General Description:
As the Chief Product Officer (CPO), the role is accountable for the execution of Manulife Vietnam’s customer centric product strategy, with a strong emphasis on portfolio optimization and digitalization to support sustainable growth across distribution channels.
The CPO will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders, external partners, and bank partners to define a clear and forward-looking product roadmap and will lead and manage all product development initiatives to ensure delivery against agreed business objectives and KPIs.
This role is also responsible for establishing and maintaining a robust product governance framework, ensuring that all products:
Meet Manulife Financials' global standards
Comply fully with local regulatory requirements
Deliver consistent value and positive outcomes for customers
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Product Development
Partner with the CEO and the Executive Management Team (EMT) in Vietnam and Manulife regional counterpart to formulate product strategy of Vietnam to ensure alignment with enterprise-wide and regional strategy and KPIs (APE, NBV, Core Earnings).
Lead all product development initiatives to deliver the product roadmap according to agreed timeline for all key distribution channels.
Take complete ownership of all product launches, working closely with all stakeholders to deliver this in the stipulated timeframe.
2. Product Management
Manage and optimize the product mix to ensure a balanced portfolio that delivers targeted growth, profitability, and risk-adjusted returns.
Partner with and influence distribution channels to steer product focus and execution, ensuring alignment with planned product mix and strategic priorities.
Lead product proposition activities, including product launches, customer research, training delivery, and ongoing product communications.
Lead and oversee Day‑2 product implementation, ensuring operational readiness, effective post-launch monitoring, and timely enhancements to deliver intended customer and business outcomes.
3. Enforce Management
Optimize the enforce portfolio through ongoing performance monitoring and strategic interventions, leveraging reinsurance insights to enhance profitability, stability, and long‑term value.
Identify, assess, and mitigate emerging experience deviations, including mortality, lapse, and other key risk drivers while driving cross‑market strategic actions that strengthen portfolio health and unlock new value‑creation opportunities.
4. Relationship Management
Establish and maintain working relationship with the Ministry of Finance.
Arrange regular visits to our distributors and bank partners to strengthen our relationship.
Individual Accountabilities:
Lead in the formulation of Manulife Vietnam’s product strategy. Given the business context in Vietnam, we need to grow and sustain our number one position in the market. This successful candidate will ensure execution of Manulife Vietnam product strategy in line with enterprise-wide and regional strategy and cement the leading position in product innovation in Vietnam life insurance market. The target profile will be talents who can be considered pipeline for future country or regional leadership roles.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Qualified actuaries with at least 15+ years relevant experience
Strong business acumen with proven experience in stakeholder management, particularly across executive levels and external parties
Solid financial and business acumen to analyze and evaluate the impact of product development activities on company financially and operationally
Solid knowledge of project management discipline, project management tools and analysis
Positively engages with various stakeholders and supports, advocates, communicates and implements change
Excellent leadership to motivate and lead the team as they work through tight deadlines and challenges
Collaborative mindset with good and strong negotiation and influencing skills
Excellent presentation and communication skills
Self-motivated, independent and with excellent interpersonal skills
Effectively communicate with and influence stakeholders at all levels
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Problems/Challenges:
Collaboration with different/multiple stakeholders both internal and external to execute product strategy
Change in Manulife’s strategic direction and objectives to support the next phase of sustainable growth of the business.
Cement leading position in Vietnam and outpace competition including new entrants in product innovation and digitalization.
Alignment of interest between various functions, country and regional office
Changing regulatory, economic and political environment in the market
Position Dimensions (Organizational Impact):
This position will report directly to the CEO of Vietnam to develop and ensure execution of product strategy as well as maximize Manulife Vietnam’s short, medium and long-term performance.
The executive will also need to work closely with other function leads and teams locally and regionally to ensure proper execution of product strategy
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.
Working Arrangement