Program Management & Operations Lead

Manulife is on a journey to become a customer-obsessed digital leader. As we modernize our marketing technology (MarTech) stack and scale personalization, we are seeking a dynamic Program Management & Operations to drive execution, efficiency, and impact across key strategic initiatives.

This role is a cornerstone of our transformation efforts, supporting high-visibility programs in partnership with marketing, technology, and business stakeholders across multiple lines of business and global geographies. It’s ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, matrixed environment, brings strong program and operations rigor, and is energized by working at the intersection of strategy and execution.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership

• Lead the delivery of complex, cross-functional programs, including MarTech modernization and personalization initiatives.
• Partner with segment marketing teams (Retirement, Retail, Wealth, Institutional) to understand priorities and translate them into actionable plans.
• Align programs with broader organizational goals, ensuring consistent delivery of value and business outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with global shared services and data & technology teams to support activation, automation, and measurement.

Planning & Execution

• Develop and maintain initiative roadmaps, timelines, and resource plans.
• Monitor and report on sprint progress, risks, milestones, and deliverables using agile methods.
• Own detailed initiative documentation to support transparency, governance, and knowledge-sharing.
• Ensure OKRs are defined, tracked, and aligned with performance objectives.

Operational Excellence

• Lead initiative planning and prioritization, balancing strategic goals with executional feasibility.
• Track and manage program and operations budgets, providing insights and reports to guide decisions.
• Build strong partnerships with Marketing Operations, IT, Finance, Procurement, and vendors to ensure efficient delivery and governance.
• Support contract negotiations and vendor engagement in collaboration with internal teams, ensuring alignment with procurement best practices.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a communication bridge across functions, delivering clear, timely updates through email, meetings, and presentations.
• Provide leadership with visibility into program status, issues, and opportunities to drive informed decisions.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and accountability across teams.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in program management or operations, ideally within MarTech, digital transformation, or marketing environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a knack for simplifying complexity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; confident in executive-facing reporting and presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally in a large, matrixed organization.
• Experience with agile/scrum methodologies and sprint/project tracking tools.
• Budget management and financial acumen.

Preferred Certifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Agile Project Management (ICAgile, PMI-ACP)
• Certified Scrum Master or equivalent

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.

#LI-WAM

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.