Alternative Investment Operations Director – Derivatives Services

Alternative Investment Operations Director – Derivatives Services serves under the GBS Service Delivery Head for Retail, Wealth, Alternatives, and Fund Services Operations. This role leads the Derivatives Operations, Support and Solutions teams supporting Asia, North America, and UK to ensure timely, accurate, and effective delivery of in-scope services. The role also oversees the Securities Lending function for GWAM.

Working Arrangement: Hybrid

• Provide functional oversight to enable the Derivative Services teams to efficiently deliver on change initiatives, while maintaining high-quality, BAU services for both the General Accounts and Asset Management businesses.
• Key components of functional oversight include (but are not limited to):
  • Transformation and change management
  • 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 digitizing governance and oversight models within the function, interfacing with key Business Unit decision makers.
    • In partnership with the business, accountable for execution on key transformation strategies, including strategic reviews of existing processes, submitting business cases for prioritization, and ensuring smooth execution of active transformation programs.
    • Champion and foster an innovation culture by encouraging teams to step outside their comfort zone and support them through obstacles.
  Operational Risk
  • Manage and mitigate operational risk and ensure issues are escalated and resolved timely and effectively.
  • Validate the accuracy of operational risk heat maps and other risk assessments.
  • Collaborate with local and segment risk functions; ensure effective cascade and communication of operational risk awareness and management practices.
  • Drive periodic scenario-based tabletop exercises for business continuity planning to prevent service disruption.
  • Accountable for timely and effective closure of audit points.
  Service Delivery
  • Ensure customer-centered outcomes and enable feedback channels to the business to align expectations and priorities.
  • Define and refresh service level standards across the domain and manage the delivery and reporting of KRIs and KPIs as defined in SLAs and the Schedule of Services.
  • Effectively manage direct and indirect costs; provide cost transparency to Finance and Business Units as needed.
  • Oversee annual business planning and business unit goal setting.
  • Ensure teams contribute to development of procedures and policies adhered to by subordinate leaders/teams.
  • Deliver timely/accurate information for performance and risk reporting, business dashboards, governance reporting, and other decision-making metrics.
  • Ensure successful transitions of work toward a global shared services model that is scalable and efficient.
  Leadership
  • Manage a growing team with responsibility for hiring, compensation, promotion, and performance management.
  • Develop capability and functional expertise through training, coaching/mentoring, succession planning, and mobility support.
  • Foster career progression and succession planning to enable internal mobility.
  • Engage teams with recognition and feedback, treating all members with dignity and respect.
  • Embrace and champion diversity; ensure recruitment and selection practices reflect diverse candidates and talent pipelines.
  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/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 focus on Derivatives operations, collateral management, clearing and trade support.
  • Industry certification such as CAIA, CFA, or FRM is a plus.
  • Experience forecasting and tracking operational budgets, covering discretionary spend and fixed costs.
  • Extensive knowledge of derivatives products (Swaps, Options, Futures, Forwards, etc.) and how they are accounted for in investment book of records, trading platforms, custody records, and SWIFT messages.
  • Broad knowledge of life insurance and asset management businesses, audit methodologies, control frameworks, and risk management techniques.
  • Ongoing professional development through publications, networks, and organizations to stay current in job knowledge.
  • Innovative thinker with ability to negotiate, influence, and challenge the status quo to improve processes across cultures and geographies.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to handle complex financial issues.
  • Familiarity with project management approaches and lifecycle phases for continuous improvement projects.
  • Ability to work in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment and manage time and workload against aggressive timelines.
  • Flexibility on shift and working hours as required to meet deadlines.
  • Experience working in a broad matrix organization; ability to influence across cultures, geographies, and senior leadership.
  • Experience working across multiple geographies and time zones; strong interpersonal and communication skills.
  About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider. For more information, visit the official site. Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement, and compensation without discrimination on protected characteristics. A Human Resources representative can assist with reasonable accommodations during the application process ( ).