Head of Business Transformation, US Retirement

The Vice President, Business Transformation is a senior leadership role accountable for shaping and delivering large‑scale transformation initiatives across the Retirement business. This role serves as a strategic representative of the business, ensuring customer and commercial needs are embedded into transformation programs from vision through execution. As a key member of the US Retirement leadership team, the VP will partner closely with executive sponsors, segment leaders, the Transformation Office, and functional leaders to drive outcomes that modernize capabilities, improve efficiency, and advance long‑term growth objectives. This role operates as an extension of senior leadership and acts as a proxy for business segment executives on key decisions, priorities, and trade‑offs.

Position Responsibilities:

Enterprise Transformation Leadership

• Serve as the senior business representative and owner for transformation initiatives impacting GWAM US Retirement business.
• Shape and articulate a compelling future state vision that delivers modern, efficient, and straight through business processes.
• Ensure transformation programs align with strategic objectives, customer outcomes, regulatory requirements, and long-term financial plans.
• Act as an executive thought partner to segment leaders, providing decisive input on strategy, priorities, and execution risks.

Program Execution & Governance.

• Oversee execution across multiple transformation workstreams, including technology, product, investment products, operations, sales and service, go to market, transitions, and third-party partnerships.
• Provide executive level oversight of scope, timelines, financials, dependencies, and risks; identify issues early and drive resolution.
• Lead deep dive assessments of complex problem areas and present clear, data driven recommendations for executive decision making.
• Represent and lead program governance through Steering Committees, Operating Committees, and enterprise governance forums, ensuring alignment and accountability.

Stakeholder Influence & Collaboration

• Influence and motivate senior leaders and cross functional partners without direct authority to achieve shared outcomes.
• Partner closely with Finance, Strategy, Technology, Operations, Human Resources, Compliance, and Legal to enable integrated delivery.
• Drive accurate prioritization, issue escalation, and trade off decisions across competing initiatives.
• Build and sustain strong, trusted relationships across leadership teams, clients, and external partners.

Business Impact & Results

• Drive measurable improvements in business outcomes, including sales, retention, revenue growth, operational efficiency, plan growth, and participant experience.
• Ensure transparent, executive ready communication of progress, risks, outcomes, and financial impacts.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation, and customer centricity across transformation efforts.

Required Qualifications:

• 15 years+ experience in retirement industry with driving outcomes.
• 10 years+ experience in people leadership with demonstrated ability to attract, develop, promote and retain top, diverse talent.
• Deep expertise in the U.S. Retirement industry, including recordkeeping platforms, ecosystems, regulatory requirements, and emerging trends.
• Proven experience leading large, complex transformation programs with strong governance, financial discipline, and execution rigor.
• Exceptional executive communication, negotiation, and influencing skills; ability to create alignment and “win‑win” outcomes.
• Comfort operating in high‑ambiguity environments and shifting seamlessly between strategic and tactical execution.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a complex portfolio of initiatives while building strong leadership and partner relationships.
• Strong analytical, financial, and balanced decision‑making capabilities.

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.

If you are applying to this role in Massachusetts, please note the salary range is $217,900 - $405,300 USD. Additionally, employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

This posting supports an ongoing hiring initiative for existing and/or future vacancies.

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 [email protected].

Salary & Benefits

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.