Lead – AI Strategic Initiatives in Toronto

We’re looking for a high-performing, strategic thinker and hands-on operator to join our Canada Operations team. This role serves as the central orchestrator for complex, cross-functional programs, ensuring successful execution from ideation through implementation and benefits realization. The successful candidate will drive project governance, planning, stakeholder alignment and change adoption across multiple concurrent initiatives. Working closely with senior leaders, the Project Manager will ensure initiatives are delivered on time, within scope, within budget and aligned to strategic business objectives. This role requires a strong blend of execution excellence, strategic thinking, executive communications and change leadership to successfully navigate large-scale organisational and digital transformation efforts.

Position Responsibilities

• Transformation Delivery & Execution: Lead end-to-end delivery of strategic transformation initiatives, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, budget, and quality expectations. Develop and manage integrated project plans, milestones, dependencies, and resource requirements, while driving accountability across all workstreams. Coordinate cross-functional teams, vendors and stakeholders to resolve issues, remove obstacles and achieve targeted business outcomes.
• Governance, Planning & Reporting: Establish and maintain project governance, ensuring effective oversight of scope, schedule, budget, risks, issues and key decisions. Provide clear, accurate and timely reporting on project health, progress, dependencies and performance metrics. Partner with initiative owners to monitor benefit delivery, track progress against expected outcomes, and proactively address any realization gaps. Prepare executive presentations, steering committee materials and leadership updates that translate complex information into actionable insights.
• Stakeholder, Risk & Financial Management: Build strong relationships with business and technology stakeholders to drive alignment, facilitate decision-making and manage competing priorities. Proactively identify, assess and manage project risks, issues and cross-functional dependencies, escalating concerns with recommended actions when required. Manage project budgets, forecasts and financial performance, ensuring strong fiscal discipline and effective benefits realization.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in project or program management leading large-scale business transformation initiatives.
• Proven experience delivering complex cross-functional programmes within insurance, financial services or other highly regulated industries.
• Demonstrated success managing project scope, schedule, budget resources risks & stakeholder communications.
• Strong governance and reporting experience, including preparation of executive updates, steering committee materials and financial decision papers.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent initiatives with significant organisational impact.
• Leadership experience.

When you join our team, we’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want. We’ll recognise 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.

Benefits

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.