Manager, Rewards & Recognition

Sun Life Financial, Inc.

$80K — $128K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 6+ years in program management, incentives, or recognition
  • Experience in team leadership and development
  • Ability to manage complex programs and multiple priorities
  • Track record of high-quality execution and attention to detail
  • Strong customer service orientation with escalation management experience
  • Excellent analytical and communication skills
  • Comfortable in fast-paced, evolving environments
  • Flexibility to support peak periods like month-end and year-end cycles

Responsibilities

  • Lead design, execution, and administration of recognition programs
  • Ensure accurate and timely delivery for a positive participant experience
  • Act as primary escalation point for complex issues
  • Deliver high-quality service experiences for advisors and field leaders
  • Resolve escalations with sound judgment and professionalism
  • Oversee program operations including award fulfillment and reporting
  • Manage vendors, budgets, and compliance controls
  • Collaborate with analytics teams for accurate reporting and insights
  • Identify and streamline opportunities for program modernization
  • Lead and develop a team to foster accountability and collaboration

Benefits

  • Opportunity for diverse career paths and networking
  • Flexible benefits from day one to meet personal and family needs
  • Hybrid work options for flexibility in work environment
Full Job Description
Job Description:

We are seeking a Manager, Rewards & Recognition to lead the delivery and continuous improvement of recognition programs for advisors and field leaders across Sun Life Financial Distribution. In this role, you will manage a national portfolio of incentive and recognition programs, ensuring strong execution, high-quality service to the field, and progress toward simpler, more scalable program design. You will balance operational excellence with continuous improvement, helping evolve recognition practices while ensuring programs are delivered with precision, integrity, and a positive participant experience.

What will you do?

Program Leadership & Delivery
  • Lead the end-to-end design, execution, and administration of recognition and incentive programs
  • Ensure accurate, timely delivery with a strong participant experience
  • Act as the primary escalation point for complex advisor and field leader issues

Customer Service & Field Experience
  • Deliver a high-quality service experience for advisors and field leaders
  • Resolve complex escalations with sound judgment, fairness, and professionalism
  • Establish and uphold service standards across the team

Operations, Governance & Controls
  • Oversee program operations, including award fulfillment, reconciliation, and reporting
  • Manage vendors, budgets, and approvals
  • Ensure strong controls, compliance, and audit readiness
  • Maintain clear documentation and process discipline

Data, Reporting & Insights
  • Partner with analytics teams to deliver accurate, timely reporting
  • Use data to identify issues, generate insights, and support decision-making

Program Improvement & Modernization
  • Identify opportunities to simplify and streamline programs and processes
  • Support the transition away from manual or complex legacy practices
  • Strengthen playbooks, governance, and consistency across programs

Leadership
  • Lead and develop a team of specialists
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer focus


What you need to succeed?
  • 6+ years of experience in program management, incentives, or recognition
  • Experience leading and developing a team
  • Strong ability to manage complex programs and multiple priorities
  • Proven track record of high-quality execution and attention to detail
  • Strong customer service orientation and experience managing escalations
  • Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills
  • Comfort operating in fast-paced, evolving environments
  • Flexibility to support peak periods (e.g., month-end, year-end cycles)


Nice-to-have
  • Experience in financial services or advisor distribution environments
  • Exposure to process improvement or transformation initiatives


What's in it for you?

  • The opportunity to move along a variety of career paths with amazing networking potential
  • Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family


*LI-MS

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.

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you! Several work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.

We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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

Job Category:
Sales - Distribution Support

Posting End Date:
25/06/2026

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