We are seeking a strategic and visionary Design Governance Manager to drive the user experience and interface design across the Asia segment. to oversee and safeguard design standards across the Asia segment. Reporting to the Director, UX/UI Design Lead, this role will be responsible for establishing and enforcing governance frameworks that ensure consistency, quality, and compliance across all digital touchpoints.

The successful candidate will champion design integrity by defining policies, guidelines, and controls that align regional practices with global design strategy. Key responsibilities include defining and governing design standards, establishing governance processes and ensuring strategic alignment with stakeholders. This role is pivotal in embedding governance discipline into our design ecosystem, ensuring that every product and experience reflects both user needs and organizational standards across the region.

Position Responsibilities:

Design Strategy and Governance

• Establish and maintain a scalable design governance framework that enforces adherence to global standards and UX/UI requirements, while leading structured design reviews to elevate quality to world-class levels.
• Provide clarity and authoritative guidance on design system usage, ensuring regional practices align with global standards through advocacy, localization, and strategic input.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and external partners to deliver clear governance directions, specifications, and documentation that reinforce Manulife’s design strategy and language.
• Champion inclusive and accessible design practices, ensuring all customer experiences meet platform standards and regulatory requirements.
• Evangelize design strategy and governance across stakeholders, embedding best practices in visual design, systems thinking, and design operations, while safeguarding consistency and accuracy of visual assets across brand guidelines and customer touchpoints.

Design Operations

• Drive capability uplift across the design community by embedding governance principles into training, coaching, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Focus on key areas of design maturity, including: User Research, Design System, Accessibility etc.
• Support the transition of regional design resources to MITDC hubs in Chengdu and Manila, providing governance input on team structures, reporting lines, and delivery models.
• Support evaluation of outsourcing models by advising on vendor compliance with design system requirements and ensuring deliverables meet governance standards.
• Collaborate on the rollout of the regional design operating model, providing governance-focused guidance on process setup, escalation paths, and cadence planning to ensure that governance principles are embedded at every stage of operations.

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years’ experience in User Experience Design or User Interface Design
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in related design fields
• 3+ years of experience leading design projects
• Strong portfolio and/or hands-on experience in web and mobile design (including Android and iOS).
• Self-starter who takes the initiative and has a strong work ethic
• Relishes the accountability for all UX/UI design and comfortable making sign-off decisions.
• Driven to deliver world-class user experiences
• Excellent communication skills in a fast-paced environment (verbal, written, and visual) who has the ability to influence and build consensus
• In-depth knowledge and experience of user interface design with consumer applications, preferably mobile devices, rich web apps/site
• · Stays up to date with the latest UX trends, best practices, methodologies, and tools
• Proven ability to drive designs that achieve business results and commercial value
• Experience working with engineering, product, and marketing teams

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 [email protected].

Hybrid