Assistant Vice President, Operational Learning & Performance

Job Description

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Work Model: Hybrid
Reports to: Vice President, Shared Services / Canadian Operations

Sun Life Canada is on an exciting journey of innovation and transformation to deepen our commitment to our purpose – “To help (12M+) Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives”.

Sun Life Canada Operations includes a team of over 5,000 dedicated team members across Canada and SL Global Solutions in Asia. We support client onboarding, processing and service delivery across Sun Life’s Canadian business units – Health, Group Retirement Services, Retail Advice & Solutions and Sun Life Global Investments. The team handles over 160 million interactions with Clients, plan sponsors and advisors annually.

Role Purpose

The Assistant Vice President, Operational Learning & Performance (OLP) leads a team of ~80 employees across Canada and Asia. They are accountable for enabling Canadian Operations teams to consistently deliver Sun Life’s customer experience, business, and productivity outcomes by building and operating an AI‑enabled, insight‑driven learning, quality, and knowledge management operating model.

OLP embeds learning, knowledge and readiness to prepare for operational change and reinforces performance in‑production, accelerating time‑to‑performance, reducing early‑tenure attrition, preventing quality defects, and protecting productivity as Operations scale and adopt AI‑enabled capabilities

What will you do?

Vision & Leadership

• Define and execute the vision, roadmap, and operating model for Operational Learning, Quality, and Knowledge Management aligned to Operations priorities
• Lead a large, geographically distributed, multi‑disciplinary organization supporting Canada‑based and global delivery Operations
• Build a consultative, pragmatic, outcome‑focused culture grounded in data, insight, and operational execution

Business Partnership & Performance Enablement

• Act as a strategic business partner and trusted advisor to Operations leaders, diagnosing performance gaps, co-creating solutions and enabling timely, practical interventions
• Establish shared accountability with Operations leaders for capability building, sustained performance improvement, and customer outcomes
• Provide rapid insight and guidance regarding onboarding, process changes, and academy rollouts to enable fast corrective action

Learning, Capability & Performance Enablement

• Design and evolve an end‑to‑end Operations learning ecosystem spanning onboarding, role readiness, continuous upskilling, and performance reinforcement
• Co‑own time‑to‑proficiency and role readiness outcomes, ensuring associates reach productivity, quality, and Client Experience expectations quickly and sustainably
• Monitor early‑tenure attrition, productivity, and quality trends, using integrated learning, QA, and performance insights to identify root causes and adjust enablement strategies
• Support Operations to embed learning, knowledge and readiness to prepare for of operational change, ensuring new products, processes, tools, and policies are fully supported
• Ensure readiness of operational and technology change

Quality, Insight & Analytics

• Operate and evolve a modern, risk‑based quality and performance insight model supported by AI‑enabled tools (e.g., Amazon Connect / Contact Lens)
• Ensure quality and AI signals are trusted, calibrated, and value‑adding
• Translate insights into clear, actionable priorities for learning, coaching, and operational intervention
• Enable Operations leaders and Team Leaders to focus coaching where it matters most through role‑, team‑, and individual‑level insight

Knowledge Management & Digital Enablement

• Own enterprise knowledge management strategy, standards, and operational integration
• Drive adoption of consistent digital and AI‑enabled knowledge solutions that support frontline execution and decision‑making

Innovation & Operating Model Evolution

• Build modern OLP roles and operating models fit for an AI‑enabled future
• Partner closely with Technology, Client Experience Office (CXO), Workforce Management, Data & Analytics, and Transformation teams to enable end‑to‑end outcomes

What You Bring

Experience

• 10+ years of senior leadership experience in large, complex Operations, call centers, BPO, and/or shared services
• Proven success transforming learning, quality, or performance functions at scale
• Experience leading large, distributed, global teams
• Strong partnership and collaboration experience with senior Operations, CX, and Technology leaders
• Experience in regulated environments (financial services an asset)
• Bilingualism is an asset

Capabilities & Leadership

• Deep expertise in modern learning systems, quality models, analytics, and AI‑enabled performance insights (Amazon Connect / Contact Lens experience an asset)
• Strong ability to translate data into operational decisions and frontline‑ready actions
• Executive presence with the ability to influence without authority in matrixed environments
• Pragmatic, outcome‑focused change leader and clear, structured communicator

As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada or worldwide.

Why This Role

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape how Operations perform, scale, and change—bringing learning, quality, knowledge, and insight together as a single operating system that enables strong customer outcomes without compromising productivity or engagement.

What's in it for you?

• Being a member of the Sun Life family, a group of people united by our Purpose: to help Clients and Employees achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives.
• Working together, sharing common values, and encouraging growth & achievement
• Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family.
• In 2025, Sun Life ranked among the top 100 most sustainable global corporations by Corporate Knights for the 16th consecutive year, leading Canadian insurers.
• We’re also listed as one of the Best Workplaces for Women and Best Workplaces with Most Trusted Executive Teams.