Director, Asia WAM FPA&A, Expenses

The Director, Asia WAM FP&A, Expenses role requires a highly capable and accountable finance and business partnering professional with strong leadership and communication skills and a desire to learn and challenge the status quo.  Operating in a fast-paced environment, managing competing demands, the individual will draw on their strengths in the areas of industry knowledge, relationship management, reporting and analytics, and leadership, and provide opportunities to build on competencies such as business insight, critical thinking, and change management.

Key accountabilities

Reporting directly to the AVP, Head of Asia WAM FPA&A, with accountability to the AVP, Global WAM FP&A, the primary responsibility is the co-ordination and consolidation of Asia WAM expenses reporting, planning and analysis across multiple countries and lines of business.  Including, but not limited to:

• Leading and coordinating monthly and quarterly management reporting for Asia WAM, developing timelines and guidance, and the preparation of financial review packages for Asia WAM CEO & CFO, Global WAM CFO, Group Finance, Global WAM Leadership Team (GWLT) and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
• Leading and coordinating the preparation of expenses for the annual business plan across the Asia WAM business, developing and issuing guidance, managing timelines and deliverables, analyzing results, and preparing plan review materials for leadership.
• Ensuring all reporting is high quality, timely and accurate, and provides insightful financial analysis to support decision making.  This will include explaining financial results vs plan, prior periods and previous forecasts.  An in-depth understanding of key business issues will be essential for knowledgeable and insightful analysis.
• Overseeing the maintenance and on-going development of a best-in-class framework for reporting and analytics, including financial and non-financial metrics and OKRs / KPIs to illustrate key levers for differentiation and growth and enable forward-looking decisions.
• Establishing effective relationships and building trust and credibility across the Finance organization by partnering with Asia country Heads of Finance (and their teams) to ensure compliance with regional and global reporting guidance and policies.
• Likewise building relationships with global finance partners who have ultimate responsibility for functional expense budgets and need to understand the drivers of the Asia business
• Demonstrating advanced knowledge regarding technical aspects of work. Review data for reasonability and identify root causes and drivers of the results.
• Developing a strategy and playing a transformational role to standardize, automate and streamline the financial planning, forecasting, and reporting processes for Global WAM.
• Using appropriate judgment in dealing with issues and requests, demonstrating the ability to effectively prioritize work, balance resource requirements and determine solutions.
• Supporting ad hoc projects as assigned

Leadership and Team Development

• Demonstrating strong interpersonal skills with a specific focus on team and individual professional development.
• Championing an environment where employees share insights and generate ideas to become more innovative and add new value for the customer in everything we do.
• A focus on strong team engagement and staff morale.
• Strong relationship management and influencing skills. Recognising the importance of buy-in and involving others in the decision-making process. By building, maintaining, and leveraging a strong network of relationships at multiple levels within the company, driving results in a collaborative and decentralized environment. Managing and influencing teams and individuals on both a direct and indirect reporting basis, across a matrix structure.

• Displaying strong people management skills to facilitate training, coaching and day to day direction to junior staff across a multi-location team.

We are looking for someone with:  

• Real and deep financial experience:
  • A degree holder of Accounting or Finance.
  • Relevant professional qualifications (such as MBA, CPA, CA) preferred
  • With 10+ years of related experience
• Strong business acumen, with demonstrable capability to understand and analyze complex concepts and articulate big picture perspective.
• An in-depth knowledge and deep understanding of asset management market trends, competitors, and products.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to cater a message to various stakeholders, including senior executive and non-technical audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate, negotiate, and influence effectively
• Proven ability to be proactive and work independently or part of a team, while thriving in a fast paced, high-performing environment whilst managing multiple, changing priorities and requests
• Strong attention to detail with excellent judgement, financial modelling, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong accounting and systems knowledge [e.g. IFRS, SmartView, PowerBI & Anaplan]
• The ability to multi-task and manage priorities across a global multi-channel matrix in a demanding and result-oriented environment
• Someone who is a team player, collaborative, a self-starter, well-organized, innovative, and displays a high level of initiative.

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 [email protected].

Hybrid