Business Continuity and Operational Resilience

The Business Continuity and Operational Resilience team leads the BCM and resilience strategy for the market, ensuring critical operations remain protected and regulatory requirements are met. The role is responsible for identifying and assessing critical business functions, developing and maintaining Business Continuity Plans (BCPs), and conducting scenario-based testing to validate preparedness. It also oversees third-party exit planning to mitigate external risks and maintain operational stability.

This position requires relevant experience in risk management and continuity planning, while supporting a flexible, inclusive work environment that fosters career growth and resilience excellence.

Position Responsibilities:

Vision and Strategy

• Execute a Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Operational Resilience strategy for Market to meet objectives set by enterprise standards and regulatory requirements.
• Lead and inspire multidisciplinary professionals with an Operational Resilience and Business Continuity remit to drive resilience outcomes.
• Continuously assess and refine BCM, resilience strategies and execution approach through rigorous analysis and feedback, leveraging metrics and insights from execution to make informed improvements.
• Manage relationships with cross-functional stakeholders to address issues, develop strategies, advocate for change, and implement solutions.
• Provide support to Line 1B in the areas of RCSA process, business continuity, critical service identification, third-party risk management, incident management, governance and oversight, data integrity, and availability of critical business services.

Critical Operations Identification, Assessment, and Improvements

• Working with the Ops team to perform a risk assessment activity by identifying key risks within Operations Dept, defining risk level, and reviewing the adequacy of relevant controls to mitigate the risks that might affect the Ops Dept.
• Assist Markets in leading, establishing, execution and management of operational resilience governance model and deliverables.
• Collaborate with Market teams to identify critical operations leveraging the enterprise approach.
• Continuously monitor internal and external factors to re-evaluate inventory of critical operations and associated actions required.
• Support the analysis of critical operations in Market including defining scope of critical operations, impact tolerance, end-to-end mapping of assets required for running of critical operations (people, location, technology, process, 3rd party), identify material points of failure, develop action plans to remediate vulnerabilities, and test readiness of critical operations through severe but plausible scenarios.
• Partner with Critical Operations owners, Operational Resilience Office, and enablement programs (Third Party Risk Management, Disaster Recovery, etc) to align, execute, and monitor progress on remediation actions.
• Assist in developing and delivering tracking, and monitoring KPIs and KRIs on Market’s Operational Resilience progress and posture.

Maintain Robust Business Continuity Plan

• Assist in leading and managing teams to develop and maintain Market’s Business Continuity Plans (BCP), improving completeness and quality of BCP for critical and non-critical processes.
• Support Market teams in the competition of Business Impact Analysis (BIA), ensuring the alignment of business and technology recovery objectives.
• Provide advice and guidance in formulating Business Continuity strategies based on business needs, industry trends and best practice.
• Ensuring BC strategies are implemented into BCPs.
• Facilitate and lead regular testing and exercises to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of BCPs.
• Ensure BCPs are reflective of Critical Operations considerations, where applicable, including impact tolerance and material points of failure.

Ensure Exit Plans for Critical Third Parties are Maintained and Tested

• Assist in leading and managing the validation of critical third parties for Market as part of critical operations analysis.
• Partner with third party relationship owners to develop and maintain exit plans for critical third parties.
• Conduct simulation exercise to ensure the feasibility and effectiveness of exit plans.

Required Qualifications:

• 5–10+ years in Operational Resilience and/or Business Continuity Management, covering the full BCM lifecycle.
• Experience in Insurance, Banking, or Asset Management; 2–5+ years in Operations management preferred.
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional programs under tight timelines.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Solid understanding of financial services regulations related to resilience and continuity.
• Skilled in scenario testing, process mapping, risk identification, and action planning.
• Detail-oriented in project tracking, reporting, and escalation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Good and effective communication at all levels of Business Units
• Ensure consistency and/or best practice in initiatives/ improvement execution in all business areas

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].