Director – Portfolio Management

The Director of Portfolio Management is accountable for driving enterprise-wide portfolio strategy, ensuring investments deliver measurable business value and align with corporate objectives. This role leads portfolio governance, influences senior leadership decisions, and owns outcomes related to strategic prioritization, resource optimization, and benefits realization.

Position responsibilities:

• Define Outcome-Oriented Portfolio Roadmap: Develop and maintain a strategic portfolio roadmap aligned with corporate objectives and adaptable to change.

• Prioritize Portfolio Demand: Streamline intake and prioritize initiatives based on business value and strategic impact.

• Optimize Portfolio Performance: Drive continuous improvement in throughput, resource utilization, and delivery efficiency.

• Oversee Benefits Realization: Define, monitor, and report on KPIs, OKRs, and value metrics to ensure strategic outcomes are achieved.

• Orchestrate Resource Capacity Planning: Forecast, allocate, and adjust resources to meet portfolio demand and delivery timelines.

• Manage and Communicate Value, Risk, and Cost: Track portfolio performance, risks, and costs to ensure transparency and value realization.

• Oversee Strategic Programs: Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives using up-to-date and adaptive delivery models.

• Influence Stakeholders Across the Enterprise: Influence senior leaderships and initiatives owners to align with organization strategic objectives. Lead Product Owners, Digital Platform Owners, and Technology Leads to ensure cohesive execution.

Accountabilities:
 

Establish and Manage Intake Process

• Design and implement a standardized intake framework for portfolio initiatives.

• Ensure intake criteria align with strategic goals, business value, and feasibility.
   

Prioritize Portfolio Demand

• Apply prioritization models to assess initiatives.

• Facilitate and influence decision-making forums to align prioritization with enterprise strategy.
   

Define and Maintain Outcome-Oriented Portfolio Roadmap

• Develop a dynamic roadmap that reflects strategic objectives and adapts to change.

• Ensure visibility and traceability of initiatives from intake to delivery.
   

Optimize Portfolio Performance

• Monitor throughput, resource utilization, and delivery efficiency.

• Identify and remove bottlenecks to improve flow and value realization.
   

Oversee Benefits Realization

• Influence definition of KPIs, OKRs, and value metrics for initiatives.

• Track and report on benefits realization to ensure strategic outcomes are achieved.
   

Orchestrate Resource Capacity Planning

• Forecast and allocate resources based on demand and delivery timelines.

• Collaborate with delivery teams to adjust capacity as needed.
   

Manage Portfolio Value, Risk, and Cost

• Maintain transparency of portfolio performance, risks, and financials.

• Escalate risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
   

Lead Strategic Programs

• Oversee complex, cross-functional programs using traditional and adaptive delivery models.

• Ensure alignment with portfolio priorities and strategic outcomes.
   

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Maintain regular communication with stakeholders across business and technology.

• Ensure transparency of portfolio decisions, progress, and outcomes.
   

Risk and Dependency Management

• Identify and manage cross-portfolio risks and dependencies.

• Coordinate mitigation plans and contingency strategies.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Information Technology, Finance, or a related field.

• Preferred: Master’s degree or professional certification in Portfolio Management, Program Management, or Strategic Planning (e.g., PfMP, PMP, SAFe POPM, MoP).

• Certifications in Agile or Lean practices (e.g., SAFe, Scrum, Kanban) are highly desirable.

• 10–15 years of experience in portfolio and program management within large, complex enterprises.

• Proven ability in:

  • Influence executive decision-making

  • Establishing and managing intake and prioritization frameworks

  • Driving strategic alignment and value realization

  • Leading cross-functional programs and initiatives

  • Resource capacity planning and optimization

• Experience working with senior leadership and governance bodies to influence strategic decisions.

• Exceptional communication, executive presence, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Familiarity with portfolio management tools (e.g., Clarity, Planview, Jira Align, MS Project Online, Smartsheet).

• Strong understanding of financial management, including budgeting, cost tracking, and benefit realization.

Core Competencies and Skills:

• Strategic thinking and financial acumen.

• Executive presence and ability to influence at the highest levels.

• Leadership in organizational change and transformation.

• Ability to lead through ambiguity and drive enterprise alignment.

• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.

• Knowledge of risk management, dependency mapping, and scenario planning.
   

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 [email protected].

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