Assistant Vice President, Financial Crime Compliance

The Assistant Vice President, Financial Crime Compliance serves as the senior Financial Crime leader for a major business segment and is accountable for the effectiveness and continued maturation of the Financial Crime Compliance program across the businesses and legal entities within that segment. The role sets the segment Financial Crime agenda, advises senior leadership on risk and regulatory priorities, and ensures segment requirements are reflected in enterprise strategy, investment and decision-making.

This mandate extends beyond oversight. The incumbent leads the segment's Financial Crime transformation, strengthens governance and management information, addresses material data and control gaps, and drives alignment with enterprise standards. Success requires executive credibility, regulatory judgment and the ability to influence outcomes across businesses, functions and governance forums outside the role's direct reporting structure.

Position Responsibilities:

• Serve as the senior Financial Crime leader for the segment, providing senior leadership with clear advice and insight on Financial Crime risk, regulatory obligations, emerging threats and strategic priorities.
• Be accountable for the effectiveness and continued maturation of the Financial Crime Compliance program across segment businesses and legal entities, including governance, risk assessment, regulatory readiness, issue management and the delivery of sustainable program outcomes. Ensure material weaknesses are identified, prioritized and remediated, with clear ownership and transparent escalation where progress or residual risk is not acceptable.
• Set and drive the segment Financial Crime strategy, aligning business priorities and regulatory requirements with the global Financial Crime framework and modernization agenda.
• Participate as a senior member of relevant Compliance and segment leadership forums, contributing to business strategy, change priorities and risk decisions to ensure Financial Crime considerations are embedded at the point of decision.
• Maintain an integrated view of Financial Crime exposure, control effectiveness, regulatory developments and program performance, ensuring timely escalation and clear executive accountability.
• Act with appropriate authority to challenge business decisions, require timely remediation and escalate material Financial Crime concerns where risk acceptance, investment or delivery is not commensurate with the segment’s risk exposure or regulatory obligations.
• Ensure material Financial Crime risks, control limitations and remediation delays are subject to transparent governance, clearly documented ownership and appropriate risk acceptance or escalation at the relevant level of authority.
• Establish and mature Financial Crime governance, including meaningful management information, key risk indicators and reporting to local risk, governance and Board-level committees where applicable. Partner with the Global CAMLO Office to develop consistent measures that enable effective challenge, oversight and decision-making.
• Lead remediation of Financial Crime data, governance and control weaknesses. Partner with Data, Technology, Risk and business teams to improve data quality, ownership, lineage and controls, and drive alignment with the enterprise Data Risk standard.
• Define and implement the segment Financial Crime target operating model in partnership with Compliance and other key functions, clarifying roles, accountabilities, decision rights and interfaces across global, segment and business teams.
• Lead implementation of the segment Financial Crime transformation agenda, including changes to governance, operating models, processes, data, technology and analytics. Drive adoption, resolve cross-functional barriers and hold stakeholders accountable for delivery of sustainable outcomes.
• Assess the capacity, capability and investment required to sustain an effective Financial Crime program, establish clear priorities and provide evidence-based recommendations on resources, technology and remediation sequencing to senior leadership.
• Lead regulatory engagement and oversee examinations, inquiries and remediation, providing credible representation of the program's risk posture, priorities and progress.
• Represent segment regulatory and business requirements in enterprise governance forums and global Financial Crime initiatives, influencing decisions and investment priorities that affect the segment.
• Maintain an informed view of the external Financial Crime threat and regulatory environment through appropriate engagement with regulators, industry bodies and peer networks, translating developments into timely action for the segment and the enterprise.
• Build effective relationships across business, Compliance, Risk, Legal, Audit, Data and Technology, using influence rather than direct authority to align competing priorities and deliver outcomes.
• Build and lead a high-performing Financial Crime capability for the segment, setting clear accountabilities, developing specialist expertise and succession, and ensuring the operating model has the capacity and skills required to meet current and emerging obligations.
• Provide clear, decision-oriented reporting and recommendations to senior management and governance committees on risk, program effectiveness, transformation progress and matters requiring action.

Required Qualifications:

• Significant Financial Crime Compliance leadership experience in a large insurance, banking, wealth, asset management or diversified financial services organization.
• Deep expertise across AML, sanctions, fraud, anti-bribery and corruption, and broader Financial Crime Compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated experience leading a material Financial Crime mandate across multiple businesses or legal entities, with accountability for senior stakeholder engagement, regulatory outcomes, transformation delivery and the development of specialist teams.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives, engaging regulators and presenting to governance and Board-level committees in highly regulated environments.
• Proven ability to set strategy, lead transformation and drive outcomes across complex matrix organizations without direct reporting authority.
• Strong understanding of Financial Crime governance, management information, data risk, control frameworks and regulatory remediation.
• Exceptional judgment, executive presence, communication and stakeholder influence. Professional certifications such as CAMS, CFCS, CGSS, CFE, ICA or similar are considered an asset.

Location: Boston, MA (Hybrid). This role is designated as a hybrid position and requires regular in-office presence at the Boston office.

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.

#LI-Hybrid

#LI-JH

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 [email protected].

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

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 [email protected] for the salary range for your location.

Manulife/John Hancock 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/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in the U.S. includes up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence.

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