Director & Chief Product Owner

Manulife • Waterloo, ON

2d • CA$118,300 - CA$168,300 • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a visionary Director & Chief Product Owner to oversee strategic direction, development, and delivery of one of our digital product portfolio value streams. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of our customer experience and driving business transformation through innovative, data-driven solutions. Acting as the voice of the customer and a key influencer across business lines, you will partner with stakeholders and technology teams to define product strategy, prioritize features, and ensure successful execution of cross-functional, large-scale initiatives aligned with organizational goals. As the senior product leader within our SAFe Agile framework, you will own the product vision, manage the backlog across multiple agile squads, and mentor Product Owners to foster a culture of customer-centricity and continuous improvement. Your ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on leadership will enable you to deliver measurable business outcomes, optimize digital capabilities, and champion change across a globally diverse organization.

Requirements

• 8–10 years of experience leading cross-functional teams and initiatives using SAFe/Scrum methodologies in a complex, globally diverse organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related discipline; post-graduate degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of industry experience with individual insurance and wealth products, service processes, and customer needs.
• Proven track record in digital strategy and transformation within financial services, with strong knowledge of emerging digital technologies.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies, release management, and tools such as JIRA and Confluence.
• Strong ability to adapt to change and understand the impact of emerging technologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels.
• Experience with data analytics, change management, and digital engagement strategies.

Responsibilities

• Partner across business lines and value streams to lead large-scale initiatives and ensure strategic objectives achieve intended outcomes.
• Define and communicate the digital product strategy, vision, and roadmap in alignment with business priorities and global technology strategy.
• Act as the voice of the customer, incorporating feedback and insights to influence product direction and deliver meaningful experiences.
• Collaborate closely with IT counterparts, align on solution design, development, QA, and testing strategies. Work together to ensure technical feasibility, share solution concepts with stakeholders, gather feedback, and jointly determine the best path forward for delivering high-quality products.
• Use advanced analytics, A/B testing, and experimentation to validate hypotheses and optimize product offerings.
• Own the product backlog and feature prioritization across multiple agile squads and initiatives, ensuring consistent delivery of business value.
• Coordinate across multiple stakeholders to drive complex product development decisions, requirements, and success criteria.
• Lead, develop, and mentor Product Owners to foster a culture of customer-centricity and continuous improvement.
• Partner with IT leaders to develop and manage integrated plans for initiatives, including milestone planning, testing, reviews, and approvals.
• Monitor KPIs and drive continuous improvement through data analytics and insights.
• Present key insights, vision, and progress updates to stakeholders, acting as a change agent across the organization.

Benefits

• 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.
• various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director