Job Description:

Hybrid work environment

Twice per week in office (Waterloo or Toronto)

Reporting to the Director, Events, the Manager, Communications, Creativeand Experience Strategy leads the development and execution of strategic communications, creative, and engagement initiatives that support signature events while managing a high-performing team responsible for delivering impactful experiences across the advisor journey.

This role requires a blend of strategic thinking, creative leadership, and operational excellence to deliver meaningful advisor and field leader experiences. The Manager, Communications, Creative and Experience Strategy is responsible for translating business objectives into integrated communications, marketing, and engagement strategies that inspire action, strengthen connections, and elevate the impact of events, recognition, and key initiatives. Success in this role requires balancing vision with execution, fostering innovation, managing competing priorities, and leading the delivery of high-quality experiences and communications.

As part of the Business Growth team, this role partners closely with the Events team, senior leaders, and a broad network of stakeholders to develop and execute integrated engagement strategies. Leveraging expertise in communications, marketing, creative services, and emerging technologies, the Manager leads the end-to-end planning and delivery of communications and creative initiatives that support signature events, incentive programs, and business priorities. Through a focus on audience insights, innovation, and experience design, this role helps drive advisor engagement, strengthen business outcomes, and enhance overall advisor and field leader experiences.

What you will do:

Communications & Experience Strategy (25%)

• Develops and executes integrated communications, creative, and engagement strategies that support recognition programs, conferences, events, and business initiatives.
• Owns the end-to-end engagement strategy for signature events, translating business objectives into compelling experiences that drive engagement, understanding, performance, and alignment with business priorities.
• Leads the development of event themes, strategic messaging frameworks, storytelling approaches, executive communications, scripts, recognition programming, and multimedia experiences.
• Measures and evaluates communications, engagement, and event effectiveness, leveraging insights and data to inform future strategies and continuous improvement.
• Collaborates and works with the Consulting team to draft business content for signature events

Creative Direction & Branding (20%)

• Provides creative leadership and oversight for all event-related communications, digital experiences, presentations, video productions, on-site branding, and print collateral.
• Reviews, approves, and guides all communications, creative concepts, copy, and design to ensure alignment with business objectives, brand standards, accessibility requirements, and audience needs.
• Acts as a strategic advisor and subject matter expert on communications, creative development, attendee engagement, and event experience design across SLFD initiatives.

Leadership, People & Resource Management (20%)

• Leads and develops the Communications & Creative team, providing strategic direction, coaching, performance management, and professional development to foster a high-performing, innovative, and collaborative team culture.
• Establishes priorities and allocates team resources across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality communications and creative assets while balancing strategic and operational objectives.

Event Portfolio & Stakeholder Leadership (15%)

• Partners closely with Event, Recognition, Distribution, Consulting and senior leadership teams to develop integrated strategies and deliver business outcomes through exceptional event and recognition experiences.
• Leads cross-functional planning and execution of high-profile advisor recognition and business events, ensuring exceptional participant experiences and strong alignment to organizational goals.

Innovation, Technology & Continuous Improvement (10%)

• Drives innovation by identifying, evaluating, and implementing event technology solutions, digital engagement tools, attendee experience platforms, and emerging communication channels to enhance effectiveness and operational efficiency.
• Develops and maintains processes documentation and operating procedures that improve team effectiveness, scalability, quality, and consistency.

Financial, Vendor & Risk Management (10%)

• Leads vendor and agency relationships related to communications, creative development, production, event technology, and digital experiences, including contract management, negotiations, and performance oversight.
• Oversees communications and creative budgets within event and recognition portfolios, including planning, forecasting, cost management, vendor approvals, and identification of efficiencies and savings opportunities.
• Ensures compliance with legal, risk, privacy, accessibility, and regulatory requirements across all communications, and creative deliverables.
• Manages departmental budgets, project expenditures, contracts, and resources in accordance with financial targets and business priorities.

What you need to succeed in this role:

• Demonstrated ability to build and influence relationships across business units, vendors, and senior leadership to deliver strategic communications and engagement outcomes.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives with multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and significant organizational visibility.
• Proven budget management experience, including forecasting, vendor management, contract oversight, and financial stewardship.
• Strong leadership, coaching, facilitation, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence decisions and drive alignment.
• Experience developing integrated communications, and engagement strategies for events, recognition programs, and business initiatives.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate business objectives into measurable outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead through change, navigate ambiguity, and drive innovation, process improvement, and operational effectiveness.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple priorities while delivering high-quality work, maintaining compliance, and achieving business objectives.
• Experience developing governance frameworks, processes, documentation, and tools that improve team performance and scalability.
• Self-motivated leader with a continuous improvement mindset and a track record of developing high-performing teams and partnerships.
• A university degree in journalism, advertising, marketing or communications.
• Bilingualism in English and French is an asset.
• 5 or more years' experience leading complex marcom strategy creation and execution.
• Prior experience with copywriting, design, or production in an agency environment is an asset.
• Prior project management experience, with a focus on creative direction.

#LI-Hybrid

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Salary Range:
80,000/80 000 - 128,000/128 000

Job Category:
Communications

Posting End Date:
23/09/2026