Director Operational Excellence Asia Ops Transformation

The Operational Excellence Director is a key role within the organization that will lead and be responsible for large transformational initiatives. Functionally reporting to the AVP, Head of Asia Operations Excellence and locally to MBPS AVP, Head of Transformation and Operational Excellence, the role will support the Asia Operations Transformation team to deliver sustainable improvement in efficiency, cost and performance. This is a high-impact role within Manulife, very visible at the leadership level, and requires an individual with outstanding leadership skills, including high emotional intelligence, stakeholder management, partnership, and collaboration skills.

Position Responsibilities

• Analytical support for transformation projects, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
• Provide technical training and coaching on broad Operational Excellence disciplines – i.e. Agile, Lean, Design Thinking, CI. OE workshops (e.g., Problem Solving tools and techniques, VSM, CJM, Scrum, CI workshops).
• Monitor project progress and provide insights, ensuring transformation initiatives are on track and delivered within agreed timeframes and budget.
• Conduct end to end process discovery & walkthrough sessions for operational and/or support processes, identify process and/or performance gaps and opportunities, quantify impact of process gaps and/or performance misses and continuous improvement opportunities
• Support the business process owners in deploying the agreed recommendations measuring and tracking benefits of projects.
• Provide direction, consultancy, and support to the business leaders to identify new opportunities which can be converted into initiatives.
• Partner with the segments and functions to identify and deliver on initiatives required to achieve efficiency targets.
• In partnership with other members, lead and oversee the transformation initiatives, reporting on schedule, budget, scope, quality, risks/issues/dependencies, and benefit realization.
• Provide visibility and clarity of the delivery of the progress and financial performance of the transformation initiatives.
• Ensure that results are sustainable by embedding continuous improvement frameworks and processes to sustain the change over the medium to long-term horizon.
• Maintain regular and effective communication regarding the progress of transformation initiatives, ensuring that all collaborators are informed
• Share accountability for the success of transformation initiatives, ensuring they are delivered on time, within scope, budget, and desired outcomes. Supervise projects to ensure successful completion within specified time frames and budgets, maintaining optimal performance. Identify and raise issues when necessary, suggesting solutions to maintain project progress.
  
  

Required Qualifications

Education & Certification

• University degree. Equivalent experience in a relevant field would be advantageous, along with an MBA or other post-graduate education.
• Six Sigma Blackbelt
• Project Management Training / Certification: PMP, Agile, Scrum
  
  

Experience

• 20+ years of demonstrated experience leading and implementing process excellence and operational excellence initiatives.
• Proven track record of driving large‑scale process improvements, operational transformation, efficiency gains, and performance optimization across complex organizations.
• Hands‑on technical experience with automation, system integration, including APIs, middleware, or enterprise platforms. Ability to collaborate effectively with IT and engineering teams to translate business requirements into integrated technical solutions that support operational objectives.
• Deep knowledge of the insurance industry, including operational processes, regulatory considerations, and industry‑specific systems. Prior experience within insurance organizations is required to effectively navigate domain complexities and business needs.
• Experience managing complex, cross‑functional projects from initiation through execution and delivery. Familiarity with project management methodologies, governance, risk management, and stakeholder coordination is considered a strong advantage.
  
  

Technical Skills

• Hands‑on technical experience with system integration, including APIs, middleware, or enterprise platforms. Ability to collaborate effectively with IT and engineering teams to translate business requirements into integrated technical solutions that support operational objectives.
• Knowledge of and hands-on application of Project Management frameworks and tools with Project Management Training or Certification: PMP, Agile, Scrum, etc.
• Knowledge of and hands-on application of Operational Excellence, Problem Solving methodologies and tools (LEAN, DMAIC, Data Analysis, HCD, Design Thinking, VSM, Customer Journey Mapping, Visual Management, OE Maturity, etc.)
• Advanced MS Office Skills and use of statistical tools for data analysis, i.e., Power Bi, Minitab, SPC Excel, etc.
  
  

Leadership and Soft Skills

• Willingness and ability to work on‑site at the Nex office, supporting close collaboration with leadership, operations, and cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to influence & lead senior leaders in decision-making through insightful, data-driven, and value-added recommendations.
• Ability to develop and facilitate management training and workshops geared towards mid-level and senior-level leaders.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Management consulting experience
• Experience leading large, cross-functional, organization-wide, multi-site transformation and/or process and performance improvement initiatives
• Familiarity with commonly used BPO tools and systems (i.e., Nice, Verint, IEX, ACD, CRM, Ticketing Systems, Knowledgebase, Learning Management Systems, Power BI, etc.)
• Experience working with stakeholders across different geos, i.e., North America, Canada, Asia
• Builds and leverages on network of OE professionals and or organizations in the industry and/or academe to keep abreast of best practices, industry developments, trends, issues, etc.
  
  

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 hr@manulife.com.

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

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