The Manager, Strategic Projects & Initiatives is responsible for owning and delivering high‑priority, cross‑functional initiatives that advance Sales Enablement strategy and improve sales effectiveness across Retail Distribution.

This role serves as a Projects & Initiatives Leader — translating strategic priorities into structured programs, driving disciplined delivery, and ensuring initiatives produce measurable business outcomes. The role provides direct people leadership and acts as a center of expertise for strategic execution & project delivery within the Sales Enablement organization.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy Execution & Program Ownership

• Lead complex, cross‑functional sales enablement initiatives from business case through execution and optimization
• Translate strategic priorities into clear plans, milestones, success measures, and governance as well as formulate initiatives back into how they support our overall strategy.
• Own sequencing, dependency management, and risk mitigation for assigned initiatives
• The role is complex, requiring the ability to think broadly on a strategic basis, dialogue with subject matter experts across and outside the organization but also focus on critical details, provide analysis and reasoning, and crisply communicate issues and solutions in a focused manner.
• Recommends prioritization, sequencing, and resourcing required to Head of Strategic Sales Enablement leader when applicable.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Serve as the business execution lead within Sales, collaborating with Marketing, Product, AI & Analytics, Training, New Business & Operations.
• Facilitate working groups where needed to, resolve trade‑offs, and build alignment across teams
• Ensure sales realities and timelines are embedded into initiatives

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Directly manage a small team (1 direct report initially, expanding to 3)
• Set priorities, coach performance, and build execution discipline and strategic capability
• Establish repeatable frameworks and best practices for initiative delivery

Performance Management & Reporting

• Track initiative outcomes, adoption, and performance metrics
• Provide executive‑ready updates, insights, and recommendations
• Drive post‑implementation evaluation and continuous improvement

Required Experience & Capabilities

• 5+ years experience in strategy, sales enablement, transformation, or program leadership
• Demonstrated success leading multi‑stakeholder initiatives with measurable outcomes, and a sharp attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of sales operations and distribution models
• Proven ability to influence and lead through complexity
• Ability to build relationships and support a culture of autonomy and trust with a people first mindset.

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 https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html .

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 hr@manulife.com .

Referenced Salary Location

Waterloo, Ontario

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary range is expected to be between

$93,390.00 CAD - $143,390.00 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 hr@manulife.com 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 hr@manulife.com 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 personal information collection statement .