Alternative Investment Operations Director – Derivatives Services

Alternative Investment Operations Director – Derivatives Services Manulife Quezon City, National Capital Region, Philippines Reporting directly to the GBS Service Delivery Head for Retail, Wealth, Alternatives, and Fund Services Operations, the Alternative Investment Operations Director – Derivatives Services is primarily responsible for leading the Derivatives Operations, Support and Solutions teams supporting Asia, North America, and the UK, ensuring timely, accurate, and effective delivery of services that are in scope. The role also oversees the Securities Lending function for GWAM. Position Responsibilities Provide functional oversight to continuously enable the Derivative Services teams to efficiently deliver on change initiatives while consistently delivering high‑quality BAU services for both the General Accounts and Asset Management businesses. Transformation and change management: Drive strategic initiatives to deliver risk‑averse scalability, transparency, and synergistic alignment across the function. Drive the sharing of best practices, fostering collaboration and innovation across the teams within the group. Provide senior management support with a focus on ramping up efforts to digitize governance and oversight models within the function, while interfacing with key business‑unit decision makers. Partner with the business to execute key transformation strategies, including process reviews, business‑case development, and program execution. Champion and foster an innovation culture by encouraging teams to step outside their comfort zone and providing support through obstacles. Operational risk: Manage and mitigate operational risk and ensure issues are escalated and resolved in a timely and effective manner. Validate the accuracy of operational risk heat maps and other risk assessments. Collaborate with local and segment risk functions to ensure effective cascading and communication of risk awareness and management practices. Drive periodic scenario‑based tabletop exercises for business continuity planning to prevent service disruption. Ensure timely and effective closure of audit points. Service delivery: Ensure customer‑centered outcomes by enabling feedback channels to align expectations and priorities. Define and refresh service‑level standards across the domain, managing delivery and reporting of KRIs and KPIs as per SLAs and schedules. Effectively manage direct and indirect costs, providing cost transparency to finance and business units as needed. Oversee annual business planning and business‑unit goal‑setting efforts. Ensure teams contribute proactively to the development of overall procedures and policies in line with subordinate leadership. Deliver accurate and timely information for performance and risk reporting, dashboards, and governance metrics. Lead successful transitions of work toward a global shared‑services operation model that is scalable and efficient. Leadership: Manage a growing team with responsibility for hiring, compensation, promotion, and performance management. Develop group capability through training, coaching, and succession planning. Foster career progression by promoting talent and supporting internal mobility. Engage teams through recognition, feedback, and respectful treatment of all members. Champion diversity and ensure inclusive recruitment practices. Preferred Qualifications University degree in accounting, finance, or business management; recognized investment, finance, or accounting designation preferred. Minimum 5+ years in a senior role leading and developing global operations or large teams across multiple geographies/time zones; experience in a shared‑services environment is an advantage. Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in financial services, with a strong focus on derivatives operations, collateral management, clearing, and trade support. Industry certifications such as CAIA, CFA, or FRM are a plus. Experience managing operational budgets, covering discretionary spend and fixed costs. Extensive knowledge of derivative products (swaps, options, futures, forwards) and their accounting, trading platforms, custody records, and SWIFT messages. Broad knowledge of life insurance and asset‑management businesses, audit methodologies, control frameworks, and risk‑management techniques. Commitment to continuous professional development and participation in industry organizations. Innovative thinker capable of negotiating, influencing, and challenging the status quo to improve processes. Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills for complex financial issues. Familiarity with project‑management approaches and continuous‑improvement projects. Adaptability to ambiguous environments and fast‑paced change with aggressive timelines. Flexible working hours, if required to meet business deadlines. Experience working across multiple geographies and time zones with strong communication and influence skills within a matrix organization. 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 words. As part of a global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see. Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Manulife by 2x. #J-18808-Ljbffr