AVP Strategy - Intermediary, Product, Institutional

Manulife•Boston, MA

6d•CA$129,800 - CA$241,200•Hybrid

About The Position

Global Wealth & Asset Management (GWAM) is a key growth segment for Manulife, operating through Retail, Retirement and Institutional channels across North America, Asia and Europe under the Manulife Investment Management brand. The AVP, Strategy – Retail Intermediary, Product and Institutional is a senior member of the GWAM Strategy team and a strategic partner to relevant business leadership teams. Reporting to the Head of GWAM Strategy and Transformation, the role drives strategic plans for three executive leaders, framing growth choices, sharpening portfolio and investment decisions, and translating strategic ambition into an executable roadmap. The AVP brings an independent, enterprise-wide perspective across North America Intermediary, Global Product and Institutional. Working across Distribution, Product, Investments, Finance and Transformation, the role helps ensure priorities are focused, appropriately resourced and positioned to deliver measurable client, business and financial outcomes. The position also leads and develops strategy professionals.

Requirements

At least 12 years of relevant, progressively senior experience in Strategy, Transformation, Corporate Development or Consulting.
Strong wealth and asset management experience, with a record of influencing senior business decisions and translating strategy into measurable results.
Broad knowledge of intermediary and institutional distribution, investment products, product economics, and public and private markets capabilities.
Ability to integrate client, market, distribution, product, investment, financial and operational insights into clear strategic choices and practical recommendations.
Ability to operate independently in ambiguity, identify key questions and mobilize expertise across organizational boundaries.
Sound judgment under pressure, including the ability to address difficult issues, resolve competing priorities and escalate with clear options and recommendations.
Executive presence and credibility to advise senior leaders, constructively challenge established thinking and build alignment without formal authority.
Strong execution judgment, including assessment of roadmap feasibility, delivery capacity, dependencies and business readiness.
Ability to form and defend an independent, evidence-based point of view and adapt recommendations as facts change.
Understanding of the business, financial and people impacts of change and ability to help leaders navigate trade-offs, strengthen readiness and sustain commitment.
Results-oriented leadership, including prioritization, explicit trade-offs, accountability and practical problem-solving.
Outstanding communication skills and ability to articulate complex business problems and recommendations clearly and impactfully.
Proven ability to lead and develop teams directly and mobilize senior cross-functional partners through influence.

Responsibilities

Frame consequential strategic choices and provide evidence-based recommendations on growth opportunities, competitive positioning, portfolio priorities and investment trade-offs.
Lead the development and ongoing refinement of an integrated strategy that creates value for target client segments and intermediary needs.
Translate strategy into a sequenced roadmap with business outcomes, accountable owners, milestones and success measures; assess delivery capacity, resource requirements and execution readiness.
Provide strategic leadership on product and capability portfolio choices, including where to invest, build, partner, reposition, rationalize or exit.
Identify opportunities to connect Intermediary and Institutional distribution with product and investment priorities, including commercialization, channel expansion, partnerships and shared enablement.
Analyze industry dynamics, client and advisor needs, consultant and platform trends, competitor actions, product vehicles, pricing developments and emerging business models to identify strategic opportunities and risks.
Partner with Transformation and business leaders to align work with strategic priorities and recommend sequencing or reprioritization when trade-offs are required.
Surface dependencies, resolve cross-functional barriers and escalate decisions when delivery, alignment or expected outcomes are at risk.
Lead prioritization and governance of strategic initiative pipelines, evaluating strategic fit, commercial potential, economics, resources, dependencies and execution readiness.
Work with Finance and business leaders to assess performance against strategic and financial outcomes, challenge assumptions and recommend corrective action or pivots.
Track priorities, milestones, risks, dependencies and results; make trade-offs explicit and identify where accountability or direction needs to change.
Lead strategy discussions, decision sessions, leadership off-sites and annual planning across North America Intermediary, Global Product and Institutional.
Develop executive-ready strategic narratives for senior management, the Manulife Executive Leadership Team and the Board of Directors.
Partner with business leaders and Communications to explain strategic priorities, reinforce accountability and communicate progress.
Lead and develop strategy professionals, promoting analytical rigor, commercial judgment, collaboration and executive influence.

Benefits

Customizable health, dental, mental health and vision benefits.
Short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage.
Adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits.
Employee and family assistance plans.
Retirement savings plans, including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions.
Financial education and counseling resources.
Paid time off in Canada, including holidays, vacation, personal and sick days, and statutory leaves of absence.
Opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.
Flexible work environment supporting well-being and inclusion.
Learning and career growth support.