Affinity Operations - Business Operations Manager

Manulife•Waterloo, ON

18d•CA$93,390 - CA$143,390•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Strategy & Chief of Staff is a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the AVP, Affinity Operations, responsible for driving business performance, strategic execution, and organizational effectiveness across the function. Acting as an extension of the AVP, this role ensures Affinity Operations operates with clarity, discipline, and focus by connecting strategy, performance management, governance, communications, and leadership priorities. The successful candidate will bring structure to how the business is managed, enabling leaders to make informed decisions, align resources to key priorities, and deliver measurable business outcomes. This role is accountable for leading the business operating system for Affinity Operations, including strategic planning, performance management, governance, executive enablement, and cross-functional coordination. As Chief of Staff to the AVP, the Manager serves as a central connector across teams and stakeholders, providing insight, alignment, and execution support to advance strategic priorities and drive operational excellence. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, trusted partner, and skilled communicator who excels at bringing clarity to complexity. They demonstrate a growth mindset and embrace AI, automation, and emerging technologies to enhance decision-making, streamline processes, and improve business outcomes. They are highly collaborative, proactive, and comfortable navigating ambiguity while driving alignment, accountability, and results.

Requirements

University degree in Business, Commerce, Finance, Communications, or a related field.
5-8 years of progressive experience in strategy, business management, operations, consulting, transformation, chief of staff, or related roles.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to enhance productivity, business insights, collaboration, and decision-making.
Demonstrated experience supporting senior leaders and driving cross-functional initiatives.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and business planning skills.
Exceptional communication, presentation, and executive storytelling capabilities.
Proven ability to influence and collaborate across complex stakeholder environments.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Experience in insurance, financial services, affinity partnerships, or operations environments.
Experience in strategic planning, governance, performance management, change enablement, or portfolio management.
Familiarity with operational excellence and business management best practices.

Responsibilities

Support the development, communication, and execution of the Affinity Operations strategy and roadmap.
Translate strategic priorities into actionable plans, measurable outcomes, and execution milestones.
Provide strategic analysis, insights, and recommendations to support business decision-making.
Monitor progress against objectives, identify risks and opportunities, and drive accountability for results.
Lead business performance reporting, scorecards, dashboards, and executive insights.
Develop and manage key performance indicators aligned to business objectives.
Establish and manage governance routines, business reviews, and planning cycles that support transparency, prioritization, and execution.
Provide actionable insights that inform leadership decisions and continuous improvement.
Identify opportunities to leverage AI, automation, and emerging technologies to enhance reporting, decision-making, operational effectiveness, and business outcomes
Serve as a trusted advisor to the AVP, Affinity Operations, helping manage priorities, decisions, and leadership effectiveness.
Coordinate leadership forums, executive reviews, and business planning activities.
Develop executive presentations, briefing materials, and leadership communications.
Ensure alignment, follow-through, and accountability across leadership priorities and commitments.
Build strong partnerships across Affinity, Operations, Technology, Finance, and enterprise stakeholders.
Develop and maintain a pulse on Affinity business performance, strategic priorities, product direction, and growth opportunities, ensuring Affinity Operations remains aligned to evolving business needs and positioned to enable strategic outcomes.
Act as a central point of coordination for cross-functional initiatives and strategic priorities.
Foster alignment, remove barriers, and support informed decision-making across diverse stakeholder groups.
Support communication and change strategies that advance business priorities and organizational goals.
Translate complex business information into clear, compelling messages tailored to different audiences.
Partner with stakeholders to deliver leadership communications, employee engagement activities, town halls, offsites, and other business forums.
Support adoption of key initiatives by ensuring effective engagement, alignment, and communication.