Director, Government Relations (Health)

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.

Job Description

The opportunity

Do you have a passion for business, strategy, and public policy? Do you want the opportunity to work on healthcare policy and system challenges to find solutions that make life easier and better for millions of Canadians?

Manulife’s Government Relations team is looking for a Director, Government Relations (Health) to join us at our head office in Toronto. The Director will join a global, multi-disciplinary team that coordinates across business lines and jurisdictions to engage on public policy and regulatory issues to ensure that Manulife continues to deliver on our commitments to customers, employees, and shareholders.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Government Relations (Canada), the Director will work closely with Manulife business leaders to develop, coordinate, and implement strategies designed to help the company achieve its mission of making its customers lives better. The Director will engage with policymakers, regulators, elected officials, industry leaders and academics to build relationships and improve the regulatory and public policy environment that enables Manulife to best serve its customers. This role requires strategic thinking, strong written and verbal communications skills, advocacy and negotiation experience, an ability to lead and achieve, tact and curiosity. An ability to build strong, collaborative relationships internally and externally is essential.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assume responsibility for supporting Manulife’s health and health insurance related business’ navigation of the complex political, regulatory, public policy and public opinion environment;

• Support our business ambitions by building relationships with external stakeholders including business associations, health sector stakeholders and government officials.

• Develop and execute strategies focused on government and health sector leadership that reinforce Manulife’s position as a champion for the health of Canadians and an important stakeholder in the health sector.

• Be a key contributor in the company’s risk management framework by bringing perspectives on government and public policy to assist with managing reputational risks.

• Contribute to our business’ strategy and product roadmap development by providing important context regarding the regulatory, policy and political environment.

• Research and prepare reports, briefings submissions and papers on a variety of health-related topics.

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.

What we are looking for

• At least five years of relevant experience working in business or government.

• Demonstrated understanding of the Canadian healthcare system, including governance and delivery, and health sector issues and opportunities.

• Flexibility and adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, with hard deadlines and competing, high-profile priorities.

• Relationship skills for building and maintaining professional interactions with internal clients, senior management, and external parties.

• Knowledge of the financial services, and/or insurance industries, and related public policy, political and media issues is an asset.

• Excellent verbal and written communication, editing skills and the ability to communicate complex issues into plain language.

• Strong team focus. Ability to work closely and cooperatively with teammates. A positive, professional and collaborative personality, with a thirst to learn and a passion for improvement.

• Occasional travel in Canada will be required.

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 recruitment@manulife.com.

The annual base salary for this role is listed below.

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.