Director, Product (In-Office)

At GMS, we've been helping Canadians for more than 75 years to get the health and travel insurance they want and need. The same pioneering spirit that started our story is what drives us to do things differently today. Insurance, honestly, is our promise, and it's what we do at GMS. We care about our customers, our community and each other. As a non-profit organization, we're proud to reinvest our profits into the health of the communities we serve and that have supported us since 1949.

We want our employees to feel good about coming to work and being in a workplace that promotes flexibility, growth and a healthy work-life balance. If you'd like to be part of a team that truly takes care of our customers, our communities, and each other, this could be your chance.

Here's the role

The Director, Product is responsible for the profitability, growth, and overall performance of the product portfolio. This role provides strategic leadership for product design, development, and lifecycle management, ensuring products align with organizational objectives and the evolving needs of target customer segments. The Director leads the product team and collaborates cross functionally to drive innovation, optimize portfolio performance, and deliver product solutions that create customer and business value.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the product strategy and roadmap, translating organizational objectives, market opportunities, and customer needs into prioritized product investments and initiatives across the portfolio.
• Own the lifecycle management of all products, from ideation and business case development through launch, enhancement, and retirement, ensuring effective governance, decision-making, and oversight.
• Lead product innovation and design, leveraging customer insights, broker feedback, claims experience, and market intelligence to develop new products and enhance existing offerings.
• Define product features, coverage structures, and value propositions that differentiate offerings, strengthen market position, and meet target market needs.
• Lead cross‑functional product delivery, partnering with key stakeholders to translate business requirements into product solutions and oversee implementation, testing, and launch activities.
• Oversee product portfolio performance, monitoring profitability, growth, utilization, claims trends, customer experience, and competitive positioning to inform strategic decisions.
• Optimize portfolio results through pricing, benefit, and product strategies, balancing customer value, market competitiveness, and profitability objectives.
• Provide leadership, direction, and support to a team that sustains strong trusting relationships with key decision makers internally and with key partners.
• Participate in and provide a leadership resource for projects.
• Work with a variety of stakeholders to review, improve and enhance automation within the function including straight through processing capabilities.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Contribute to the organization's long-term strategy and translate it into actionable team plans with clear KPIs and measurable outcomes.
• Contribute to strategic planning and translate strategy into focused operational initiatives that drive measurable results.
• Translate strategies into focused operational initiatives that contribute to sustainable growth and deliver strong financial results.
• Drive the growth and development of teams, while advancing leadership capabilities and preparing emerging leaders for expanded roles.
• Lead organizational change efforts and ensure department readiness.
• Drive and influence organizational values across teams, fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, and ethical behavior.
• Lead teams through uncertainty by applying sound judgment in ambiguous and evolving situations, enabling teams to navigate complexity and deliver results.

Competencies

• Critical Thinking & Judgement: Applies sound judgment in complex or uncertain situations. Builds context and weighs risks, benefits, past experience and diverse perspectives to guide decisions. Identifies connections between actions and consequences to help inform choices and drive meaningful results. Provides thoughtful, strategic recommendations that balance competing priorities and advance organizational goals.
• Creative Thinking & Ideation: Challenges current thinking and brings together different ideas to come up with creative Keeps up with trends and looks for fresh approaches to stay relevant and connect with audiences.
• Business Acumen: Connects department goals to broader organizational and financial priorities; considers customer and market impacts in decision-making.
• Strategic Thinking & Vision: Translates vision into clear, actionable plans that drive strategic objectives and inspire forward momentum. Looks forward to anticipate future impacts and risks to shape strategy and guide decisions, ensuring alignment with the organization's vision and long‑term goals.
• Impact & Influence: Drives commitment and inspires a shared purpose in alignment to the organization's mission and strategic goals. Influences key stakeholders and shapes culture, direction, and decisions around a clear, shared vision. Integrates insights from internal and external sources to guide strategy and influence organizational direction. Challenges conventional thinking with credibility and purpose, embracing bold, innovative approaches to complex challenges. Inspires and energizes others to think differently and turns bold ideas into action.
• People Leadership & Talent Development: Leads with vision, sets people strategy and develops talent to drive performance and results. Aligns team direction with organizational strategy, cultivates high performance, and builds future leaders through coaching, feedback, and intentional development. Fosters a purpose‑driven culture of ownership and empowerment, focused on delivering meaningful results.
• Customer Centric: Demonstrates a clear understanding of who our customers are – whether internal or external – and considers the customers perspective in all actions and decisions to create value, strengthen trust, and contribute to a positive customer experience.
• Innovation & Technology: Adapts and implements innovative tools, technology and approaches that enhance outcomes, efficiency, and collaboration within area of responsibility.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or post‑secondary diploma in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10 years' experience of product management including a minimum of 5+ years' experience managing a team.
• Prior experience in Individual Health or Group Insurance is considered a strong asset.
• Strong understanding of business strategy and intelligence, customer research and product development.
• Breadth of working knowledge and experience in forecasting and strategic planning.
• Strong knowledge, usage, and application of competitive analysis methods.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products.

When you become a GMSer, you can expect:

• Competitive salary and bonus opportunities.
• Personal and professional development initiatives.
• Social events, volunteer opportunities, and a whole lot of fun.
• Free coffee - yes, really! And if tea is more of your vibe, we've got that covered too!

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