Program Assistant Jobs in Kitchener, ON (NOW HIRING)

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead a complex, cross-functional remediation and data enablement initiative supporting enterprise control, reporting, and operational requirements. This role is critical in driving delivery across multiple teams, ensuring strong coordination, clear governance, and sustainable execution. The Program Manager will work closely with the CDSO/Data Office, Operations, reporting teams, and AI/data science partners to manage roadmaps, timelines, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder alignment while maintaining strong communication and executive visibility.

Position Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership & Delivery

• Drive end-to-end delivery of a complex, cross-functional program, ensuring milestones are achieved on time, within scope, and with clear accountability across participating teams.
• Partner with CDSO/Data Office, Operations, reporting teams, and AI/data science partners to align priorities, resolve delivery challenges, and maintain forward momentum.
• Develop and maintain integrated program roadmaps, governance materials, and status updates, acting as the single source of truth for milestones, dependencies, and decisions.

Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities for operational efficiency within our workstream solution development and implement process improvements through the delivery roadmap.
• Ensure operational workflows are documented, standardized when possible, and aligned with best practices.
• Support change management and business readiness efforts for operational teams.

Risk & Dependency Management

• Identify program risks and develop mitigation strategies; engage the appropriate partners to ensure issues are understood, escalated when needed, and effectively managed.
• Track and communicate dependencies across business, data, reporting, and technical teams to avoid bottlenecks and support timely delivery.

Governance & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead program governance forums and coordinate decision-making across key stakeholder groups to support alignment, accountability, and execution.
• Provide clear, concise updates to senior leaders and stakeholders on progress, risks, dependencies, and decisions, while building strong relationships across functions.

Business, Technology & Operational Alignment

• Collaborate with business, data, reporting, and technology partners to ensure solutions are practical, scalable, and aligned to enterprise requirements.
• Validate that operational processes align with technology capabilities and regulatory standards.

Financial & Resource Management

• Monitor budgets, forecasts, and resource allocations for operations workstreams.
• Report operational performance-including financials, progress, quality, and risks-to leadership and executive sponsors.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree minimum.
• Minimum 7 years of program/project management experience in operations or service delivery, preferably in health, dental, or insurance domains.
• Experience with process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma) and tools (Jira, Smartsheet).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-workstream operational programs.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing and coordinating delivery across matrixed teams and senior partners.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Ability to interpret data, reporting, and process requirements and translate them into practical delivery plans and decision-ready insights.
• Comfortable working in dynamic environments with evolving priorities.

Leadership Competencies

• Operational Excellence: Strong focus on process optimization and measurable outcomes.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to connect operational initiatives to broader business strategy.
• Influence & Collaboration: Skilled at building relationships across business, technology, and operations teams.
• Change Leadership: Proven ability to lead operational change and drive adoption.
• Decision-Making Under Uncertainty: Comfortable making informed decisions in complex environments.

Measures of Success

• On-Time Delivery: Achieve key operational milestones within agreed timelines.
• Budget Adherence: Maintain costs within approved thresholds.
• Risk Management: Proactive identification and mitigation of operational risks.
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: Positive feedback on communication, governance, and transparency.
• Quality of Outcomes: Operational processes optimized for efficiency and scalability.

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

Salary range is expected to be between

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 time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact hr@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.