Development director Jobs in Waterloo, ON

We are growing and transforming our Insurance Technology organization with a clear mandate: deliver secure, scalable, and intuitive digital experiences for advisors, customers, and employees. Millions of users rely on our platforms every day, and our advisors are at the center of everything we do.

We are seeking a Director of Engineering who is passionate about delivering business value through modern software practices, inclusive leadership, and strong collaboration with technology and business partners. This role is ideal for an engineering leader who thrives in evolving environments, empowers teams, and balances technical excellence with customer outcomes.

Position Responsibilities:

• Lead multiple cross‑functional engineering teams responsible for the design, delivery, and support of advisor‑facing technology, including the Advisor Portal, in support of our Canadian Insurance business.
• Partner closely with product, business, and technology stakeholders to shape and prioritize roadmaps, aligning business outcomes with technical health, security, and reliability.
• Drive the delivery of high‑quality, accessible, and scalable digital products through sound architectural design and engineering best practices.
• Establish and promote reusable frameworks, reference architectures, and patterns that accelerate delivery and enable long‑term sustainability.
• Build, mentor, and retain diverse, high‑performing engineering teams that are engaged, empowered, and outcome‑focused.
• Ensure operational excellence, with accountability for production reliability, monitoring, incident management, and continuous improvement.
• Foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and adaptability, including thoughtful adoption of emerging technologies such as AI.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience (typically 4+ years) leading engineering teams or complex, large‑scale technology initiatives.
• Strong hands‑on foundation in modern software development practices and architectures.
• Proven people leadership skills, including coaching, talent development, and building inclusive, high‑trust teams.
• Experience with program and project delivery, including planning, estimation, and roadmap development.
• Familiarity with Agile and DevOps principles, including CI/CD, test‑driven development, and iterative delivery.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts into clear business outcomes for diverse audiences.
• Strong problem‑solving and organizational skills, with comfort navigating ambiguity and change.

Preferred Qualifications:
Technical Leadership:

• Software engineering practices & approaches
• Agile Methodologies and experience with Delivery processes
• Solution Focused – focused on results and leads team to deliver solutions that deliver business & technology value
• Technology Savvy – highly capable and informed on technology, leveraging innovative ideas to and deliver results with the future in mind

Leadership:

• Change Management
• Solution Focused; capable of delivering results, leading their team to deliver solutions
• Compelling Communication, strong ability to communicate at all levels to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Influence & Persuasion
• Collaboration

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

Waterloo, 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. 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 .