Chief Architect, Enterprise Technology Services

The Chief Architect Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) is the senior architectural leader responsible for defining governing and evolving the technology standards domains and reference architectures that underpin Manulifes shared enterprise technology landscape.

This role sets the architectural direction for ETS-owned platforms and services ensuring enterprise standards are not only clearly defined but engineered directly into delivery. The Chief Architect aligns enterprise architecture principles with real-world product and engineering needs by translating strategy into reference architectures Golden Paths and automated architectural guardrails that teams can adopt with confidence and minimal friction.

Operating at the intersection of platform strategy engineering enablement and enterprise governance this role plays a critical part in shaping Manulifes evolution toward a platform-driven product-aligned technology organization.

Position Responsibilities:

Architectural Ownership of Enterprise Technology Domains

• Own architectural standards reference architectures and target-state direction for major ETS technology domains including but not limited to:

Cloud platforms and landing zones

Network and connectivity services

Observability reliability and resilience platforms

FinOps capabilities and tooling

Core shared platforms and developer enablement services

• Establish clear boundaries responsibilities and interfaces between ETS-owned domains and enterprise- or segment-owned capabilities.

• Ensure domain architectures align to enterprise principles and enable scalable secure and cost-effective delivery across segments.

Standards Reference Architectures and Golden Paths

• Define ETS technology standards by codifying strategic intent into domain-specific reference architectures and reusable patterns.

• Own the full lifecycle of architectural standardsfrom definition through adoption evolution and retirement.

• Translate reference architectures into Golden Paths templates and consumable solution patterns that accelerate delivery and reduce variance.

• Partner with platform DevOps and engineering enablement teams to automate standards through pipelines policy-as-code and architectural guardrails.

Product and Engineering Partnership

• Work closely with product platform and engineering leaders to ensure architectural standards are practical adoption-friendly and aligned to delivery realities.

• Act as a trusted design authority and thought partner helping teams make informed architectural trade-offs within approved standards rather than relying on ad hoc exceptions.

• Provide clear target-state guidance and transition patterns that support platform modernization and evolutionary change.

Enterprise Alignment Risk and Control Integration

• Partner with Enterprise Architecture Risk Security Audit and Compliance teams to ensure ETS architectures are compliant and audit-ready by design.

• Embed regulatory resilience and risk requirements directly into standards reference architectures and Golden Paths.

• Represent ETS architectural perspectives in enterprise governance and decision forums influencing outcomes through clarity credibility and engineering insight.

Leadership and Influence

• Operate as a peer to other Chief Architects across segments and global functions shaping enterprise-wide architectural direction through influence and collaboration.

• Set the architectural bar for shared enterprise technologies balancing consistency with innovation.

• Build strong partnerships across ETS business segments and control functionsenabling alignment without unnecessary bureaucracy.

• Mentor senior architects and elevate overall architectural maturity judgment and impact within ETS.

What Success Looks Like:

• Clear authoritative reference architectures exist for all major ETS domains and are actively used by delivery teams.

• Product and engineering teams adopt ETS standards because they accelerate delivery reduce risk and improve developer experience.

• Golden Paths measurably reduce solution variance review effort and time-to-first-delivery.

• Risk audit and compliance engagements are simplified through standardized engineered controls embedded into platforms by design.

Required Qualifications:

• Senior architectural leadership experience in large complex enterprise environments ideally within regulated or risk-aware industries.

• Proven experience designing governing and evolving technology domains reference architectures and standards at scale.

• Deep understanding of cloud platforms shared services and modern engineering and platform practices.

• Strong ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive adoption through clarity credibility and partnershipwithout relying on positional authority.

When you join our team:

Well empower you to learn and grow the career you want.

Well recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.

As part of our global team well 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 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 .

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

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 for the salary range for your location.

Manulife 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 and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays vacation personal and sick days and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S. please contact for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

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