Senior Product Project Manager

The Senior Product Project Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating end-to-end product development and implementation activities, ensuring all product launches, enhancements, and Day 2 improvements are delivered on time, within budget, and with high quality. This role oversees the full project lifecycle-from initial concept and business case validation to system development, testing, regulatory approvals, and go-live-while proactively managing risks, dependencies, and timelines.

Working closely with cross-functional teams such as Actuarial, Marketing, Distribution, Operations, Technology, and Compliance, the incumbent drives structured execution, clear governance, and strong stakeholder alignment. Success in this role is defined by predictable delivery, operational readiness, regulatory compliance, and strong customer outcomes, with continuous improvement embedded through post-launch reviews and enhancement planning.

Position Responsibilities:

Product Project Delivery & Execution

• Owns cross-chapter coordination across the company (i.e Product, IT, Operations, Actuarial, Distribution, and Compliance) to resolve structural obstacles impacting product delivery.
• Accountable for overall delivery performance of the product portfolio, including timeline feasibility, dependency management, and resource allocation across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Acts as the escalation point for all critical risks, cross-department conflicts, and governance issues, driving swift decision-making through PSC and senior leadership forums.
• Maintain calmness, stability, and team confidence during critical execution moments.
• Ensure all communication to stakeholders is timely, aligned, transparent, and structured.
• Accountable for ensuring all product initiatives comply with regulatory expectations and Global Product Launch Standards, including directing cross-functional alignment to close any design, process, or documentation gaps.

Project Planning & Governance

• Holds decision-making authority for product delivery prioritization, sequencing, and conflict resolution across teams, recommending trade-offs to senior management.
• Leads senior-level stakeholder engagement including Product Leads, IT leadership, and Operations Transformation leads to align strategic product decisions.
• Influences product roadmap feasibility, advising Product Heads on delivery implications, capacity constraints, and sequencing.
• Drive development and implementation of the 2026-2027 Product Calendar and 18-month product planning cycles.
• Maintain and update capacity and budget planning for Day 1 projects (2026-2027).
• Ensure strong governance inputs for PSC and related decision-making forums through pre-meeting preparation and post-meeting follow-up.

Cost and Benefit Management

• Collaborate with other project managers and related departments to ensure accurate and efficient benefit tracking.
• Monitor project budgets, forecast spending, and pinpoints areas for cost optimization.
• Provide clear financial insights to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• Improve and support product project business cases to ensure thorough assessments (financial, design, resources, system, and budget).

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or related field required.
• A min. of 10 years of project management experience preferred.
• Understanding of the life insurance industry including key financial metrics is a must.
• Expert-level knowledge of project and change management, methodologies, techniques, processes
• Good budget, cost and profitability management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (i.e Project, Excel, Word, Powerpoint) and analytical tools (Power BI)
• Excellent writing, public speaking, and presentation skills. Proven communication skills (oral and written) in English

Preferred Qualifications:

• Solid interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships and communicate with other departments
• Flexible, adaptable and resourceful when managing changing timelines and multiple deliverables.

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.

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 [email protected].

Working Arrangement