The Director & Chief Product Owner acts as the value stream lead and is responsible for defining desirable, viable, feasible, and sustainable solutions that meet end user needs. They are focused on executing continuous improvements within their value stream to ensure value is being consistently delivered to end users. They act as a bridge between the business and development teams, ensuring that the product strategy aligns with the overall business objectives, the development teams understand and deliver on objectives, and delivery expectations are set and managed with key stakeholders.

We are seeking a visionary Director & Chief Product Owner to oversee strategic direction, development, and delivery of one of our digital product portfolio value streams. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of our end user experience and driving business transformation through cutting-edge, data-driven solutions. Acting as the voice of the customer and a key influencer across business lines, you will partner with stakeholders and technology teams to define product strategy, prioritize features, and ensure successful execution of cross-functional, large-scale initiatives aligned with organizational goals.

As the senior product leader within our SAFe Agile framework, you will own the digital product vision, manage the backlog across multiple agile squads, and mentor Product Owners to foster a culture of customer-centricity and continuous improvement. Your ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on leadership will enable you to deliver measurable business outcomes, optimize digital capabilities, and champion change across a globally diverse organization.

Product Vision & Strategy: Define and communicate the digital product strategy, vision, and roadmap in alignment with business priorities and global technology strategy. Customer-Centric Design:



Act as the voice of the customer, incorporating feedback and insights to influence product direction and deliver meaningful experiences. Collaborate closely with IT counterparts, align on solution design, development, QA, and testing strategies.

Work together to ensure technical feasibility, share solution concepts with stakeholders, gather feedback, and jointly determine the best path forward for delivering high-quality products. Data-Driven Decisions: Use advanced analytics, A/B testing, and experimentation to validate hypotheses and optimize product offerings.

Agile Delivery: Own the product backlog and feature prioritization across multiple agile squads and initiatives, ensuring consistent delivery of business value. Coordinate across multiple stakeholders to drive complex product development decisions, requirements, and success criteria.

Mentorship & Leadership: Lead, develop, and mentor Product Owners to foster a culture of customer‑centricity and continuous improvement.

Integrated Planning: Partner with IT leaders to develop and manage integrated plans for initiatives, including milestone planning, testing, reviews, and approvals.

Performance Optimization: Monitor KPIs and drive continuous improvement through data analytics and insights. 8-10 years of experience leading cross-functional teams and initiatives using SAFe/Scrum methodologies in a complex, globally diverse organization. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering,



or related discipline; post-graduate degree preferred. At least 5 years of industry experience with individual insurance and wealth products, service processes, and customer needs.

Proven track record in digital strategy and transformation within financial services, with strong knowledge of emerging digital technologies. Familiarity with agile development methodologies, release management, and tools such as JIRA and Confluence.

Experience with data analytics, change management, and digital engagement strategies. We'll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well‑being and inclusion are more than just words. Estamos comprometidos con la equidad en las contrataciones, la retención de talento, el ascenso y la remuneración, y administramos todas nuestras prácticas y programas sin discriminación por motivos de raza, ascendencia, lugar de origen, color, origen étnico, ciudadanía, religion o creencias religiosas, credo, sexo (incluyendo el embarazo y las afecciones relacionadas con este), orientación sexual, características genéticas, condición de veterano, identidad de género, expresión de género, edad, estado civil, estatus familiar, discapacidad, o cualquier otro aspecto protegido por la ley vigente. 118,300.00 CAD - $168,300.00 CAD El salario real variará según las condiciones del mercado local, la geografía y factores relacionados con el puesto como conocimientos, habilidades, requerimientos, experiencia y educación/formación.

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 ( . #

📌 Director & Chief Product Owner (Toronto)
🏢 Manulife
📍 Toronto