As aDigital Portfolio &OperationsLead, you willdrivetheend-to-endAnnual Planningprocess(i.e.,Book of Work & SFP)and associated reporting to leadership, define how we manage our Digital Experience portfolio, and act as the key link between the digital experience team and our technology partners.Thisrolewill also be responsible fortracking,in collaboration with our finance partner andWAM Marketingstrategy leads,the overall Global Digital Experience (GDE) teamfinancials, including BAUworkforce and program budget as well asproject-basedresources.The role demands disciplined execution, strong financial accountability, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
Position Responsibilities:
Digital Experience Portfolio Management
Planning & Prioritization
Coordinate the intake ofcross-functionalDigital Experience initiatives,driving stakeholder engagement andguidingbusiness case best practices to ensure submissions are accurate, fulsome, and strategically grounded.
Help shapethe scope ofBU-specific Digital Experience submissionsand feed it into BU-specific prioritization processes.
Validate and align Shared Digital Experience submissions with keystakeholders,andfacilitateprioritization.
Funding & Approval
Delivery Monitoring & Reporting
Review monthly health and status reports for all portfolio initiatives, trackingspendagainst plan and understanding the drivers behind variances.
Identify and surface areas requiring leadership decisions, escalations, or strategic trade-offs—bringing options rather than just problems.
Serve as the enterprise-wide connector for Digital Experience, ensuring consistency, transparency, and alignment on strategy execution across all stakeholder groups.
Proactively identify, mitigate, and escalate systemic risks, issues, and dependencies.
Champion change management by partnering with key stakeholders to ensure proactive engagement and effective support.
Ensureadherence to enterprise reporting standards andsystems,andensuretotal traceability and audit readiness for all program data.Integrate the Manulife Outcome Delivery Framework (ODF) and Delegation of Authority (DOA) requirements and thresholds into program ways of working.
GDE Team Financials
Lead financial operations and portfolio governanceacross the GDE organization, overseeing budget planning and tracking forBusiness-as-Usualworkforce and programexpenses,as well as Project initiatives under the corporate funding models(i.e.,SFPand Book of Work)while supporting annual planning cycles (current yearexecutionandnext yearforecasting).
Drive rigorous financial tracking and reconciliation processes, facilitating bi-weekly reviewswith our finance partnerand cross-functional alignmentwith our GDE LTto ensure accuracy, transparency, and effective resource allocation and transitions.
Enhance financial visibility and decision-makingby developing and maintaining centralized reporting (e.g., workforce, open roles, program budgets), enabling leadership with timely, actionable insights.
Provide strategic financial analysis and operational support, including cost centre assessments, executive reporting, and expense validation, ensuring alignment, issue resolution, and forward-looking workforce planning.
Strategic Partnership with Technology and Digital Experienceacross Segments
Build and sustain the bridges between DigitalExperienceand Technologywithin GWAM, across Segments (e.g.GWAM and Canada Segmenton Unified Programme), and Global teams
Collaborate closely with Product Owners and Technology partners to ensure portfolio performance is clearly understood and that initiatives are meeting delivery outcomes, KPIs, and financial targets.
Proactively identify gaps in the handoff between DigitalExperienceand Technology, and actively work to close them—enabling smoother, faster delivery.
Flag issues requiring executive decision-making with clarity, context, and recommended paths forward.
Bring a connector’s mindset to every interaction: your role is not only to manage programs but to build the relationships and shared understanding that make ambitious digital transformation possible.
Required Qualifications:
Experience:6-10+ years of experience inportfolio management, strategic planning,business operations, digital transformations, finance or PMO leadership roles, with direct accountability for portfolio governance, funding approvals, prioritization and financial oversight.
Portfolio & Governance Expertise:Proven experience managing complex portfolios of initiatives, including business case development, investment prioritization, funding governance, executive approvals, and portfolio health reporting.
Financial Acumen:Demonstrated experience managing budgets, forecasts, workforce planning, and financial tracking within large organizations. Ability to translate financial data into actionable insights, identify risks, and provide recommendations that support investment and resource allocation decisions.
Executive Communication & Reporting:Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with experience developing executive-level presentations, portfolio reporting,and governance materials for senior leaders.
Stakeholder Management & Influence:Proven ability to build trusted relationships and influence stakeholders across business, technology, finance, product, and leadership teams. Skilled at driving alignment, facilitating prioritization discussions, and navigating complex organizational environments.
Execution & Continuous Improvement:Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to establish and improve operational processes, governance practices, reporting frameworks, and controls while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Education:Bachelor’s degree required.
Additional skills:Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities; able to simplify complexity into clear, actionable recommendations.Advanced Excel andPowerPoint skills are essential.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience supporting digital strategy and/or digital transformation in a product-led organization.
Familiarity with agile ways of working and tools (e.g., Jira, Rally, Confluence).
Comfort contributing to digital product work across discovery-to-delivery (roadmaps, backlogs, journeys, adoption metrics).
Experience in financial services.
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.
#LI-Hybrid
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
$125,100.00 CAD - $175,100.00 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.
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