AVP, AI Products & Delivery (Global Operations AI)

Join Manulife’s Global Operations AI team and help shape how we deliver AI-enabled outcomes at enterprise scale. As AVP, AI Products & Delivery, you will lead the product and delivery engine that moves approved AI initiatives from concept to production across Global Operations. You will own the Operations AI roadmap, drive delivery prioritization and execution, and ensure releases meet governance, risk, and technical readiness requirements. You will partner closely with Technology, Enterprise AI, Risk/Compliance, and Operations leaders to deliver reusable AI capabilities with predictable throughput and measurable impact.

Position Responsibilities:  

• Product & portfolio leadership: Own and evolve the Global Operations AI product roadmap, defining priorities and sequencing releases across initiatives and reusable capabilities.
• Outcome measurement: Establish clear success measures (adoption, operational impact, cycle-time improvements, reliability) and report progress to senior leadership.
• Delivery execution: Lead end-to-end delivery planning and execution for approved AI initiatives, ensuring predictable release rhythms and timely removal of blockers.
• Production readiness: Drive readiness reviews with Technology, Enterprise AI, and Risk partners to confirm controls, documentation, and deployment plans are in place prior to release.
• Cross-functional escalation: Act as an escalation point for delivery throughput issues, coordinating cross-functional resolution and trade-off decisions.
• Platform reuse & scaling: Lead the shift from project-by-project delivery to a reusable capability model (shared components, templates, evaluation patterns, connectors).
• Governance alignment: Ensure solutions align with Responsible AI and model risk expectations, including appropriate documentation and monitoring plans.
• Opportunity identification & prioritization: Identify, quantify, and prioritize AI opportunities across Operations using structured analysis and operational input.
• Business cases & value architecture: Build data-driven business cases with Finance and Operations leaders; define benefits logic and success metrics.
• Executive-ready insights: Synthesize complex analyses into concise recommendations, highlighting trade-offs, risks, and decision points.
• People leadership: Build and lead a high-performing team focused on operational discipline, delivery excellence, and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications: 

• 10+ years of experience in product leadership, technology delivery, platform programs, and/or AI-enabled transformation (preferably in regulated industries).
• Proven track record delivering complex products or platforms into production with measurable outcomes, including release planning and dependency management.
• Strong ability to lead cross-functionally in matrixed environments and communicate clearly with senior stakeholders.
• Strong experience in quantitative modeling, scenario analysis, and business case development.
• Working knowledge of modern AI solution patterns (e.g., LLM-enabled assistants, intelligent document processing, agent-based workflows) and production readiness considerations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience evolving operating models from project-based to product/platform delivery.
• Familiarity with MLOps/LLMOps concepts, evaluation approaches, monitoring, and model governance practices.
• Advanced degree or equivalent experience in engineering, computer science, data science, or business.

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 [email protected].

Referenced Salary Location

Toronto, OntarioHybrid

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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.