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About the Role

The Portfolio Manager is a key leadership role within the PPO team, proactively managing a subset of projects from the Book of Work. This role requires a strong command of traditional waterfall methodologies for structured project execution, as well as SAFe Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) practices to align agile delivery with enterprise strategy. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between legacy project governance and modern agile frameworks, ensuring value delivery across the organization. The Portfolio team consists of three portfolio managers overseeing four portfolios in Japan. This role offers the opportunity to be a cornerstone member of a project management office at the forefront of a scaled-agile transformation, shaping how projects and programs are prioritized, governed, and delivered.

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end portfolio management process using both Waterfall and SAFe LPM frameworks for one of the four portfolios in MLJ.
Align portfolio initiatives with business strategy, ensuring optimal resource allocation and value delivery.
Connect strategic level objectives to project OKRs.
Facilitate portfolio-level planning, budgeting, and forecasting (including Quarterly Increment Planning -- QIP).
Monitor and report on portfolio performance, using OKRs and metrics to drive continuous improvement.
Be a leader in the ongoing CDF transformation, championing CDF/Agile methodologies at the project and portfolio level.
Connect directly to leadership to proactively manage the portfolio (LT/AVP/Director level) linking to technology resource and capacity.
Actively plan the next years BoW as part of the yearly budgeting/planning cycle.
Take full ownership of the portfolio (one of four total portfolios comprising 50M+ USD in yearly spend).
Support business case development for initiatives within the portfolio ensuring correct linkage to strategic level OKRs/Objectives.
Work with business sponsors and project managers to have the business case progressed.
Run monthly update meetings with business teams and technology teams to ensure full transparency of the portfolio with all stakeholders.
Support the development of PowerBI enabled portfolio level reporting.
Own and run the quarterly portfolio planning session (called QIP) to actively manage the portfolio backlog.
Confirm current quarter results and plan next quarter plans.
Work closely with delivery teams and business stakeholders using SAFe LPM techniques.
Work with the other portfolio managers and PMO team to help mature the portfolio function.
Move from reactive reporting to a proactive change mindset and drive delivery of strategic objectives.
Develop new tools, reports, processes to better develop the portfolio function.
Enable and support business executives to be more engaged in the active management of the portfolio.
Liaise with the governance team, strategy team, and regional teams to maintain alignment within current processes and governance (but suggesting where changes can be made if needed).
Be at the forefront of the yearly project planning process (BoW).
Establish short and long-range roadmaps of business roadmaps.
Track ongoing progress of inflight and pipeline projects and monitor potential impacts to the following years planning cycle.
Champion CDF (lean-agile and SAFe LPM) methods and mindset.
Support the on-going CDF transformation in Manulife.
Implement CDF techniques into the portfolio management function.
Coach stakeholders, especially senior managers and executives in how CDF can improve the portfolio delivery.

Requirements

University degree or similar
5+ years experience in either a project delivery function or a PMO function
3+ years in the insurance industry (Life Insurance or Financial Institutions preferred)
3+ years in managing teams of people, either direct reporting or through projects
Hands-on experience in project delivery and/or strategic planning of projects
Solid understanding of the Waterfall and Agile methods of delivery
PMP, Prince2, Agile, SAFe or other project related certification is required.
Excellent communications across multiple stakeholders including leadership and delivery teams with a broad understanding of short and long term objectives and motivations.
Ability to grow and evolve with the role and direct and drive this growth proactively.
Understanding what is a priority, controlling your own workload, and dealing with ambiguity is key.
Must be able to self-manage and act with little supervision.
Detail orientated. An ability to track and follow multiple projects and ensure that all are progressing to plan and conforming to standards.
Tracking details in either excel, SharePoint, confluence, Kanban boards, or other tracking tools is required.
Self-motivated, confident and willing to take ownership of the portfolio.
Ability to successfully manage interaction with internal stakeholders with professionalism and collaboration.
Act as a coach and trusted advisor to stakeholders.
Ability to think and creatively work around traditional roadblocks.
Bilingual (business level) in Japanese & English is required.

Skills

Waterfall methodologies
SAFe Lean Portfolio Management (LPM)
Project management
Agile frameworks
Lean-agile
PowerBI
Planview (or other PMM system)
Leadership
Diplomatic skills
Motivational skills
Reporting
Presentation creation

Location

Japan

Work Type

Hybrid

Experience Level

5+ years experience in either a project delivery function or a PMO function
3+ years in the insurance industry
3+ years in managing teams of people

Education Level

University degree or similar
PMP, Prince2, Agile, SAFe or other project related certification

About the Company

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better.
Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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.
We're Manulife. And we're on a mission to make decisions easier and lives better.
Better is what drives us. It’s what inspires us to find new ways to support customers and colleagues in living longer and healthier lives.
It’s the reason we’re dedicated to investing in digital innovation and accelerating a sustainable and economically inclusive future.
Joining us means you’ll be empowered to learn and grow your career.
We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
And as part of our global team, you’ll help shape the future you want to see – and discover that better can take you anywhere you want to go.
We’re proud of our accomplishments and recognitions.
Recent awards include: 2024 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award Winner Manulife Named one of Forbes World’s Best Employers 2023 Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2023 We’ve been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024) Manulife included in Bloomberg’s 2023 Gender-Equality Index
Our ambition is to be the most digital, customer-centric global company in our industry. Learn more at https://www.manulife.com/.

Equal Opportunity

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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.