Recognition Modernization Manager

Sun Life

Recognition Modernization Manager leading the design, enablement, and implementation of recognition programs at Sun Life. Focusing on modernization and transformation within a 12–18 month horizon.

Posted 5/28/2026full-timeWaterloo • 🇨🇦 CanadaMid-LevelSenior💰 CA$80,000 - CA$128,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the redesign and evolution of advisor and field leader recognition practices to improve simplicity, clarity, scalability, and consistency.
Identify legacy program structures, policies, and processes that create operational burden, risk, or poor customer experience, and design future‑state alternatives.
Partner with Sales leadership to align recognition models with evolving business strategy and advisor segmentation.
Act as the business lead for recognition readiness related to backend reporting and systems transformation.
Define future‑state business requirements, data definitions, and controls for recognition programs in partnership with Analytics, IT, Finance, and Risk.
Translate recognition logic (qualification rules, calculations, and eligibility) into system‑ready, testable requirements.
Ensure strong governance, reconciliations, and documentation are established to support system migration and reporting integrity.
Design future‑state governance models, process controls, and documentation standards to ensure audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
Establish repeatable intake, prioritization, and decision‑making frameworks for recognition initiatives.
Develop playbooks, reference materials, and operating artifacts that enable consistent application of future‑state recognition practices.
Lead change management efforts related to recognition modernization and systems enablement.
Engage and influence leaders, partners, and subject‑matter experts across Distribution, Analytics, Finance, Risk, Compliance, and IT.
Communicate clearly on timelines, dependencies, trade‑offs, and risks associated with modernization initiatives.
Build internal capability through documentation, standards, and knowledge transfer related to modernized recognition practices.
Reduce reliance on undocumented legacy knowledge by creating clear, accessible future‑state artifacts.
Support alignment across teams by clarifying principles, rules, and design intent for recognition programs.

Requirements

What you’ll need

6+ years in recognition, incentives, compensation, sales programs, or adjacent business operations.
Direct involvement in business‑led systems, reporting, or data transformation initiatives.
Experience operating in environments with legacy processes, technical debt, or complex stakeholder dependencies.
Exceptional resilience, composure, and ownership in ambiguous and evolving environments.
Strong program design, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
Ability to influence without direct authority across complex stakeholder groups.
Comfort navigating competing priorities, imperfect information, and evolving business needs.
Strong customer and leader orientation balanced with governance discipline.
Recognition and incentive program design principles (nice to have).
Data, reporting, controls, and audit readiness concepts (nice to have).
Advanced Excel and strong documentation / process design skills (nice to have).
Experience translating business rules into clear system requirements (nice to have).
University degree in Business, Finance, Economics, HR, or a related field (nice to have).

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family.
Pension, stock and savings programs to help build and enhance your future financial security.

ATS Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

program designanalytical skillsproblem-solving skillsdata transformationreportingcontrolsaudit readinessExceldocumentationprocess design

Soft Skills

resiliencecomposureownershipinfluencestakeholder managementcustomer orientationleadership orientationgovernance disciplinecommunicationchange management