About the Role

We are seeking a highly strategic and business-savvy AI Strategist to drive high-impact AI initiatives across our financial services enterprise. This role sits at the intersection of technology, data, AI and business, with a clear mandate to identify and implement AI opportunities that deliver productivity gains.

The ideal candidate brings management consulting experience and a strong ability to evaluate and translate AI opportunities into real business value. This individual will work across business units to assess existing processes, identify transformation opportunities, and evaluate new AI vendors and tools with a focus on ROI.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify & Quantify AI Opportunities: Work with business and technology stakeholders to analyze current-state processes and identify opportunities for AI-led automation, optimization, or innovation.
• Evaluate AI Vendors & Tools: Lead due diligence on emerging AI technologies and vendors. Assess fit, scalability, risk, and business case.
• Drive Business Cases & Strategy: Build compelling business cases with robust financial models to support AI investment decisions; align with senior leadership.
• Pilot and Scale Solutions: Partner with cross functional teams to design and execute pilots, then guide successful solutions toward enterprise rollout.
• Track Impact: Establish KPIs and track realized value (e.g., cost savings, productivity gains, risk reduction) across projects.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Act as a bridge between business, tech, and AI teams to ensure alignment and successful execution.
• Thought Leadership: Stay ahead of AI trends and contribute to enterprise strategy around responsible and high-impact AI adoption.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience, ideally with 2–5 years in top-tier management consulting.
• Proven experience in driving strategy, and transformation roles within large enterprises
• Exceptional understanding of AI, automation, data platforms, and how these intersect with business outcomes
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills—from C-suite to frontline teams
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and influencing without direct authority
• AI first mindset with a passion for practical AI use cases and a bias for action

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-WAM

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 recruitment@manulife.com.

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. 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. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

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 recruitment@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.