Head of Marketing Strategic Planning & Transformation

Manulife Financial · Singapore

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The Head of Marketing Strategic Planning & Transformation is responsible for shaping and translating the Singapore Marketing ambition into an integrated strategy, annual plan and executable transformation roadmap.

You will lead strategic and transformational priorities from opportunity sizing and business case development through governance, execution tracking and benefits realisation.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity to strengthen how Marketing operates, mobilise cross-functional teams and deliver sustainable growth, customer impact, operational efficiency and measurable commercial value

Position Responsibilities

Marketing Strategy and Enterprise Planning

• Develop and refresh the Singapore Marketing strategy in partnership with the CMO and Marketing HoDs, ensuring alignment with Singapore RISE strategy and business priorities and relevant regional or global mandates.
• Translate strategic choices into a clear portfolio of priorities, multi-year roadmaps, annual plans, milestones, owners and success measures.
• Identify and size emerging growth opportunities, customer needs and capability gaps, and convert insights into practical strategic recommendations and initiatives.
• Support the CMO on market developments, new ways of working, investment choices and required pivots.
• Connect priorities across Marketing functions to ensure coherent customer journeys, consistent execution and clear line of sight to business outcomes.

Transformation and Operating Model

• Lead the Marketing transformation agenda, including operating model evolution, capability building, process redesign, adoption of new technologies and implementation of high-impact mandates.
• Establish a shared transformation vision and mobilise leaders and teams around new ways of working, stronger collaboration and disciplined execution.
• Design and embed fit-for-purpose governance, decision rights, forums and delivery cadences that improve speed, accountability and transparency.
• Partner with functional leaders to identify dependencies, remove delivery barriers, manage change impacts and sustain adoption.
• Champion a customer-centric, AI-led, data-informed and commercially accountable culture across Marketing.

Strategic Portfolio and Execution Governance

• Oversee the portfolio of strategic and transformational initiatives, ensuring business cases, scope, outcomes, key performance indicators, delivery plans and resource requirements are clearly defined.
• Lead regular portfolio reviews to track progress, risks, dependencies, decisions and benefits, and escalate issues requiring leadership action.
• Drive cross-functional squads or project teams for net-new priorities that require coordinated delivery across business and functional areas.
• Create concise executive updates on progress, results, areas of attention and recommended actions for Marketing and business leadership forums.
• Orchestrate leadership agendas and planning forums to support timely decisions and maintain transformation momentum.

Financial Planning, Investment and Performance Management

• Lead the annual strategic planning and budget process for Marketing in partnership with Finance and Marketing leaders.
• Support prioritisation of investments based on strategic fit, customer and commercial value, delivery feasibility and expected return.
• Monitor actual expenditure, forecasts and financial or non-financial performance, and provide insights to support timely decisions and portfolio reallocation.
• Embed benefits tracking against investment costs and agreed outcomes, improving transparency of value creation and return on marketing investment.
• Drive strategic cost management and operational efficiency while protecting priority growth and customer outcomes.

Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement and Team Excellence

• Build trusted relationships with local, regional and global stakeholders across Distribution, Product, Operations, Technology, Finance, Human Resources and other relevant functions.
• Influence senior leaders and align differing priorities through structured problem solving, fact-based recommendations and clear communication.
• Support the CMO in the effective operation of the CMO Office, including strategic coordination, governance, leadership communications and selected team priorities.
• Develop, coach and guide team members and project resources, creating clarity of purpose, high standards and strong ownership.
• Role-model Manulife values and promote an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing Marketing culture

Required Qualifications

• Strong business and commercial acumen, with the ability to connect customer and marketing strategy to enterprise growth and financial outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience in corporate, business or marketing strategy, strategic planning, transformation, portfolio management or management consulting.
• Advanced analytical and structured problem-solving capability, including opportunity sizing, business case development and data-informed decision making.
• Strong programme and project leadership discipline, with experience establishing governance, managing complex dependencies and driving execution through others.
• Excellent executive stakeholder management, influencing and facilitation skills across local, regional and global environments.
• Outstanding written, verbal and presentation skills, with the ability to simplify complexity and communicate precise, compelling messages.
• Effective change leader who can build shared purpose, navigate ambiguity, challenge constructively and overcome resistance or functional silos.
• Collaborative, self-directed and resilient, with strong judgement, attention to detail and the ability to deliver under tight timelines.
• Graduate degree in business, marketing, finance or a related discipline; a postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
• 15 or more years of relevant experience, including substantial exposure to strategy, planning and transformation in a complex organisation.
• Proven track record of partnering with senior executives and leading cross-functional strategic initiatives from concept through execution and benefits tracking.
• Excellent written and spoken English; an additional Asian language is advantageous.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a top-tier strategy consulting environment and/or a leading multinational financial services or life insurance organisation is advantageous.

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 hr@manulife.com.

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