Manager, Strategic Initiatives (Toronto, ON, CA)

Permanent Full Time 

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Sponsor Services plays a critical role in supporting the plan sponsor and advisor experience across the lifecycle of a workplace benefits plan—from implementation and ongoing administration to service, issue resolution and continuous improvement. The Strategic Enablement team supports Sponsor Services by helping teams improve how work gets done, deliver on business priorities, and implement practical solutions that enhance the customer, advisor and employee experience.

We are looking for a Manager, Strategic Initiatives, to join our Strategic Enablement team. In this role, you will be accountable for leading Project Managers, Change Specialists and Business Analysts to deliver a portfolio of initiatives that support Sponsor Services priorities.

The role provides delivery oversight, prioritization, coaching and stakeholder leadership to ensure solutions are delivered on time, aligned to business needs, and implemented with strong adoption and operational readiness.

What you will do

• Lead, coach and develop a multidisciplinary project delivery team, setting clear expectations for performance, behaviours and outcomes.
• Oversee a portfolio of initiatives, ensuring work is prioritized, resourced, planned and delivered against agreed timelines and outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders and sponsors to clarify needs, shape scope, support decisions and align delivery to Sponsor Services priorities.
• Establish delivery governance, reporting routines and escalation paths to support transparency, accountability and timely decision-making.
• Manage team capacity, dependencies, risks and issues across competing priorities and emerging work.
• Ensure change management, communication, training and operational readiness are embedded throughout delivery.
• Promote consistent delivery practices and a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

Leadership expectations

• Bring clarity, structure and sound judgment to complex, cross-functional work.
• Build trusted relationships with leaders, sponsors and enabling partners.
• Create an environment where team members understand priorities, feel supported and grow their capabilities.

What you will bring

• Progressive experience leading teams in project delivery, business transformation, operations enablement, change management, business analysis or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a portfolio of initiatives and make effective trade-offs across priorities, resources and dependencies.
• Strong people leadership, stakeholder management, communication, facilitation and decision-making skills.
• Strong understanding of project management, delivery governance, risk and issue management, change management and implementation readiness.
• Experience in financial services, insurance, workplace benefits or operations would be an asset.
• Post-secondary education or equivalent experience; relevant project, change, Lean Six Sigma or business analysis certification would be an asset.
• Reliability Status Security Clearance – this can only be completed with candidates who receive an offer of employment. This is a personal security status that is required as a condition of employment before an employee can gain access to Protected B information, assets or work sites as outlined by the Government of Canada  website.  The cost of submitting these checks will be covered by Canada Life.  
• As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism is an asset (fluent in French and English) but is required for Quebec only as the position will regularly serve our clients with French and English-speaking needs.  

What success looks like

• Initiatives are delivered on time, with clear visibility into scope, status, risks and decisions.
• Business partners experience delivery as organized, transparent and outcome-focused.
• Team capacity is aligned to the highest-value Sponsor Services priorities.
• Solutions are implemented with strong adoption, operational readiness and measurable business value.

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The base salary for this position is between $90,400 - $140,400 annually. This represents base salary only and does not represent other variable compensation components of our total compensation ( i.e. annual bonus, commission etc). If you are selected to move forward in our recruitment process, your recruiter will be able to discuss additional details of our total rewards program with you.

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Grow with Canada Life 

We’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. Our company is trusted by 1 in 3 Canadians and contributes to the strength of communities across the country.  

We’re looking for people who live our values everyday: we step up, we do the right thing, and we deliver – for our customers, communities and each other. Are you someone who always strives to do the right thing, who steps up for themselves and others, and who delivers with impact? Then we want to hear from you! 

What we offer:  

We’re committed to supporting our employees through every stage of their career. Here’s what you can expect as a full-time or part-time permanent team member: 

• Career Development: Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to $2,000 annually towards education reimbursement. 

• Health & Wellness: Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being. 

• Time Off: In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.  

• Financial Security: Company-matching pension plan, share ownership program and additional investment options. 

• Rewards and Recognition: Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!  
• Emphasis on Community: We provide a workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.  

Learn more about Canada Life.  

We’re committed to removing barriers and ensuring equal access to employment. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact  [email protected]. All information provided will be handled in accordance with applicable laws and Canada Life policies.  

Canada Life would like to thank all applicants, however only those who qualify for an interview will be contacted. 

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