Operations Manager, Group Retirement Plans, Canada Retirement

Manulife • Montreal, QC

1d • CA$88,800 - CA$138,800 • Hybrid

About The Position

Sponsor Services Operations Manager, Group Retirement Plans leads the day-to-day service and operational performance of the Canada Retirement Group Plans function. This role provides leadership to Client Account Representatives and Service Advisors who support plan sponsors, advisors, and internal partners in a business-to-business service model. The successful candidate will bring strong people leadership, a disciplined approach to performance management, and a proven ability to improve processes, strengthen service delivery, and drive operational results. The role is accountable for team effectiveness, operational excellence, KPI performance, and risk and compliance activities that support a well-managed and client-focused operation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, operations, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 5+ years of experience in operations, client service management.
• Proven experience leading people in a service or operations environment, including performance management, coaching, and team development.
• Experience managing service performance and operational KPIs in a high-volume, client-facing function.
• Demonstrated success leading process improvement initiatives, including workflow redesign, standardization, and service efficiency improvements.
• Working knowledge of risk, compliance, and control requirements within a regulated financial services environment.
• Strong people-leadership skills, including coaching, development, performance management, and team engagement.
• Strong operational management capability, with the ability to manage workflows, prioritize effectively, and improve service delivery.
• Strong process improvement skillset, including root cause analysis, process mapping, standardization, and continuous improvement methods.
• Ability to manage and interpret KPIs, identify trends, and translate data into actions that improve results.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to manage escalations and build credibility across teams.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingualism (English and French) is an asset. If the successful candidate is in Québec, proficiency in both languages will be required to support clients from various provinces outside of Quebec.
• Formal training or certification in people leadership, operations, continuous improvement, or risk management is an asset.
• Project management certification, such as PMP or equivalent, is considered an asset but is not required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations for the Group Retirement Plans service function, with accountability for service delivery, quality, turnaround times, and overall operational effectiveness.
• Lead process improvement efforts by identifying inefficiencies, analyzing root causes, and implementing practical solutions that improve service, productivity, quality, and consistency.
• Use continuous improvement methods to simplify operations, reduce risk, and improve sponsor and advisor experience.
• Standardize procedures, maintain clear documentation, and support execution of operational priorities in alignment with business goals.
• Lead and develop a team of Client Account Representatives and Service Advisors, including hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and development planning.
• Set clear expectations and create a high-accountability team environment focused on client service, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Support employee engagement and capability building to strengthen the team’s ability to manage business-to-business client relationships effectively.
• Own and manage key performance indicators for the function, including service levels, quality, productivity, timeliness, and client experience measures.
• Monitor results, identify performance trends, and take timely action to address gaps, improve outcomes, and deliver on business commitments.
• Provide regular reporting and business insights to leadership to support decision-making, prioritization, and resource planning.
• Support strong business-to-business relationships with plan sponsors, advisors, and internal partners through effective service delivery and issue resolution.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to align service execution, resolve escalations, and improve the overall client experience.
• Lead risk and compliance activities for the function, including control adherence, issue identification, remediation support, and audit readiness.
• Maintain a strong control environment by reinforcing policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements across the team.
• Partner with internal stakeholders on risk, compliance, and governance matters to keep the function compliant and well managed.

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)
• financial education and counseling resources.
• holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days
• full range of statutory leaves of absence.

What This Job Offers

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