AVP Strategy - Intermediary, Product, Institutional

Global Wealth & Asset Management (GWAM) is a key growth segment for Manulife, operating through Retail, Retirement and Institutional channels across North America, Asia and Europe. The business operates externally under the Manulife Investment Management brand and brings together distribution, product and public and private markets capabilities to help individual and institutional clients achieve their financial goals.

Reporting to the Head of GWAM Strategy and Transformation, the AVP, Strategy – Retail Intermediary, Product and Institutional is a strategic partner to the relevant business leadership teams and a senior member of the GWAM Strategy team. The role drives the strategic plans for three executive leaders: to frame growth choices, sharpen portfolio and investment decisions and translate strategic ambition into an executable roadmap.

The AVP will bring an independent, enterprise-wide perspective across North America Intermediary, Global Product and Institutional. Working across Distribution, Product, Investments, Finance and Transformation, the role will build confidence that strategic priorities are focused, appropriately resourced and capable of delivering measurable client, business and financial outcomes. This is an opportunity to shape choices across three interconnected mandates and see those choices through to tangible impact, while leading and developing strategy professionals.

Responsibilities

Frame the most consequential strategic choices, bringing evidence-based recommendations on growth opportunities, competitive positioning, portfolio priorities and investment trade-offs to drive executive decisions.
Lead the development and ongoing refinement of an integrated strategy that creates value to our target client segments and intermediary needs.
Translate strategy into a sequenced roadmap with clear business outcomes, accountable owners, milestones and measures of success; test delivery capacity, resource requirements and execution readiness with business, regional and functional leaders.
Provide strategic leadership on product and capability portfolio choices, including where to invest, build, partner, reposition, rationalize or exit.
Identify opportunities to connect Intermediary / Institutional distribution with the product and investment agenda, including capability commercialization, channel expansion, strategic partnerships and shared enablement.
Analyze industry dynamics, investor, advisor and institutional client needs, consultant and platform trends, competitor actions, product vehicles, pricing developments and emerging business models to identify opportunities, risks and implications for strategic choices.
Partner with Transformation and business leaders to align the book of work with strategic priorities and recommend sequencing or reprioritization when capital, capacity or dependencies require trade-offs.
Build execution confidence across business and functional teams by surfacing dependencies, resolving cross-functional barriers and escalating decisions when delivery, strategic alignment or expected outcomes are at risk.
Lead prioritization and governance of strategic initiative pipelines, evaluating strategic fit, commercial potential, economics, resource requirements, dependencies and execution readiness.
Work with Finance and business leaders to assess performance against strategic and financial outcomes, challenge underlying assumptions and recommend corrective action or strategic pivots when progress or expected benefits fall short.
Maintain a practical view of strategic priorities, milestones, risks, dependencies and results, making trade-offs explicit and identifying where clearer accountability or a change in direction is required.
Lead strategy discussions, decision sessions, leadership off-sites and annual planning processes across North America Intermediary, Global Product and Institutional.
Lead executive-ready strategic narratives for senior management, the Manulife Executive Leadership Team and the Board of Directors, clearly articulating choices, trade-offs, progress and execution risks.
Partner with business leaders and Communications to build understanding of strategic priorities, reinforce accountability and communicate progress against intended outcomes.
Lead and develop strategy professionals, setting a high bar for analytical rigour, commercial judgment, collaboration and executive influence.

Key Attributes and Behaviours

Minimum of 12 years of relevant, progressively senior experience in Strategy, Transformation, Corporate Development or Consulting, with strong wealth and asset management experience and a record of influencing senior business decisions and translating strategy into measurable results.
Broad knowledge of intermediary and institutional distribution, investment products, product economics and public and private markets capabilities.
Ability to connect client, market, distribution, product, investment, financial and operational insights and translate them into clear strategic choices and practical recommendations.
Ability to operate independently in ambiguity, identify the questions that matter and mobilize expertise across organizational boundaries.
Sound judgment under pressure, with the ability to address difficult issues, resolve competing priorities and escalate with clear options and recommendations.
Executive presence and credibility to serve as a trusted partner to senior leaders, constructively challenge established thinking and build alignment without relying on formal authority.
Strong execution judgment, including the ability to assess roadmap feasibility, delivery capacity, dependencies and business readiness while maintaining focus on outcomes rather than activity.
Ability to form and defend an independent, evidence-based point of view on consequential business questions, while adapting recommendations as facts change.
Understanding of the business, financial and people impacts of change, with the ability to help leaders navigate trade-offs, strengthen readiness and sustain commitment to delivery.
Results-oriented leadership, with the discipline to prioritize across initiatives, make trade-offs explicit, drive accountability and develop practical solutions where blueprints do not exist.
Outstanding communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to articulate complex business problems and recommendations in clear, simple and impactful language.
Proven ability to lead and develop teams directly and mobilize senior cross-functional partners through influence across businesses and functions.

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-Hybrid 
If you are applying to this role in Massachusetts, please note the salary range is $156,700- $290,900 USD. Additionally, employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

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

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 .

Referenced Salary Location
Toronto, Ontario
Working Arrangement

Hybrid
Salary range is expected to be between
$129,800.00 CAD - $241,200.00 CAD
Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. 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. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact for the salary range for your location.

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 for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

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