Workforce Manager Jobs in Kitchener, ON (NOW HIRING)

The Manager, Workforce Management Capacity Planning & Forecasting will lead the development, governance, and continuous improvement of enterpriselevel capacity planning models that ensure operational scalability, financial alignment, and workforce efficiency across the organization. This role provides strategic oversight of forecasting, longrange planning, and scenario modeling, while acting as a key business partner to Finance, Operational Leadership, and Workforce Management. The Manager will directly lead and coach associates responsible for forecasting and capacity planning, ensuring rigor, consistency, and professional development within the function.

This role will play a critical part in shaping planning strategy, integrating data sources, and delivering insights that guide investment decisions, vendor strategy, and workforce optimization.

Position Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning & Governance

• Lead the development and maintenance of short, medium, and longrange capacity plans incorporating demand drivers, productivity assumptions, intake patterns, backlog levels, and operational constraints.
• Partner with the Operational Planning & Analysis Director to standardize forecasting practices, planning cycles, and data definitions across business units.
• Liaise with Finance to synchronize operational capacity plans with budgets, runrate expectations, and financial forecasts.
• Conduct variance analysis to identify drivers of over/underutilization and recommend mitigation and optimization strategies.

Data, Modeling & Insights

• Integrate and streamline planning data sources across systems, improving data quality and reducing manual reconciliation.
• Build and enhance planning dashboards and forecasting visuals using Power BI; leverage SQL as an asset for scenario analysis and validation.
• Support operational leaders with scenario modelling (e.g., volume shifts, staffing changes, productivity improvements, vendor allocation decisions).
• Monitor operational trends and capacity risks, providing clear narratives and recommended actions to leadership.
• Document planning methodologies, inputs, and governance processes to ensure consistency and repeatability.
• Contribute to automation and workflow tool integration that improves planning efficiency and forecasting accuracy.

People Leadership & Functional Ownership

• Lead, mentor, and develop forecasting & capacity planning analysts, providing coaching, prioritization guidance, and technical skill development.
• Establish team standards, quality controls, and repeatable processes to ensure forecasting accuracy and planning discipline.
• Represent the Capacity Planning function in crossfunctional forums, influencing executive stakeholders and advocating for planning needs.
• Drive continuous improvement in planning methodologies, including adoption of advanced modeling techniques, automation, and tool enhancements.

Strategic Influence & Stakeholder Partnership

• Advise leaders on the operational and financial impacts of strategic initiatives, sales growth targets, and vendor strategy.
• Translate complex planning insights into executiveready materials for leadership, Finance partners, and governance committees.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Operational Leadership on workforce optimization, servicelevel implications, and longterm labor strategy.

Required Qualifications:

• 7-10 years of experience in capacity planning, forecasting, workforce planning, operational analytics, or strategic planning.
• Strong understanding of forecasting methodologies (workloadtoFTE modeling, regression/driverbased forecasting, scenario planning).
• Demonstrated ability to interpret operational trends and link impacts to cost, capacity, and service performance.
• Experience partnering with Finance to align operational plans with budgets and forecasts.
• Proficiency in Power BI for planning dashboards and analytics; SQL knowledge is an asset.
• Strong analytical problemsolving skills and ability to work across complex datasets.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder influence skills, including development of executiveready narratives.
• Ability to operate independently, manage ambiguity, and lead multicycle planning processes.
• Demonstrated peopleleadership experience (formal or informal), including coaching, mentorship, or leading through influence.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Amazon Connect, NICE, Verint, or other workforce management/workflow tools.
• Familiarity with planning in multiday backoffice environments or vendorsupported operations.
• Exposure to Databricks, Azure, or cloud analytics platforms.
• Knowledge of financial modeling concepts (volumetocost translation, budget alignment, runrate analysis).
• Background supporting digital enablement, automation initiatives, or planning system integrations.

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.

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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.