Title: Director, Complaints & Regulatory Investigations

Title: Director, Complaints & Regulatory Investigations

Title: Director, Complaints & Regulatory Investigations

Location: Oakville, Ontario

Requisition Number: 1711830

One year secondment

Are you looking for unlimited opportunities to develop and succeed? With work that challenges and makes a difference and a flexible and supportive environment, we can help our customers achieve their dreams and aspirations.

Reporting to the Chief Compliance Officer, Advisory Services, this role will provide leadership and strategic development and support to the Complaints and Regulatory Investigations functions and the Disciplinary Process. This person will be responsible for investigations of all client complaints and regulatory inquiries in respect of both IIROC and MFDA dealers. This person will acknowledge receipt of complaints and regulatory inquiries, coordinate the investigations and prepare substantive responses

The incumbent interacts with advisors, management, field and head office staff, internal and external legal counsel and securities regulators.

In the course of an investigation or regulatory inquiry, the Director may be required to formally interview the client, the financial advisor and the branch manager.

Given the broad scope of complaints and regulatory investigations, the Director must have a high level of industry knowledge so that the facts of each case can be analyzed accurately and promptly and dealer risk can be determined and communicated to all relevant parties. The Director must have an understanding of the products and services authorized and distributed by Manulife and its agents.

This role is involved with the recommendation of settlement amounts to counsel and will coordinate the delivery and receipt of settlement documentation. They will also communicate with and coordinate responses from other business units in respect of a complaint or regulatory investigation and will on occasion work with both internal and external counsel.

The Company will rely extensively on this person’s knowledge of regulation relating to complaint handling in all jurisdictions, including Quebec.

The Director will be part of the senior compliance team for Advisory Services providing expertise, strategic input and risk management to the dealer.

This role is responsible for providing leadership and guidance to the Complaints Officers by coaching and monitoring performance and by communicating industry and firm policies and procedures. This role will have a minimum of 4 direct reports.

Key Accountabilities:

  • Provide leadership and guidance to the Complaints Officers, Investigator and Compliance staff who handle complaints and regulatory investigations by:
  • Providing overall management direction;
  • Providing effective recruitment, retention and development of staff and the creation of a positive work environment that encourages participation, ownership, responsibility, innovation, initiative, integrity and a sense of pride in the operations and in Manulife in general;
  • Providing clarification of policy and procedures;
  • Ensuring all mandatory functions are being completed in an efficient and timely manner
  • Participate in compliance industry forums in order to understand the new issues facing a compliance regime at a broker/dealer and work with Compliance team to develop and implement required policies and procedures necessary to protect the firm from financial and reputation harm;
  • Monitor policies and procedures and supervision for Compliance in respect to Advisor issues and recommend appropriate sanctions or actions in respect of failures to comply;
  • Respond to inquiries from regulators, advisors, assistants, employees and senior management;
  • Lead and manage the complaints and regulatory reporting department, providing guidance and support in managing, responding and dealing with complaints and regulatory investigations and inquiries.
  • Administer the Discipline program including working with Compliance and Business Development to ensure the policies and programs are properly developed and maintained in accordance with regulatory requirements.
  • Investigate and prepare substantive responses to client complaints and regulatory requests
  • As appropriate, liaise with other departments to ensure substantive and comprehensive responses to complaints and investigations
  • Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with all Canadian Division business units and departments at all levels of management. In addition the Director must develop and maintain working relationships with external bodies such as provincial and securities regulators, government agencies and insurance (E&O) providers.
  • Provide strong investigative, project management and research analysis and documentation to the legal department and assess allegations of Advisor misconduct rendering decisions and settlement recommendations appropriate to the situation.
  • Ensure that external reporting of events as defined by IIROC, MFDA and AMF are complete and accurate.
  • Act as the primary contact for Advisory Services in matters involving client complaints and regulatory inquiries.
  • Presentations and updates to Compliance Committee (Sr Mgmt Committee).
  • Act as key compliance representative of Complaints related projects for Advisory Services
  • Act as key member of the senior compliance team for the MFDA and IIROC dealers.
  • Act as the Designated Complaints Officer (DCO) on behalf of the Company for Regulators
  • Participate in management meetings as the Compliance Department representative;
  • Provide input and recommendations to the executive in respect of Complaints, Investigations and Discipline for Advisors

Qualifications:

  • Must have completed the Canadian Securities Course, CSI Conducts and Practices Handbook, CSI Partners, Directors and Senior Officers course. Chief Compliance Course considered an asset.
  • 7-10 years of compliance experience in a securities dealer, mutual fund dealer or securities regulator
  • Thorough knowledge of securities regulations and requirements
  • Insurance knowledge
  • Excellent understanding of IIROC/MFDA dealer business and OBSI
  • Investigations experience
  • Experience working with licensed advisors and knowledge of the independent dealer channel
  • Experience working with insurance licensed advisors
  • Strong business acumen and the ability to make strategic decisions in times of uncertainty
  • Strong analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to precisely interpret complex compliance and legal concepts and the ability to simplify complicated messages
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, influencing and relationship management skills in dealing with internal senior management and executives, various business unit priorities, industry associations, provincial and regulatory bodies
  • Self starter, well organized; strong ability to assess and manage conflicting priorities
  • Awareness of project management methodology
  • Attention to detail
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation and influence skills
  • Excellent leadership skills.

APPLY ONLINE: To apply for this position, please copy and paste the URL below into new web browser to be directed to our online application system.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2016, we had approximately 35,000 employees, 70,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 22 million customers. As of September 30, 2017, we had over $1 trillion (US$806 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $27.1 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

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