Corporate Development Program Director

Corporate Development Program Director Location: Remote - Ontario Empire Life is looking to hire a Corporate Development Program Director to join our team! We are actively seeking candidates to fill a current, open position. The Corporate Development Program Director serves as the strategic execution arm for the Corporate Development team. The primary purpose of this role is to operationalize growth initiatives, manage the complexity of multi-entity acquisitions, and ensure that all subsidiaries remain aligned and supported. This role is responsible for managing the acquisitions and ensuring that all subsidiaries remain aligned and supported. Serving as the strategic execution lead, this role is responsible for translating high-level growth initiatives into actionable, governed, and highly efficient programs. The incumbent is guided by defined goals and objectives and works under the general supervision of the Vice President, Operations, Corporate Development. The Program Director will participate in the wider PMO leadership team and be responsible for managing the PMO standards and metrics consistent with other Empire lines of business. Leading a team of project managers and business analysts, the incumbent is part of the Corporate Development management team. Why pursue this opportunity Our mission - Provide expertise and intelligent solutions to help Canadians navigate life with confidence. Join a transforming business - we are a medium-sized Canadian company in a stable industry that emphasizes the importance of innovation to use industry-leading technology. The role - this your chance to join a growing team, while being provided the opportunity to make an impact delivering meaningful technology solutions and playing a key role in the growth of our distribution eco-system. Assume a pivotal leadership position - harness your expertise to deliver impactful results, shaping and leading your area with experienced foresight. What you’ll be working on M&A Execution & Due Diligence Leadership Strategic Orchestration: Serve as the central command for the due diligence phase of multi-entity acquisitions. Establish acquisition folder structures, launch Virtual Data Rooms (VDRs), and manage secure access and permissions for internal team members and external advisors. Direct the cadence of the deal from initial exploration through to successful close and handover. Workflow Oversight: Drive project support requirements across functional areas (HR, IT, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Tax, etc..) to ensure alignment with the broader deal strategy, timelines, and diligence needs. Actively manage the Diligence Request Tracker, organizing files into appropriate folders, updating status dates, and ensuring that all data room entries are synchronized with the project's progress. Lead internal and external diligence stand-ups, executive steering committee briefings, and target-company management meetings. Act as the primary conduit between internal functional leaders (Legal, Finance, IT, HR, Compliance, Tax, etc..) and external advisors (legal counsel, investment bankers). Documentation & Governance: Maintain project control documents and partner with relationship owners to develop Diligence Kick-off materials. Draft, manage, and coordinate the execution of transaction documents, such as Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), utilizing e-signature platforms like DocuSign. Oversee the integrity of the Diligence Request Tracker and Virtual Data Rooms (VDRs). Ensure all transaction documents, compliance checkpoints, and risk escalations are managed swiftly and securely. Team Leadership & Strategic Direction Mentorship & Direction: Lead, coach, and provide clear operational directives to the Corporate Development Program team and related teams. Foster a culture of high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement. Framework Management: Maintain, refine, and enforce the "Corporate Development Operational Framework," ensuring the team follows established M&A and initiative delivery methodologies while remaining agile enough to adapt to unique deal structures. Cross-Functional Influence: Drive consensus and remediate process deviations across the organization through clear, decisive communication (managing both up to the C-suite and laterally across department heads). Contributes, develops and oversees the implementation of project and program management processes, methodologies, standards and deliverables including metrics (Product Delivery Process - PDP) Ensures consistency in LOB portfolio tools and metrics with other LOBs Initiatives & Operational Scaling Technology Leadership: Direct all phases of internal system development projects designed to support Corporate Development, subsidiaries, and affiliates (e.g., portal automations, dashboard reporting, and VDR optimizations). Resource Allocation: Strategically deploy internal and external IT/project resources to deliver technical enhancements on time and within budget. Strategic Initiatives Support: ensure the application of project and project management processes, methodologies, standards and deliverables are executed for every initiative and provide oversight and leadership to that effect. Financial Administration & Corporate Compliance Financial Oversight: Oversee project capitalization tracking, ensuring the accurate submission of Project Salary Transfer sheets and resource time-tracking across multiple concurrent initiatives. Compliance & Reporting: Drive the quarterly compliance certification processes. Champion continuous improvement by conducting and actioning "lessons learned" throughout the acquisition lifecycle, adjusting processes, and ensuring post-close meetings and action items meet internal and regulatory standards. What we’re looking for you to have 10+ years of project management experience (or similar experience) using different styles such as agile, waterfall, scrum approaches,and a proven track record of successful portfolio delivery within a complex corporate environment In-depth understanding of stakeholder management, risk management, change management concepts, program and project planning concepts Extensive knowledge and expertise in project, program and portfolio management methodologies and tools Experience in insurance/financial services industry and/or M&A is an asset Ability to effectively plan, coordinate and implement multiple and/or large programs in a high-pressure environment Well-developed communication, negotiation, persuasion and presentation skills to influence at the highest levels of the organization Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships at all levels and demonstrate a high degree of tact and diplomacy PMP, Change Management, or related strategic project management certifications are an asset. If you are applying for a position which is open to applicants across Canada, unless otherwise indicated in the position, language proficiency in English is required for communicating with customers, advisors, or employees across Canada. Our hiring process includes AI screening for keywords and minimum qualifications. Recruiters review all results. Beyond the salary For permanent full-time positions, Empire Life offers a comprehensive total rewards package that includes: Hybrid work model Competitive salary with annual pay increases Annual bonus program, which recognizes both strong company performance and individual contributions, for non sales positions Access to learning & development programs, and education/tuition reimbursement (role dependent), to support your professional growth and career advancement. A comprehensive employer-funded benefits package starting from day one of employment, that includes life insurance, health and dental and a generous health account Flexible work arrangements and an annual allotment of personal health days. Four weeks annual vacation from hire date A defined contribution pension plan with generous employer matching Top up programs for parental leave and compassionate leave Employer-sponsored wellness and recognition programs A cash employee referral program To learn more about working at Empire Life, visit https://www.empire.ca/workatempire . Get to know us Empire life is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity, are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and welcome everyone to participate in our application process. We encourage those of all backgrounds and experiences to apply, even if you don't believe you meet each unique qualification outlined. A pplicants will receive equal consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age. Empire Life is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to building an inclusive and barrier-free workplace. We welcome applications from people with disabilities and are committed to providing accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process. If you require a specific adjustment to help you present your best self, please let us know—we are happy to work with you. If you need this job posting in an alternative format or have any accessibility questions, please contact [email protected] .