Director, Operations Strategy

OverviewThe Group Benefits Operations team is seeking a Director, Operations Strategy & Transformation to lead our back‑office transformation agenda and strengthen operational excellence across our Canadian Group Benefits business. Reporting to the Vice President, Group Benefits Operations, this role is a pivotal member of the leadership team. The Director is accountable for shaping and executing strategic initiatives that advance both Operations and Group Benefits priorities. You will partner across teams, geographies, and value streams to translate strategy into measurable outcomes. This role is ideal for a highly motivated, collaborative leader who thrives in a complex, senior‑stakeholder environment and is passionate about driving meaningful change.Position ResponsibilitiesStrategic Planning & ExecutionLead a small, high‑performing team in delivering initiatives of varying scale and strategic importance. You will ensure initiatives deliver intended business outcomes through direct accountability and influence. Key responsibilities include:Developing integrated initiative roadmaps, ensuring success metrics align with business priorities.Leading milestone planning, impact reviews, budgeting, and governance activities.Prioritizing strategies and making clear recommendations to senior leadership.Overseeing change management activities to enable successful adoption of transformational initiatives.Driving timely decisions, actions, and issue resolution.Monitoring execution progress, providing visibility into risks and milestones, and ensuring accountability to timelines.Tracking initiative outcomes to ensure benefits and financial commitments are realized.Designing effective performance‑tracking approaches to keep teams aligned and on track.Facilitating annual strategy development and offsite leadership sessions.Supporting and enhancing the overall Strategic Planning Process across Operations.Reporting, Communication & Stakeholder ManagementDevelop compelling executive‑level presentations and business cases that clearly articulate insights, recommendations, and outcomes.Present initiative performance and strategic insights to senior stakeholders, enabling clear understanding and informed decisions.Drive alignment across stakeholders and enable decision‑making by identifying trade‑offs and influencing outcomes when necessary.Motivate, mentor, and develop both direct and indirect team members.Act as a change agent who builds awareness, engagement, and commitment to the transformation agenda.Required Qualifications10+ years of combined education and experience in strategy roles within large multinational organizations, ideally in financial services.Experience leading small teams and navigating complex, fast‑moving, and ambiguous environments.Preferred QualificationsExtensive experience in strategic planning, execution, and reporting.Strong analytical skills and comfort with financial and quantitative analysis.Exceptional PowerPoint and storytelling capabilities.Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and drive decisions to implementation.A reputation for being practical, solutions‑oriented, and dependable in delivery.Strong facilitation and communication skills.High attention to detail and commitment to delivering executive‑ready work.Strong problem‑solving abilities informed by research, structured thinking, and thoughtful analysis.Proven experience leading projects and managing stakeholders effectively.Strong business acumen, customer focus, and strategic execution capability.Ability to work independently and collaboratively in diverse teams.Experience in top‑tier consulting, investment banking, or corporate strategy roles is an asset.When You Join Our TeamWe’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 HancockManulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit our story page.Equal Opportunity EmployerManulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We embrace diversity and strive to attract, develop, and retain a workforce that reflects the customers we serve and an inclusive work environment that respects cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all 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. A Human Resources representative will assist applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. For accommodation requests, contact recruitment@manulife.com.Additional InformationReferenced Salary Location: Waterloo, OntarioWorking Arrangement: HybridSalary range is expected to be between $136,290.00 CAD - $186,290.00 CAD. If applying outside the primary location, contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary based on market conditions, geography and factors such as knowledge, skills, experience, and education/training. Eligible employees may participate in incentive programs.Benefits include health, dental, mental health, vision, disability, life and AD&D insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. U.S. role applicants should contact recruitment@manulife.com for U.S.-specific PTO provisions. #J-18808-Ljbffr