Lead Cybersecurity Architect

At Manulife, we are changing the way we unlock value and secure the enterprise through technology and we want you to be part of it! We are growing our cybersecurity program with the vision to deliver quality applications using AI that add value to our customers, faster and securely, at scale. The customer is at the focus of everything we do, and millions of end users rely on our products daily. We are building a state‑of‑the‑art cybersecurity program to better protect the firm’s critical assets.

Lead Security Architect

Responsible for designing, developing, and implementing robust security strategies and solutions to protect Manulife’s digital assets from advanced cyber threats. In a hub‑and‑spoke model, reports to the Chief Security Architect and serves as the dedicated security architecture lead for a specific business unit, ensuring alignment with the global security framework while addressing the unique needs of the segment. Plays a crucial role in shaping our global security posture and ensuring security is a foundational element of our technology and business initiatives.

Office location: Toronto – Canada (ideal) or Waterloo – Canada.

Work arrangement: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days from home); remote working option is not available.

Travel Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel within Canada and USA to support business operations and stakeholder engagement.

Position Responsibilities

• Architectural Design: Lead the design and development of robust security frameworks, standards, and best practices for global systems, data, and networks. Includes creating reference architectures and implementation patterns for security solutions.
• Strategic Planning: Translate business, technology, and threat drivers into practical security roadmaps, ensuring the strategy aligns with broader organizational goals.
• Financial Analysis: Conduct financial evaluations of security technologies, including purchasing and licensing options, estimating labor costs, and calculating total cost of ownership (TCO), return on investment (ROI), or payback period.
• Project Management: Draft project plans for security service and technology deployments and coordinate with stakeholders across the organization to ensure successful implementation.
• Collaboration & Integration: Work closely with various teams—enterprise architecture, development, risk management—to seamlessly integrate security throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Risk Management: Conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and define necessary controls. Partner with global information risk management teams to prioritize and mitigate risks effectively.
• Security Evaluation: Continuously evaluate the security of new and emerging technologies and potential solutions, staying ahead of cybersecurity trends to recommend and implement innovative solutions.
• Mentorship & Communication: Act as a security subject matter expert, coaching and mentoring development teams. Communicate complex security standards and strategies to both technical staff and senior management with clarity and influence.
• AI Security: Design and implement security frameworks for Machine Learning (ML), Generative AI (GenAI), and Agentic AI systems. Evaluate AI‑powered security tools and integrate AI capabilities into security operations and threat detection.
• Domain‑Specific Accountabilities:
• Application Security: Assess solution architectures for compliance with security standards, define secure service interfaces, and guide application security engineers on threat modelling and secure software development methodologies.
• Cloud Security: Provide deep expertise in securing multi‑cloud computing environments (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS), with a strong focus on platforms such as Microsoft Azure and AWS.

Required Qualifications

• Strong blend of technical expertise, professional experience, and interpersonal skills.
• Education & Certifications:
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, information systems, cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Relevant industry certifications such as CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) or CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) are required.
• Experience:
• At least 10 years of senior information security architecture experience, with demonstrated progression in responsibility and complexity.
• Proven experience in the financial services industry, understanding of regulatory requirements, compliance frameworks, and industry‑specific security challenges.
• Experience using architecture methodologies such as SABSA, Zachman, and/or TOGAF.
• Direct, hands‑on experience or strong working knowledge of managing security infrastructure—firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, web application firewalls, endpoint protection, SIEM, and log management technology.
• Verifiable experience reviewing application code for security vulnerabilities.
• Experience securing CI/CD pipelines.
• Direct, hands‑on experience or strong working knowledge of vulnerability management tools.
• Documented experience and strong working knowledge of threat‑modelling methodologies for new applications and services.
• Experience designing deployment of applications and infrastructure into public cloud services.
• Direct experience designing IAM technologies and services, including Active Directory, LDAP, and AWS IAM.
• Extensive knowledge of full‑stack IT infrastructure: applications, databases, operating systems (Windows, Unix, Linux), hypervisors, IP networks (WAN and LAN), storage networks (Fibre Channel, iSCSI, NAS), backup networks, media, containers/Kubernetes.
• Soft Skills:
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to translate complex security matters into business terms for all stakeholders.
• Problem‑Solving: Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making abilities.
• Collaboration: Ability to balance competing priorities and maintain a collaborative, positive attitude.
• Travel Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel within Canada and USA to support business operations and stakeholder engagement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience from a large complex environment is highly preferred but not required.
• Experience from a large financial organization is a definite plus but not required.

Benefits and Salary

Referenced Salary Location: Toronto, Ontario.

Working Arrangement: Hybrid.

Salary range is expected to be between $113,260.00 CAD – $210,340.00 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.

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation. All practices and programs are administered without discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics. 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.