseeing the investigation and remediation of sponsor escalations

What motivates you?

• You obsess about customers, listen, engage, and act for their benefit.

• You think big, with curiosity to discover ways to use your agile approach and enable business outcomes.

• You thrive in teams and enjoy getting things done together.

• You take ownership and build solutions, focusing on what matters.

• You do what is right, work with integrity and speak up.

• You share your humanity, helping us build a diverse and inclusive work environment for everyone.

• You are a highly effective change agent who can thrive in an ambiguous and dynamic environment.

What we are looking for

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

• Leadership experience considered an asset and the ability to develop and lead a high-performing risk team is critical

• IT knowledge to be able to speak with technical resources as well as assess risk of IT commitments

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

• Previous experience in a risk-based role, is considered an asset

• Experience in dealing with complex legal or contractual issues

• Strong Customer Experience background. Both internal and external customer focus with the ability to speak with external parties including Plan Sponsor representatives

• Excellent negotiation 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

• Ability to manage high visibility and high-risk consequences

What can we offer you?

• A competitive salary and benefits packages.

• A growth trajectory that extends upward and outward, encouraging you to follow your passions and learn new skills.

• A focus on growing your career path with us.

• Flexible work policies and strong work-life balance.

• Professional development and leadership opportunities.

Our commitment to you

• Values-first culture

• We lead with our Values every day and bring them to life together.

• Boundless opportunity

• We create opportunities to learn and grow at every stage of your career.

• Continuous innovation

• We invite you to help redefine the future of financial services.

• Delivering the promise of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• We foster an inclusive workplace where everyone thrives.

• Championing Corporate Citizenship

• We build a business that benefits all stakeholders and has a positive social and environmental impact.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across our offices in Asia, Canada, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2022, we had more than 40,000 employees, over 116,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 34 million customers. At the end of 2022, we had $1.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) in assets under management and administration, including total invested assets of $0.4 trillion (US $0.3 trillion), and segregated funds net assets of $0.3 trillion (US$0.3 trillion). We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.

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 .

Salary & Benefits

The annual base salary for this role is listed below.

Primary Location

Toronto, Ontario

Salary range is expected to be between

$103,050.00 CAD - $185,490.00 CAD

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