Asia IAM & Data Security Enablement Lead (Director)

Asia IAM & Data Security Enablement Lead

This role is critical in enabling secure and scalable access to systems and data across Asia. By strengthening identity governance, access control, and data protection practices, it reduces risk exposure, improves regulatory compliance, and enhances operational efficiency through automation and standardization.

The position ensures consistent alignment with enterprise IAM strategy while embedding regional capability, supporting defensible cybersecurity practices, and enabling secure digital transformation across diverse markets.

Lead and own IAM and data security enablement portfolio across Asia to ensure consistent implementation of identity lifecycle management, access governance, and data protection controls aligned with enterprise standards and regulatory expectations. Drive practical adoption of IAM capabilities through integration into business processes, applications, and transformation programs. Provide subject matter expertise, enable automation, and translate technical controls into clear business decisions to strengthen access governance and reduce risk exposure.

Provide regional representation for enterprise identity, access management, and data security enablement across Asia, ensuring consistent and effective adoption of enterprise IAM standards, identity lifecycle controls, and data protection practices. The role acts as the critical bridge between global IAM strategy and regional execution, translating enterprise standards into practical, scalable outcomes for Asia markets while ensuring those standards are consistently implemented, validated, and sustained. Additionally, the role is an advocate for the Asia Segment for identified pain points and enhancements.

Enable a consistent operating model through close partnership with Country Cyber Leads and the Asia CISO team, supporting accountable and scalable adoption across markets. Lead a small regional team and coordinate across geographically dispersed stakeholders to deliver consistent, scalable, and regulator-ready outcomes. Global IAM retains ownership of enterprise IAM strategy, tooling selection, and core platform capabilities. This role focuses on enabling regional adoption, integration, and effective implementation of these standards across Asia markets, while providing structured feedback and insights to inform continuous improvement of global capabilities.

Position Responsibilities:

• Drive regional IAM enablement: Own the IAM and data security enablement portfolio across Asia, driving consistent adoption and effective implementation of enterprise IAM standards across applications, platforms, and cloud environments.

• Strengthen access governance: Improve identity governance practices including RBAC, access certification, and segregation of duties, reducing excess privileges and ensuring access aligns with least privilege principles and enterprise risk appetite.

• Enable integration and automation: Partner with technology teams to embed IAM and data security controls into applications, platforms, and cloud environments, enabling automation to improve efficiency, consistency, and risk reduction.

• Translate risk into business decisions: Translate complex IAM and access control requirements into clear, business-aligned language, enabling business leaders to make informed access decisions aligned to risk and least privilege principles.

• Drive regional adoption and culture: Engage business and technology stakeholders to drive awareness, capability uplift, and consistent adoption of IAM and data security practices across markets.

• Align with Global IAM and influence strategy: Act as the primary regional interface with Global IAM, enabling adoption of enterprise standards while providing structured feedback on regional challenges, adoption barriers, and opportunities to inform evolution of global strategy and tooling.

• Support governance, audit, and regulatory readiness: Ensure IAM and data security controls are implemented consistently, tested for effectiveness, and supported by audit-ready evidence to meet enterprise and regulatory requirements.

• Lead regional capability: Lead and develop a geographically dispersed team, fostering collaboration, consistency, and capability uplift across Asia markets.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years in IAM, identity governance, or cybersecurity roles

• Experience in large, complex, or regulated environments

• Proven experience leading regional IAM initiatives or programs as a practitioner

• Strong knowledge of:

  • Identity lifecycle management for human and non-human accounts

  • Identity governance and RBAC

  • Risk-based IAM approaches

  • Industry standards and regulatory IAM requirements

• Hands-on experience with IAM platforms, such as SailPoint, and access control models

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

• English language proficiency and Mandarin language capability

• Familiarity with: Cloud IAM; Data protection and encryption concepts; Privileged Access Management (PAM) and MFA; Agentic AI governance and lifecycle management

• Experience managing or mentoring distributed teams

• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, or IAM-specific certifications

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 hr@manulife.com.