Director, AI Initiatives, Canadian Operations
Sun LifeAbout the role
You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.
Job Description:
About the role
Sun Life Canada is on an exciting journey of innovation and transformation to deepen our commitment to our One Sun purpose “To help clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives”. Sun Life Canada Operations includes a team of over 5,000 dedicated team members across Canada and SL Global Solutions in Asia. We support client onboarding, processing, and service delivery across Sun Life’s Canadian business. Our team handles over 130 million interactions with Clients, plan sponsors and advisors annually, putting clients at the centre of everything we do.
Reporting to the AVP, Transformation, Key Initiatives & Change, the Director, AI Initiatives, Canadian Operations will lead the development and implementation of AI strategies to drive innovation, efficiency, and transformation across the Canadian Operations. This role will partner closely with the Canadian Operations Leadership Team (COLT), the Data COE and other senior leaders to proactively identify and prioritize high impact opportunities where AI can be a strategic differentiation, unlocking competitive advantage and driving measurable business outcomes and operational efficiencies.
The Director, AI Initiatives, Canadian Operations will lead the development and implementation of AI strategies to drive innovation, efficiency, and transformation across the Canadian Operations. This role will partner closely with the Canadian Operations Leadership Team (COLT), the Data COE and other senior leaders to proactively identify and prioritize high impact opportunities where AI can be a strategic differentiation, unlocking competitive advantage and driving measurable business outcomes and operational efficiencies. The Director will act as a bridge between business leaders, technology teams, outside vendors and compliance functions, ensuring AI initiatives align with corporate strategy, regulatory requirements and ethical AI principles.
What you will be doing
AI Strategy & Vision
Develop and execute a comprehensive Canadian Operations’ AI strategy aligned with Sun Life's business objectives
Identify emerging AI trends and assess their potential impact on Canadian operations
Develop and maintain a roadmap for AI initiatives, ensuring a balanced portfolio of short term wins and long-term strategic projects
Program Management and Capability Building
Partner with Data Science COE, COLT, and cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of AI solutions. Identify, prioritize an oversee high-impact Gen AI use cases.
Engage with external partners, vendors, and academic institutions for cutting-edge AI research and development
Support change management as AI initiatives move from proof of concept (POC) to implementation/business as usual (BAU)
Collaborate with other areas of SL to share learnings, identify synergies and leverage best practices in AI implementation
Act as a liaison between technical teams and business stakeholders, translating complex AI concepts into business value propositions
AI Governance
Ensure all AI initiatives comply with data privacy regulations and ethical standards
Establish governance frameworks for AI systems and machine learning models
What you need to succeed
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, or equivalent
5+ years of experience in AI and Data product development
Proven track record deploying AI solutions, preferably in the financial services or similar sectors
Strong understanding of AI/ML algorithms, frameworks, and tools
Strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities
Excellent communication skills for conveying complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only
Apply for this role
Generate a tailored application kit with a matched cover letter, interview prep, and CV highlights — in under 60 seconds.
Apply Now →Generate Application KitFree account required — sign up in 30s