Manulife Financial

Director, Global Communications

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Director, Global Communications


Description

The Director, Global Communications develops and leads strategic communications for the People & Communications portfolio, ensuring messaging supports enterprise priorities, organizational change, and colleague engagement. The role provides senior counsel, shapes integrated communications plans, and delivers clear, high-impact content that strengthens understanding, alignment, and confidence across people, culture, and AI-enabled transformation initiatives. This role reports to the AVP, Global Communications, who has communications oversight for the People & Communications and AI functions.


Core Responsibilities

  • Lead strategic communications for the People & Communications portfolio, aligned to enterprise priorities and Manulife’s Winning Team & Culture agenda.

  • Provide senior counsel to People leaders and cross-functional partners on culture, performance, compensation, colleague experience, leadership communications, and enterprise priorities.

  • Develop integrated communications strategies, messaging, and plans that connect people priorities to business strategy and colleague experience.

  • Translate complex or sensitive topics into clear, practical communications for colleagues, leaders, and people managers.

  • Support communications for People & Communications-related AI initiatives, ensuring messaging is responsible, clear, and aligned with enterprise guidance.

  • Lead development of communications deliverables across channels, including leader updates, editorial content, presentations, FAQs, and event materials.

  • Lead communications support for key events and leadership forums, including strategy, content development, and end-to-end execution.

  • Manage priorities, timelines, stakeholder input, and approvals across Communications, People, Legal, Privacy, Risk, and other partners.

  • Ensure communications are high quality, audience-centered, and consistent with enterprise messaging and tone.

  • Monitor colleague feedback and organizational context to identify communications risks, gaps, and opportunities.

  • Recommend approaches that improve clarity, sequencing, leadership readiness, and colleague engagement.

  • Contribute to continuous improvement in how Communications supports the People agenda and broader enterprise transformation.


Decision-Making Scope

Owns independently

  • Communications strategies, plans, and messaging within approved business direction and enterprise frameworks.

  • Day-to-day prioritization and execution across the People & Communications communications portfolio

  • Development of communications materials and channel recommendations for assigned initiatives.

  • Stakeholder coordination, review management, and communications advice on routine and moderately complex issues.

Qualifications

  • 8+ years of experience in corporate communications, employee communications, public affairs, or a related field, with demonstrated success supporting senior leaders and enterprise priorities.

  • Strong strategic communications and writing skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear, compelling messages for different audiences.

  • Experience advising leaders on organizational change, culture, employee experience, or transformation-related communications.

  • Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.

  • Strong judgment and discretion in handling sensitive or high-visibility communications.

  • Experience working across functions such as Communications, People, Legal, Privacy, and Risk to drive alignment and approvals.

  • Familiarity with AI, digital tools, or enterprise transformation initiatives, with the ability to communicate change in a grounded and responsible way.

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

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.