Associate project manager Jobs in Kitchener, ON

We’re looking for a strategic, collaborative, and highly organized Project Manager to join our PeopleComms Technology Project Management Office. This role leads complex, global HR technology and transformation initiatives from definition through adoption and value realization. You’ll coordinate cross-functional teams, manage delivery across predictive, Agile, and hybrid approaches, and balance business outcomes, colleague experience, risk, privacy, security, compliance, cost, and sustainable support.

This high-visibility role helps shape the future of work by delivering integrated platforms, automation, data, and responsible AI capabilities that improve how HR services are experienced and operated globally.

What You Can Expect

• Boundless opportunities: Build future-ready skills through complex global assignments, continuous learning, coaching, and exposure to leading HR platforms, automation, data, and responsible AI.
• A global impact: Think big, challenge the status quo, and deliver changes that improve how colleagues experience HR services across markets.
• A supportive environment: Bring your perspective, be yourself, and work with an inclusive global team that values flexibility, well-being, recognition, open collaboration, and shared success.

Position Responsibilities:

• Lead complex, HR business and technology initiatives from discovery and planning through implementation, transition to operations, adoption, and value realization.
• Partner with business and product leaders to translate approved outcomes into executable delivery plans, governance structures, milestones, and success measures.
• Select and apply predictive, Agile, or hybrid delivery methods based on the work, risk profile, dependencies, and organizational readiness.
• Own integrated plans, budgets, forecasts, resources, vendors, dependencies, risks, issues, assumptions, and benefits, escalating decisions with clear recommendations.
• Build alignment across business owners, product teams, HR, technology, operations, Legal, Privacy, Security, Risk, Compliance, and external partners.
• Embed privacy, security, regulatory, records, accessibility, data, and responsible AI requirements into delivery plans and stage gates.
• Drive change readiness and adoption by planning stakeholder engagement, communications, learning, process changes, operating model impacts, and reinforcement.
• Use delivery data and AI-enabled tools responsibly to improve forecasting, decision-making, risk sensing, reporting, and team productivity while maintaining human accountability.
• Provide concise, decision-oriented reporting on outcomes, milestones, financials, capacity, risks, dependencies, adoption, and benefits.
• Establish a sustainable transition to Day 2 operations, including ownership, support processes, service measures, release planning, documentation, and continuous improvement.
• Coach project teams, strengthen delivery discipline, and foster transparent accountability, inclusive collaboration, and learning.

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of progressive project management experience delivering large-scale, cross-functional Process, technology or transformation initiatives in global, matrixed environments; experience in HR technology or, employee experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience implementing enterprise platforms, preferably Workday Compensation, Learning, Talent, Performance, or Succession, and learning technologies such as Sana Learn.
• PMP is strongly preferred. A recognized Agile or scaled delivery credential, such as PMI-ACP, Certified ScrumMaster, Professional Scrum Master, or SAFe Agilist, is an asset.
• A recognized change management credential, such as Prosci Change Management certification or CCMP, is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver complex initiatives within a broader portfolio environment by balancing competing priorities, resource constraints, cross-program dependencies, and sequencing impacts while ensuring alignment to strategic objectives and overall Book of Work commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to influence outcomes without direct authority, driving alignment, decisions, and accountability across business and technology stakeholders while navigating complexity, ambiguity, and competing priorities.
• Training or certification in responsible AI, AI project management, data governance, privacy, cybersecurity, or risk management is an asset; practical experience deliver`ing AI-enabled or data-intensive initiatives is preferred.
• Strong command of predictive, Agile, and hybrid delivery, including business cases, integrated planning, financial management, vendor delivery, dependency management, governance, benefits realization, and transition to operations.
• Working knowledge of enterprise architecture, integrations, APIs, data flows, testing, release management, controls, and service management; technical depth is not required, but the ability to challenge assumptions and connect decisions across these areas is essential.
• Experience with project, product, and collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, Microsoft 365, or equivalent platforms, including responsible use of AI-enabled productivity tools.
• Executive-level communication, facilitation, influence, and decision support skills, with the ability to make complex technical, regulatory, and delivery issues clear to diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical judgement, curiosity, adaptability, and comfort leading through ambiguity, organizational change, and distributed time zones.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in business, technology, human resources, engineering, or a related field.

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.

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

$92,900.00 CAD - $142,900.00 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.

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 .