The Technical Program Manager (TPM) leads the end-to-end delivery and ongoing optimization of strategic technology initiatives across New Business and Underwriting. This role partners with business leaders, product owners, underwriters, operations, architecture, engineering, data, quality engineering, risk, and external vendors to translate business priorities into executable roadmaps. The TPM coordinates delivery across the application journey, from intake and evidence collection through risk assessment, case management, decisioning, policy issuance, and delivery.
The TPM is accountable for integrated planning, scope and dependency management, financial oversight, testing, release readiness, and stakeholder communication. The successful candidate will help ensure solutions are delivered on schedule and within budget while meeting security, regulatory, operational, and customer commitments. Success in this role will contribute to improved producer and customer experiences, faster cycle times, increased straight-through processing, high-quality underwriting decisions, and reduced operational friction.
Position Responsibilities:
Initiative management:
Oversee the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) for initiatives that support John Hancock Insurance priorities, from initiation and delivery through implementation, stabilization, and post-launch support across policyholder, producer, and operations journeys.
Initiative Delivery:
Lead and remain accountable for all aspects of technology delivery, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, closure, and post-initiative evaluation. Ensure delivery meets scope, budget, schedule, regulatory, operational-readiness, and customer commitments.
Technical expertise:
Apply knowledge of software engineering and technology to support technology strategies and enable effective software delivery.
Cross-functional leadership:
Provide cross-functional leadership, build alignment on product architecture, and coordinate requests with IT service areas to support successful delivery.
Technical risk management:
Identify and mitigate technical risks that could affect initiative success. Partner with the Business Initiative Lead to define schedules, milestones, goals, and scope, incorporating technology components, solution options, feasibility, and delivery considerations to create value.
People & Culture:
Foster an inclusive culture of innovation and collaboration while actively promoting alignment and productivity across the team.
Required Qualifications:
- 3-5 years of technical program management experience in a related field.
- 3+ years of experience delivering technology solutions in the life insurance industry, with direct exposure to New Business and Underwriting required; exposure to downstream capabilities is preferred.
- Familiarity with life insurance regulatory and business concepts, including the operational cadence of product changes and their impacts on New Business operations and Underwriting.
- Project or initiative management skills, with proficiency in relevant software tools and methodologies, including Agile and the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
- Understanding of Agile metrics, Scrum, and similar Agile methodologies used to track progress, assess team performance, and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Working knowledge of the data, integration, and platform capabilities required for AI solutions, including secure access to approved enterprise data.
- Demonstrated experience delivering complex, large-scale IT solutions, including modernization and integration work involving APIs and data pipelines in regulated environments.
- Working knowledge of insurance regulatory and compliance considerations, with the ability to partner with Compliance and Legal teams to ensure appropriate controls and evidence are in place.
- Experience with test governance, including test-driven development (TDD), parallel testing, defect triage with business subject matter experts, and sign-off processes.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively with peers and leaders.
- Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to balance short-term priorities, long-term objectives, and trade-offs.
- Adaptability and resilience, with the ability to work effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate competing perspectives constructively.
- Ability to influence outcomes and execute work without direct authority over resources.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to articulate a technical vision and translate desired outcomes into practical options and execution plans.
- Confidence leading communications and delivering presentations to senior leaders, sponsors, and stakeholders on business cases and roadmaps.
- A commitment to continuous learning, including learning from both successes and setbacks and remaining open to change and improvement.
- Ability to work effectively through ambiguity and bring clarity to situations, decisions, and expected outcomes.
- Experience partnering with Marketing and Distribution teams to translate product and regulatory requirements into technology deliverables with clear acceptance criteria and traceability.
- Ability to design and manage integrations across a technology ecosystem, including product and rate data sources, rules engines, document generation, e-signature, CRM or portal solutions, and case management systems. Experience should include API contracts, versioning, and backward compatibility.
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.
The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.
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.
Referenced Salary Location
Boston, Massachusetts
Hybrid
Salary range is expected to be between
$92,475.00 USD - $160,290.00 USD
Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. 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. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact hr@manulife.com for the salary range for your location.
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.
We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.
Know Your Rights I Family & Medical Leave I Employee Polygraph Protection I Right to Work I E-Verify
Company: John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)