AVP, Transformation Delivery, Transition and Readiness

Manulife Canada is transforming how operational work is received, processed, routed, completed and measured across servicing functions. This includes retiring legacy workflow platforms, re-engineering operational processes, modernizing technology architecture, and introducing reusable AI-enabled automation capabilities that improve service, strengthen controls, and create a more scalable operating model. This position will help lead the transformation program supporting this vision while establishing reusable business and technology capabilities that can be applied across future modernization initiatives.
The AVP, Transformation Delivery, Transition & Readiness will play a pivotal leadership role in one of Manulife Canada's largest operational transformation programs. The successful candidate will be accountable for integrated program delivery, transition management, operational readiness, release governance, and execution of the legacy workflow system retirement roadmap across multiple transformation waves.
This role sits at the intersection of operations, technology and delivery. The successful candidate will ensure business capabilities are deployed safely, the organization is prepared to operate through interim states, and transformation outcomes are successfully scaled across the enterprise.
Position Responsibilities:
The AVP, Transformation Delivery, Transition & Readiness is accountable for planning, coordinating, governing and executing the transformation roadmap. The role leads the Program Management Office while also establishing the transition strategies, release governance, readiness practices and operating-model controls required to move the organization from current-state operations to future-state operations. The role owns delivery execution and operational implementation of the transformation.
Program and Portfolio Delivery
Own the integrated transformation roadmap.
Govern program schedules, milestones and delivery commitments.
Manage critical path dependencies and inter-workstream coordination.
Lead program governance forums and executive reporting.
Establish delivery performance measures and escalation mechanisms.
Maintain integrated views of scope, timeline, financials and risks.
PMO Leadership
Lead and develop the Program Management Office.
Establish governance processes, standards and controls.
Manage executive reporting, dashboards, status reviews and Steering Committee materials.
Oversee RAID management and dependency tracking.
Coordinate planning across business, technology and delivery workstreams.
Transition Management
Develop the enterprise transition strategy for workflow system retirement.
Define interim-state operating models and deployment approaches.
Establish coexistence strategies for legacy and future-state environments.
Coordinate cutover and rollout planning across business units.
Manage hypercare, stabilization and post-deployment support activities.
Ensure operational continuity throughout transformation waves.
Operational Readiness
Define operational readiness frameworks and checkpoints.
Establish release-level go-live criteria.
Coordinate readiness assessments across business and technology stakeholders.
Ensure operational support models are established and sustainable.
Govern release approvals and deployment decision processes.
Integration Readiness & Ecosystem Coordination
Govern cross-platform dependency management.
Coordinate ecosystem readiness activities across impacted applications.
Track platform onboarding, retirement and transition activities.
Monitor system integration risks impacting rollout schedules.
Partner with Architecture, Engineering and Technology leaders to establish release readiness.
Govern temporary bridge solutions required during transformation waves.
Workflow System Retirement Execution
Maintain workflow system retirement execution plan.
Track retirement dependencies and readiness criteria.
Coordinate enterprise-wide retirement planning activities.
Ensure all retirement risks are identified and managed.
Support final platform decommissioning and transition activities.
Required Qualifications:
10+ years leading large-scale enterprise transformation programs.
Experience managing multi-year technology and operations transformation initiatives.
Proven track record establishing PMO and governance functions.
Experience executing phased technology migrations and platform retirements.
Strong understanding of operational readiness, deployment management and transition planning.
Experience managing third-party delivery partners and systems integrators.
Financial services, insurance or operations transformation experience preferred.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with AWD or a comparable workflow platform, such as Pega, Appian, or FileNet, at scale.
Experience establishing reusable automation components or shared engineering services across business units.
Experience delivering transformation in a federally regulated financial institution, including familiarity with OSFI expectations for change and outsourcing.
When you join our team:
We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.
#LI-Hybrid
The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.
About Manulife and John Hancock
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.
Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer
At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.
It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact hr@manulife.com.
Referenced Salary Location
Toronto, Ontario
Working Arrangement
Hybrid
Salary range is expected to be between
$129,800.00 CAD - $241,200.00 CAD
Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact hr@manulife.com for the salary range for your location.
Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including 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. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid tim