Director, Product Owner (Retail Wealth Platform)

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

Role Summary:

The Director, Product Owner, Retail Wealth Platform is responsible for delivering on the Dealer Wealth Platform strategy, digital experiences, tools and capabilities. This role will partner jointly with Wealth Platform teams, Digital Business Technology Services (DBTS), as well as working closely with Advisors, Client Experience Office (CXO), third party vendors and other Sun Life business units / functions. This role oversees multiple squads to deliver target business capabilities in partnership with a corresponding Wealth Platform IT Lead. They will live Agile values and push the teams to do the same. This role will ensure that each team member is driving in the right direction across persistent teams. The incumbent will have a strong understanding of the wealth industry, including regulatory, technological, and competitive trends. 

What will you do?

• Execute on the established wealth platform vision and supporting strategy that will deliver target business outcomes

• Continuously delivers Platform work towards achieving wealth platform OKRs and generate insights to ensure persistent teams are progressing towards OKRs

• Provide guidance to enable teams in developing strategies and solutions that deliver on business outcomes

• Develop clearly defined metrics, and prioritization framework aligned with executive input and direction, to evaluate success and continuous, measurable improvement.

• Identify and collaborate with areas of the business impacted by Platform initiatives ensuring seamless implementation

• Proactively stay in touch with internal partners to maintain an understanding of new developments in their areas and identify opportunities for collaboration

• Manage third party vendor relationships ensuring we are abreast of new developments and aligned in roadmap delivery of capabilities

• Provide leadership, motivation, guidance and coaching to business platform teams, in particular Product Owners on behalf of the Retail Wealth business.   

What do you need to succeed?

Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of wealth distribution (IIROC/MFDA), with 5+ years implementation experience delivering in sales, distribution technology or financial services technology systems and platforms

• Best-in-class digital experience and knowledge, with an understanding of Agile and Design principals

• Demonstrate knowledge of technology platforms or ability to learn about technology and digital products, experience working on technical products is a plus

• Ability to make connections and identify integration points between the Client Journeys, IT or Wealth Platforms and the rest of the business.

• Experienced in facilitating agile ceremonies, managing a backlog/release plan, tracking team level metrics, removing blockers

• Scrum Alliance Product Owner certification

• Demonstrated leadership in coordinating the delivery of initiatives and working within a matrix organization

• Experience in managing and working with third party vendors to build and deliver platform solutions and capabilities

General Skills:

• Energy, enthusiasm, commitment, courage and entrepreneurial excitement, with a desire for ownership

• Ability to inspire teams at all levels, building momentum around a vision

• Superior strategic and tactical thinking ability, combined with a strong business sense to challenge the status-quo

• The capability to develop and articulate reliable plans and link them to functional and business financial plans

• The ability to build an environment where the organization and its people learn naturally from experiences and look for ways to apply their learning to benefit the organization

• The ability to effectively influence people of all levels, including senior leadership in a fast-moving environment; A desire to commit to and get things done

• Great organizational skills, with excellent planning and time management skills

• As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada or worldwide.

Leadership Competencies

• Possess growth mindset and passion to challenge the status quo, find new solutions and drive out-of-the-box ideas

• Believe in a non-hierarchical culture of collaboration, transparency, safety, and trust

• Not afraid to “roll up the sleeves” and seeks to go outside comfort zone to learn, pushing teams to do the same

• Empower self and others to fail, learn, and grow

• Encourage an experimental mindset to drive innovation

• Highly collaborative and ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment professionally and positively

• Anticipating customers' need and designing, promoting or supporting the delivery of products and services that exceed customer expectations

• Effectively dealing with work related problems, pressure, and stress in a professional and positive manner

Education:

• Completion of IFIC and/or CSC courses, or to be completed within 12 months after the start date.

What’s in it for you?

• We are proud to be on the 2024 Best Workplaces in Canada list by Great Place to Work.

• We’re also listed as one of the Best Workplaces for Women and Best Workplaces with Most Trusted Executive Teams.

• In 2024, Sun Life ranked among the top 100 most sustainable global corporations by Corporate Knights for the 15th consecutive year, leading Canadian insurers.

• A caring, supportive, and inclusive culture

• Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family

• Care Days available for self-care or care of others (i.e., family or others you may support) and Sick Days to support your well-being.

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted.  It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors.  In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance.  Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results. 

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process or those needing job postings in an alternative format may e-mail a request to thebrightside@sunlife.com.

At Sun Life we strive to create a flexible work environment where our employees are empowered to do their best work. Several flexible work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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