Hybrid Plan Implementation Manager

at Manulife

• Job title: Plan Implementation Manager
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Junior
• Salary: $60,375 - $100,625 per year
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Boston, United States

About the role

• Lead onboarding and project management for U.S. retirement plans at Manulife/John Hancock. Coordinate conversions, plan set-up, payroll, and stakeholder communications to ensure on-time go-live.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for overall project management and onboarding of new retirement accounts to the platform at Manulife/John Hancock.
• Manage the Sponsor and Advisor relationship experience as the plan transitions to Manulife Retirement John Hancock during the onboarding process.
• Ensure on-time and accurate requirements, customer experience delivery of plan set-up, payroll set-up and investment mapping of client assets.
• 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; influence and negotiate plan design selections to Manulife/John Hancock standard features and capabilities.
• Lead all project updates and communication with external and internal parties; document, socialize, and obtain leadership approvals for servicing of any non-standard features/capabilities.
• Create processes and controls for any approved non-standard features/capabilities; 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 for B2B and B2C processes.
• Assist with the final quality review in preparation for hand-off to ongoing service teams and ensure 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.
• Serve as a change leader, seek continuous improvement opportunities, and work to close process gaps.

Requirements

• 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.
• Knowledge of 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.
• 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: Bachelor's degree or Certifications in Retirement Compliance and Operations (preferred).

Benefits

• 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.
• Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.
• 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.
• Generous paid time off program in the U.S.: up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law), and the full range of statutory leaves of absence.
• Flexible environment, hybrid work arrangement (Boston office: Tues, Wed, Thurs in office, Mon–Fri work from home), and support for well-being and inclusion.
• Professional development, learning and growth opportunities.