Lead Technical Product Owner

The Opportunity

At Manulife, we are dedicated to using data to facilitate insightful decision-making and innovation! We are seeking a passionate Lead Technical Product Owner to manage and develop comprehensive data management strategies that align with our organizational goals. This is a pivotal role that combines strategic vision, technical expertise, and leadership to enhance data governance across the enterprise.

You will oversee the development and implementation of data governance strategies, oversee solution engineering for governance projects, and enhance data management and quality. You will manage a diverse team of data professionals, including data engineers, analysts, governance experts, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. Key skills needed: technology, cloud infrastructure, information management, governance frameworks, collaborator relationships, and the ability to work effectively across all organizational levels and globally!

Responsibilities

• Data Governance Strategy: Develop and articulate a clear vision and strategy for data governance that aligns with business objectives. Lead communication of data management strategies to partners and across global segments.
• Collaboration and Quality Assurance: Work with data owners and stewards to enable data quality controls, resolve quality issues, and mitigate risks. Optimize metadata collection, access control management, and data lineage.
• Operational Model and Standards: Establish a robust operating model across business domains. Develop and implement data quality standards and governance structures, ensuring alignment with Global Data Governance strategies.
• Technology and Process Enhancement: Lead the optimization of technology solutions for data sharing, access, quality, lineage, classification, and metadata management. Oversee the process flow of data interfaces and transformations, ensuring clarity, consistency, and seamless integration across systems.
• Project Leadership and Results: Lead strategic projects and initiatives, demonstrating measurable progress through effective management of POCs and programs. Achieve successful project delivery by implementing standard methodologies and collaborating across different segments. Participate in data technology steering committees to align initiatives with organizational goals.
• Team Leadership and Mentorship: Lead and mentor a high-performing team of data engineers and data analysts, ensuring alignment with product goals and strategies. Provide mentorship on technical governance, control requirements, and standard methodologies to improve product excellence.
• Program Support and Adoption: Design and implement strategies for enterprise-wide adoption of data governance frameworks, focusing on enablement and continuous improvement. Collaborate with segment data offices to establish successful frameworks for data quality, security, lineage, access control, and data products. Ensure alignment with governance domains to support organizational objectives and drive data-driven decision-making.

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

• Experience and Expertise:
  • Over 6 years of experience in data management, governance, analytics, or related IT fields, with a focus on leading technical product initiatives.
  • Demonstrated success in developing and implementing data strategies, roadmaps, and governance frameworks that align with business objectives.
  • Solid experience with Agile methodologies, Data Lakes, databases, cloud technologies, and BI/Reporting systems to drive data-driven solutions.

• Technical Proficiency:
  • Demonstrable experience in developing data governance frameworks, with a focus on data quality, lineage, and metadata management. Familiar with tools like Informatica or Collibra and knowledgeable about data privacy and compliance standards. Proficient in facilitating multi-functional collaboration to align governance practices with business goals.
  • Skilled in SQL and Python, with Informatica ETL experience. Proficient in Azure tool stacks like Data Factory and Synapse, and Databricks for analytics. Capable in data modeling and Power BI visualizations, ensuring security and compliance.
  • Strong knowledge and experience with Agile and DevOps for efficient governance delivery.

• Leadership and Project Management Skills:
  • Strong programmatic leadership to guide and mentor a high performing team.
  • Excellent Agile project management and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple projects effectively.
  • Understanding of data regulations, privacy, and ethical data use.
  • Excellent partner management, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills.

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 partners and has a positive social and environmental impact.

#LI-Hybrid

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.

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.