Plan Implementation Manager

This role represents an opportunity to be at the forefront of transformation, innovation and service excellence for our U.S. Retirement business. You will help to shape a new retirement recordkeeping and trust operations ecosystem including the complimentary tenets of people, process, technology and data. You will be instrumental in evolving a new culture focused on efficiently implementing and servicing new retirement business, transforming and growing our U.S. Retirement business, while maintaining our reputation for service excellence.

The Plan Implementation Manager (PIM) will apply their knowledge, experience, and understanding of U.S. retirement regulations, products, systems and operational onboarding, ongoing service process, and operational controls to support and deliver a best-in-class customer and internal user experience. The PIM is accountable for overall project management and onboarding of new retirement accounts to the platform at Manulife/John Hancock. The PIM will also be accountable for other business-to-business tasks and accountabilities supporting end-to-end servicing including, record keeping services and trust and investment services for US Retirement plans.

The PIM will manage the Sponsor and Advisor relationship experience as the plan transitions to Manulife Retirement John Hancock during the onboarding process. The PIM will ensure on-time and accurate requirements, customer experience delivery of plan set-up, payroll set-up and investment mapping of client assets. Additional responsibilities to manage ongoing service delivery and internal controls will also apply.

The PIM will primarily coordinate internally with our data, payroll, ERISA, sales, and relationship teams. Additional coordination with specialty teams may be required on as needed basis. This is to ensure the proper transition consultation, ensures key milestones are completed on time, and will work alongside other team specialty members to ensure that conversion data, payroll set-up and plan set-up is completed with a high degree of accuracy. Success will be measured externally by net promoter score results at time of go-live and within a warranty period after going live. Internally, success will be measured by the efficiency and effectiveness of servicing the plan after go-live.

This is a Hybrid work arrangement in the Boston office (Tues, Wed, Thurs in office, Mon – Fri work from home).

Position Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain new relationships throughout the entire post-sale implementation process and go-live post implementation process.
• Build and maintain new relationships throughout the entire ongoing service period and the Plan Amendment process.
• Handle a full caseload of any size cases with varying complexities, managing different conversion options, and supporting the products and features as outlined in the product catalog.
• Participate in Plan Specifications meetings and ensure the Plan Specifications document is signed for plan set-up.
• Expertise influencing and negotiating plan design selections to Manulife/John Hancock standard features and capabilities. This includes aligning customer experience to best in class process capabilities.
• Lead all project updates and communication with external and internal parties.
• Documenting, socializing, and obtaining leadership approvals for servicing of any non-standard features/capabilities or client requested personalized/custom or manual business processes.
• Creating processes and controls for any approved non-standard features/capabilities or client requested personalized/custom or manual business processes. Must have completed and risk approved before go-live.
• Deliver required communications and documentation to the client, drafting or amending appropriately when needed.
• Support Technical calls to review data integrity and analysis with Plan Sponsors, Financial Advisors, and TPAs.
• Review web testing scenarios and testing results from the Plan set-up team for B2B and B2C processes.
• Assist with the final quality review in preparation for hand-off to ongoing service teams.
• Ensuring complete and accurate indexing of all project documentation in related CRM and Indexing tools.
• Provide oversight and ownership of the processing of large financial transactions.
• Identify and support training and developmental needs of the department.
• Support, facilitate, and influence process improvement initiatives and strategies including work on small- and large-scale projects.
• Serve as a change leader, seek continuous improvement opportunities, and work to close process gaps.

Required Qualifications:

• 1 - 3 years of experience as a Plan Implementation Manager or a similar role.
• Experience working with the FIS Omni Recordkeeping Platform including the business to business and business to customer scope of services (highly desirable).
• Flexibility, adaptability, agility, and the capability to innovate and evolve while working through ambiguities associated with new processes, new system, and new products.
• Firm understanding of U.S. Retirement marketplace and Plan Provider Services including but not limited to: recordkeeping / trust, custody and investment operations. The surrounding ecosystem supporting Advisor, Sponsor, Participant and TPA digital, web, mobile channels.
• Expertise in one or more of the following end-to-end processes: presales thru sold business, plan onboarding, participant enrollment, payroll and eligibility services, money in motion, distribution processing, plan compliance services, and global cash and trade reconciliation.

• Experience in the U.S. marketplace as a Plan Implementation Manager and or Ongoing Service Delivery leader.
• Proven knowledge of U.S. Retirement regulations and operations.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills (verbal and written).
• Ability to build and maintain relationships while focusing on professionalism.
• Excellent knowledge of workflows, procedures and the functionalities, complexities, and limitations of our systems.
• Expert problem solving, analytical, judgment and decision-making skills.
• Ability to effectively articulate processes and procedures.
• Effective time management and ability to multi-task, organize, and prioritize.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or Certifications in Retirement Compliance and Operations preferred.

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.

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/John Hancock 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/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in the U.S. includes up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence.

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