Director of Solution Development

Manulife • Toronto, ON

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Solution Development will lead the execution of development initiatives aligned with the strategic vision of our business partners. The Finance Systems team manages a complex SOX compliant infrastructure with many inter-related components that provide the repository of financial information required to support external regulatory and internal MIS reporting at MFC. They also support Enterprise-wide critical cash management and treasury solutions including the banking interfaces. The Director of Solution Development is responsible for delivering new solutions and enhancements effectively and efficiently without impacting on the service levels for all aspects of production for the Finance and Treasury clients. This will be done by providing hands-on technical direction, to project-based delivery teams, including design, development and testing. They would lead newly developed business solutions or enhancements into production and manage production incidents when they occur. Given the increased importance of all businesses having appropriate financial controls and processes in place, the Director must keep a close watch on control requirements, including SOX, and ensure that system controls and processes are correctly implemented, executed and are sustainable. In addition, the role partners with the Advanced Analytics team identify and prioritize AI opportunities, translate business needs into AI-enabled requirements, and support delivery of AI solutions that are secure, reliable, and compliant. The incumbent will champion practical AI adoption in day-to-day work across the team by promoting responsible use of AI tools, standardizing repeatable patterns, and embedding automation and insights into Finance and Treasury processes.

Requirements

• Batchelor degree in Computer Science or Engineering
• 10 years or more of experience in application design and development
• Strong hands-on technical experience of application design and development
• Strong hands-on technical knowledge of application programming languages, just as Java, Python, etc.,
• Demonstrated skill in building effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and exercise judgment in a changing environment and able to adapt and respond to rapid changes and shifting priorities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Good understanding of accounting processes and cash management processes and their associated systems and concepts.
• Understanding of responsible AI practices including privacy and confidentiality, security, fairness, explainability, and appropriate human oversight; ability to ensure AI use aligns with risk, compliance, and audit expectations.
• Proven change leadership to introduce new tools and ways of, ensuring user adoption through communications, training, and measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Finance and Treasury business teams to develop strategies and plans for implementing changes to existing or building new business solutions.
• Provides technical leadership for architecture and system design to ensure it meets the business requirements, fit into the overall GFT architecture and maintains the accuracy and integrity of the financial data and cash management processes, and through innovation, find ways to enhance and optimize the business functions.
• Collaborate with other areas in Manulife to attain support that may be required to complete development initiatives.
• Uphold thorough and accurate documentation procedures within the department to communicate requirements, design, testing and implementation strategies and plans for all development initiatives.
• Continuously interact with the Operations team by involving them at appropriate stages of analysis, development, testing and implementation handovers.
• Leadership and talent management of the team of developers, architects and systems analysts, both onshore and offshore.
• Ensure SDLC and change management processes are followed for all development initiatives without impacting Sox and Audit compliance.
• Collaborate with the Information Risk Management team to ensure that security and reliability of all systems is maintained throughout development lifecycle.
• Drive adoption of AI in day-to-day work by identifying repeatable opportunities, integrating AI-assisted workflows into SDLC and operational processes, enabling the team through guidance/training, and measuring benefits (cycle time, quality, and risk reduction)
• Direct, timely and thorough investigations and follow-ups to all systems problems, especially Major Incidents as they occur. This includes working closely with Problem Management staff, Delivery Project Executives and the Manulife CTO Office, while giving timely and comprehensive updates to the Actuarial business team.

Benefits

• health
• dental
• mental health
• vision
• short- and long-term disability
• life and AD&D insurance coverage
• adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits
• employee/family assistance plans
• pension
• global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions
• financial education and counseling resources
• holidays
• vacation
• personal
• sick days

What This Job Offers

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