Reporting to the AVP, Brand, Marketing Strategy & Operations, the Director, Brand is a key leadership role within the Manulife Canada Segment marketing team. The Director will lead the execution of integrated campaigns that bring our brand to life through bold ideas, standout creative and meaningful customer experiences, strengthening Manulife's position as a leader in longevity.
This role sits at the intersection of strategy, creativity and execution. You'll work across a wide network of internal teams and external partners to deliver high-impact campaigns across paid, owned and earned channels. You will oversee content and creative development, media delivery, agency and vendor relationships, and the operational frameworks that enable the work. You're a brand champion who holds the line on quality and consistency while bringing the curiosity, conviction and fresh thinking needed to move the brand forward in meaningful ways.
Position Responsibilities:
Campaign Strategy
- Lead the end-to-end execution of integrated, segment-wide brand campaigns focused on building awareness, consideration and shifting brand perception.
- Translate brand and business strategy into clear campaign plans, ensuring work is audience-led, channel-connected and designed to drive meaningful business outcomes.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners, including Digital, Communications, Customer Care and business lines, to deliver campaigns that are on-strategy, on-time and on-budget.
- Oversee campaign planning, production, delivery and in-market optimization, proactively identifying risks, dependencies and opportunities.
- Contribute to a real-time marketing approach that is continuously optimized based on data, cultural context and audience insights.
Content and Creative Oversight
- Lead the end-to-end creative and content process for the Canada Segment, from brief and concept development through production and final delivery.
- Oversee internal and external creative assets to ensure output is strategically grounded, creatively excellent, audience-relevant and brand compliant.
- Provide clear, constructive creative direction that strengthens ideas and raises the quality of the work.
- Champion a high standard of storytelling that is human, emotionally resonant and tailored to target audiences across consumer and intermediary channels.
- Partner with Digital, SEO and content teams to evolve content for emerging discovery behaviours, including generative engine optimization (GEO), helping strengthen Manulife’s visibility and authority within AI-powered search experiences.
Media Leadership
- Lead the development and execution of integrated media campaigns in partnership with internal media stakeholders and external media agency partners.
- Ensure media strategies, channel plans and investment recommendations are aligned to campaign objectives, priority audiences and the customer journey.
- Oversee campaign trafficking, launch readiness, in-market performance and optimization, ensuring creative and media work together effectively.
- Partner with analytics, research and agency teams to assess media performance, identify insights and improve effectiveness over time.
Agency and Vendor Relationships
- Manage day-to-day relationships with creative, production and media agency partners, vendors and contractors.
- Ensure partners are well-briefed, aligned to brand and business objectives, and consistently delivering high-quality work on time and within budget.
- Support in overall agency coordination, scope and budget management, and the ongoing evaluation of partner performance.
- Build productive, accountable partnerships that encourage strong collaboration, proactive thinking and creative ambition.
Brand Governance
- Own and uphold brand standards across Canada Segment marketing touchpoints.
- Act as a steward of the Manulife brand, ensuring alignment with Global Brand guidelines while reflecting the distinct needs of the Canadian market.
- Develop and maintain brand governance frameworks, tools and education that enable cross-functional teams to represent the brand with confidence and consistency.
- Act as the primary business owner for brand intellectual property, partnering closely with the IP team to manage, protect and govern trademarks, brand assets and usage rights across the organization.
Performance and Measurement
- Track and report on brand, media and campaign performance against defined KPIs and scorecards.
- Work with Digital Analytics, Research and Insights teams and external research partners to evaluate creative, media and campaign effectiveness, drawing on data to optimize delivery.
- Translate performance data into clear insights and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
- Continually assess what is working and drive informed pivots when needed.
Embracing Change and Innovation
- Bring bold thinking, curiosity and creative ambition to the work, sparking new ideas that move the brand forward in meaningful ways.
- Champion a culture of curiosity, experimentation and continuous improvement within the brand function.
- Actively explore and integrate new ways of working that improve efficiency, creativity and brand impact.
People Leadership
- Inspire, coach and develop direct report, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Establish clear performance standards and provide regular formal and informal feedback.
- Model inclusive leadership behaviours and actively support team growth and engagement.
What We’re Looking For
This is a cross-functional leadership role requiring strong collaboration skills internally across business lines, the Canada Segment and global teams, and externally with creative, production and media agency partners and vendors. The ideal candidate brings creative conviction, strategic thinking and operational discipline, with the energy to turn ideas into high-quality work. They're a bold thinker who challenges convention constructively, sparks new ideas and brings genuine passion and commitment to advancing the brand. They're also a trusted, empathetic leader who earns confidence across the organization and consistently delivers work that makes an impact.
Required Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree required; MBA or Master's degree preferred
- Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in marketing and/or business management
- Demonstrated experience leading integrated brand campaigns from planning through execution and optimization
- Strong experience in brand management, creative and content oversight, and media campaign delivery
- Proven track record of leading and developing teams in a fast-paced, matrixed environment
- Experience managing creative, production and media agency partners, vendors, scopes and budgets
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and navigate complex cross-functional environments
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with localization or translation functions is an asset
- Financial services experience is an asset
- Bilingualism (English and French) is an asset. If the successful candidate is in Québec, proficiency in both languages will be required to support clients from various provinces outside of Quebec.
Core Competencies
- Campaign Leadership: Ability to translate strategy into integrated plans and drive high-quality execution across channels.
- Brand Stewardship: Deep commitment to brand integrity and a sharp eye for consistency across every touchpoint.
- Creative Leadership: Ability to inspire and elevate creative work, balancing bold ideas with strategic discipline.
- Media Acumen: Strong understanding of paid media strategy, channel planning, campaign delivery and optimization.
- Execution Excellence: Strong project management instincts with the ability to manage multiple priorities and drive work forward efficiently.
- Collaborative Influence: Skilled at building relationships and aligning stakeholders in a complex, cross-functional organization.
- People Leadership: Genuine commitment to coaching, developing and engaging team members.
- Analytical Thinking: Comfortable working with data and insights to inform decisions and optimize performance.
- Communication: Clear, confident communicator with strong presentation and storytelling skills.
- AI and Innovation Mindset: Curious about and actively engaged with emerging technologies and changing customer discovery behaviours, including AI-powered marketing tools and generative engine optimization (GEO), using them to drive smarter, faster and more discoverable brand experiences.
When you join our team:
- As part of our global team, we'll support you in shaping the future you want to see.
- 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.
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
Toronto, Ontario
Working Arrangement
Hybrid
Salary range is expected to be between
$125,100.00 CAD - $175,100.00 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 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.
