Director, Operations Strategy & Performance

The Canada Life Assurance Company•Toronto, ON

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, COBE Enablement is accountable for enabling the successful execution of the organization’s strategy, with a strong focus on enterprise alignment, governance, planning discipline, and leadership enablement. This role operates at the intersection of strategy and execution—translating the 5 year strategic roadmap into actionable plans, measurable outcomes, and transparent reporting across the Canada Operations & Business Enablement portfolio. This leader provides the operating backbone for Canada Operations & Business Enablement (COBE) by establishing and running the annual and quarterly planning cadence, performance reporting, recognition programs, and leadership forums that ensure clarity, accountability, and momentum. Working across business, technology, and enabling functions, the Director, COBE Enablement creates the conditions for leaders and teams to deliver results—without owning delivery directly.

Requirements

Proven experience operating at a Director level in complex, enterprise environments, enabling execution across multiple portfolios or large-scale strategic initiatives.
Strong strategic and systems thinking, with the ability to connect long-term vision to near-term plans, metrics, and operating discipline.
Deep strength in planning, governance, and reporting, with a track record of creating clarity and momentum without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.
Exceptional stakeholder leadership and influence skills, with confidence engaging VP and SVP-level leaders across business and technology.
Comfort working in high ambiguity and rapid change, particularly in emerging domains
Ability to synthesize complex information into clear executive insights, enabling effective decision-making at senior leadership tables.
Strong collaboration mindset, partnering effectively with Finance, Change, Communications, and Technology to deliver integrated outcomes.
A leadership style grounded in trust, transparency, and accountability, with a passion for enabling others to succeed.

Responsibilities

Enable execution of the Canada Operations & Business Enablement strategy by translating strategic priorities into clear operating rhythms, governance structures, and measurable outcomes aligned to the 5 year strategic roadmap.
Lead annual and quarterly planning for the Canada Operations & Business Enablement portfolio, including priority setting, dependency management, progress tracking, and preparation of materials for senior leadership forums.
Own portfolio-level reporting and insights, providing clear, concise, and decision-oriented updates on progress, risks, dependencies, and outcomes for executive and governance audiences.
Design and enable Director+ leadership forums, ensuring the right conversations occur at the right level to drive alignment, unblock issues, and accelerate delivery through facilitation, influence, and stakeholder alignment rather than direct decision ownership.
Partner closely with Technology, Business PMO, Finance, and Communications leaders to ensure integrated planning, consistent messaging, and coordinated execution.
Lead recognition and engagement mechanisms, including the contribution to employee awards, to reinforce desired behaviours, outcomes, and culture.
Act as a strategic connector across initiatives, identifying interdependencies, surfacing risks early, and enabling leaders to make informed trade-offs and decisions by influencing outcomes across a diverse stakeholder group.