Hybrid Manager, Group Benefits, Sponsor Risk Management

at Manulife

• Job title: Manager, Group Benefits, Sponsor Risk Management
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Mid level, Senior
• Salary: CA$82,600 - CA$132,600 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Waterloo, Canada

About the role

• Manager overseeing risk management and contract oversight within Group Benefits at Manulife. Leading governance and negotiations while enhancing operational controls and client experience.

Responsibilities

• Provides first line of defense oversight in identifying, assessing, and mitigating plan sponsor-related risks and contractual exposures within the Group Benefits business
• Conducts initial risk and compliance reviews to reduce downstream impacts and improve internal engagement efficiency
• Ensures contractual language aligns with Manulife’s standards and risk appetite, in collaboration with Legal, Privacy, and other internal SMEs
• Leads complex negotiations of high-profile Service Agreements (MSAs, OA, DPAs, NDAs) with large/jumbo plan sponsors
• Asserts Manulife’s standard practices and policies while balancing client needs and risk tolerance
• Supports escalations and client interactions with professionalism and clarity
• Leads the Client Customization Review Committee (CCRC), a multi-stakeholder governance forum overseeing client customization requests
• Collaborates with stakeholders across Distribution, Legal, Privacy, Underwriting, Product, Operations, Tax, Disability, and IT Risk to ensure alignment and risk mitigation
• Continuously improves committee processes, including intake, redirection, and stakeholder engagement
• Identifies process gaps and initiates interdepartmental working groups to reduce inefficiencies
• Supports the continual improvement and development of tools such as JIRA/JSM to manage and track work requests
• Champions automation and GenAI adoption to streamline contract and RFP reviews, and negotiation workflows
• Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the team

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Law, Risk Management, or related field
• 5–7 years of experience in risk management, legal/compliance, or group benefits contracting
• Strong understanding of Canadian insurance regulations, privacy standards, and operational risk frameworks
• Proven experience leading complex negotiations with external clients
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to simplify complex concepts
• Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designation or progress toward certification preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with tools such as Power BI, JIRA/JSM, and GenAI solutions (e.g., Copilot) preferred
• Strong expertise in risk identification, analysis, and mitigation, including control design and monitoring practices preferred
• Exceptional organizational skills with a proactive, collaborative approach and ability to manage high-visibility deliverables under ambiguity
• Passion for improving client experience and driving operational excellence through innovation and continuous improvement

Benefits

• Health, dental, mental health, and vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits
• Employee/family assistance plans
• Retirement savings plans (including pension and global share ownership plan with employer matching)
• Financial education and counseling resources
• Generous paid time off including holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days
• Statutory leaves of absence