Program Manager, AI Enablement
Date: Jan 27, 2026
Location: Hybrid - Canada, CA Moncton, NB (Hybrid), CA Dartmouth, NS (Hybrid), CA North York - Toronto, ON (Hybr, CA Vancouver, BC (Hybrid), CA Edmonton, AB (Hybrid), CA Ottawa, ON (Hybrid), CA Kitchener, ON (Hybrid), CA Winnipeg, MB (Hybrid), CA Montreal, QC (Hybrid), CA Calgary, AB (Hybrid), CA
Company: Wawanesa Insurance
Job ID: 9708
Employment Type: New Role
Working Business Language: English. This role is considered a head-office role and will be required to communicate with internal and external stakeholders across Canada where the primary business language for this role is English. As such, the successful candidate must be fully proficient in English.
Salary: At Wawanesa, salary is only one component of a holistic, comprehensive and competitive offering that we provide to our employees. In addition to salary, full-time and part-time permanent employees are eligible for an annual bonus plan, leave of absence top-up programs and provided with generous vacation time, personal days, premium free benefits and pension plan.
The salary offered for this role is determined with consideration to various factors, including but not limited to: your work location, local labour market conditions, external market salary data, internal pay equity and the knowledge, skills, experience and anticipated proficiency in the role. The salary offered is estimated to be within the following range: $140,000 - $180,000. Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply.
About Us
At Wawanesa, we offer a hybrid work environment that offers flexibility to our employees in balancing in-office (2 days per week OR 15 hours per week in a Wawanesa office) and remote work. You may work from any of the following locations: Winnipeg, MB; Wawanesa, MB; Vancouver, BC; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Lethbridge, AB; Toronto (North York), ON; Kitchener, ON; Ottawa, ON; Montreal, QC; Quebec City, QC, Moncton, NB; Dartmouth; NS.
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (“Wawanesa Mutual”), founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $3.5 billion in annual revenue and assets of $10 billion (CAD). Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.7 million members in Canada, and we are home to more than 3,300 employees distributed across the Canadian regions and communities where we operate. We give back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. We are also proud to be recognized as one of Manitoba’s Top Employers. To learn more visit wawanesa.com.
We are currently looking for dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic individuals who thrive in an environment that welcomes change and are looking for an opportunity for diverse experience and advancement on a growing team.
Job Overview
The Program Manager of Artificial Intelligence Enablement is critical in ensuring that Artificial Intelligence is leveraged at Wawanesa for the benefit of the organization, its members, employees and community, in a responsible manner. By collaborating closely with various stakeholder groups, this role will lead the establishment of fit-for-purpose AI governance and ensure that AI systems adhere to the Responsible Use of AI principles throughout their lifecycle. They play a pivotal role in elevating AI literacy levels across the organization and cultivating a culture that emphasizes the use of AI in a responsible way, to enable Wawanesa to adopt AI for its competitive advantage.
Job Responsibilities
- Lead the development and on-going maintenance of a fit-for-purpose AI Governance framework, ensuring alignment with advancements in industry, technology, and regulatory requirements.
- Lead the implementation of the AI Governance framework across the lifecycle of AI systems, ensuring the right decisions are made throughout the lifecycle, ensuring ongoing monitoring of risks and management of incidents related to AI.
- Establish and manage a robust process for AI Use Case Management, fostering an ecosystem for innovation balanced with responsible use of AI.
- Enhance and maintain the AI System Registry.
- Contribute to and influence the creation and implementation of AI strategies.
- Establish KPIs to measure and monitor the value of AI initiatives across the enterprise.
- Actively coordinate and manage the interactions between various stakeholders from business teams, AI Delivery teams, and Enterprise Risk Management.
- Lead the establishment of appropriate AI governance of Third-Party Vendors, by partnering with key stakeholders.
- Leverage their strong understanding of AI technologies and approaches, as well as AI risk mitigation techniques to ensure governance measures of AI systems are effective while also delivering business value.
- Act as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders regarding AI governance matters, including any incidents related to AI systems.
- Manage alignment of AI systems with architectural, data governance, and enterprise requirements and methodologies.
- Support AI-readiness of data, partnering with teams within the Data & Analytics Office, technology teams and business teams.
- Support management-level, and the Cyber and AI Risk Oversight Committee meetings performing tasks as required. Act as a conduit to escalate any issues.
Qualifications
- Minimum of 5 years in leadership roles, showcasing a wealth of experience and leadership acumen. Previous hands-on experience in AI governance is considered an asset.
- Post-secondary degree, in a quantitative, technical, or business-related field, complemented by 3-5 years of experience in data, analytics, or a related field.
- Certification in AI Governance is considered an asset.
- Adept at collaborating and communicating with stakeholders across all hierarchical levels, adept at building consensus, influencing without formal authority, and driving the implementation of decisions.
- Strong business acumen with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Capable of recognizing critical issues and making sound decisions in complex, high-pressure situations.
- Adept at addressing business challenges through precise identification and the development of compelling business cases.
- Strong interpersonal skills, proficient with verbal and written communication, coupled with the skill to articulate complex information clearly and concisely to audiences of varying technical expertise.
- Go-getter with an exceptional customer service orientation.
- Previous experience in the insurance and finance industry is considered an asset.
Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
At Wawanesa, we are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our people – this is supported by having a representative workforce.
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including racialized persons, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, gender-diverse and neurodiverse individuals, and anyone who can contribute to the further diversification of thought and ideas.
We aim to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodations during any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out in confidence to jobs@wawanesa.com.
All Wawanesa job applicants are subject to Wawanesa's Privacy Policy.
Please note that the recruitment process for this position may involve the use of AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants. All final decisions are taken or reviewed by human recruiters and human hiring leaders in compliance with all applicable legislation.