Individual Wealth Product Strategy Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Individual Wealth Product Strategy Manager

Company: Equitable

Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Permanent Full-Time

Category: Product Strategy & Management (with GTM implications)

Date Posted: May 07, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the strategic direction and evolution of Individual Wealth products, aligning with organizational growth objectives and competitive market positioning.

• Leverage market research, competitive analysis, and forward-looking insights to identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities within the financial services landscape.

• Champion and integrate Human Centric Design (HCD) principles throughout the product strategy and development lifecycle, ensuring client needs are at the forefront.

• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with senior leadership, marketing, sales, and advisory teams to ensure cohesive product strategy execution and compelling go-to-market (GTM) enablement.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Strategy Manager," the responsibilities heavily lean into Go-To-Market (GTM) enablement and strategic product planning, requiring a strong understanding of how product strategy translates into market success. This role is crucial for bridging the gap between product development and market adoption, making it highly relevant for GTM operations professionals.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive product strategies for Individual Wealth offerings, ensuring alignment with overarching business goals and market demands.

• Conduct in-depth market research, competitive landscape analysis, and trend identification to uncover new product opportunities and refine existing offerings.

• Prepare and deliver impactful reports, proposals, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership, influencing key decisions regarding product roadmap and investment.

• Cultivate and maintain robust relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including financial advisors, distribution partners, and industry leaders, to gather insights and drive product adoption.

• Continuously monitor and evaluate the performance of product strategies, implementing necessary adjustments to optimize effectiveness and achieve desired business outcomes.

• Act as the primary champion for Human Centric Design (HCD) practices, collaborating across departments to embed client-centricity into all product development and strategy initiatives, and sharing best practices.

• Support the creation of advanced marketing and sales collateral, working in tandem with marketing and sales teams to develop persuasive content that enhances client and advisor engagement and strengthens product positioning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for strong analytical and strategic thinking, directly impacting the go-to-market effectiveness of wealth products. The emphasis on HCD and collaboration with marketing/sales suggests this role requires a blend of strategic product management and GTM operational understanding.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a closely related field.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in product strategy development, product management, business development, or a similar strategic role within the financial services industry, with a focus on wealth management products.

Required Skills:

• Product Strategy Development: Proven ability to conceptualize, articulate, and implement long-term product strategies that drive business growth and market competitiveness.

• Market Research & Analysis: Strong proficiency in conducting market analysis, identifying trends, assessing competitive landscapes, and translating findings into actionable product insights.

• Human Centric Design (HCD): Demonstrated experience and a deep understanding of HCD principles, with a track record of applying these methodologies to product strategy and client experience enhancement.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Exceptional ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership, sales teams, advisors, and external partners, influencing decisions and driving consensus.

• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Advanced capabilities in critical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving to evaluate product performance and identify strategic opportunities.

• Financial Services Industry Acumen: In-depth knowledge of the Canadian financial services sector, particularly Individual Wealth products, regulations, and market dynamics.

• Communication & Presentation: Superior written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to deliver compelling presentations and articulate complex strategies to various audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy: Familiarity with developing and executing GTM plans that effectively launch and promote new products and features.

• Product Lifecycle Management: Experience managing products from ideation through launch, maturity, and eventual retirement, understanding the strategic implications at each stage.

• Financial Modeling & Business Case Development: Ability to build financial models and develop robust business cases to support product initiatives and investment proposals.

• Agile Methodologies: Understanding of agile development principles and how they can be applied to product strategy and iterative development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years of experience, coupled with a Bachelor's degree, suggests this is a mid-to-senior level role. The emphasis on HCD, market analysis, and stakeholder engagement points to a strategic position that requires not just ideation but also the ability to drive execution and adoption, aligning with GTM operational needs.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Strategic Product Plans: Examples of comprehensive product strategies developed for financial products, detailing market analysis, target audience definition, competitive positioning, and roadmap projections.

• Market Research & Analysis Reports: Demonstrations of market research projects, including methodologies used, key findings, and actionable recommendations for product development or enhancement.

• Human Centric Design (HCD) Case Studies: Showcases of how HCD principles were applied to product design or strategy, illustrating the process from user research to solution implementation and impact.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Influence Examples: Evidence of successful collaboration with cross-functional teams and external partners, highlighting how influence was used to drive product initiatives or overcome challenges.

• Business Case Development: Samples of well-structured business cases for new product development or enhancements, including financial projections, ROI analysis, and risk assessments.

Process Documentation:

• Product Strategy Frameworks: Documentation outlining the structured approach used to develop and refine product strategies, including key decision points and approval stages.

• Market Opportunity Assessment Process: A clear outline of the methodology for identifying and evaluating potential market opportunities, including data sources and analytical tools employed.

• HCD Integration Process: Description of how HCD practices are integrated into the product development lifecycle, from ideation to testing and refinement.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Protocols: Defined processes for engaging and collaborating with marketing, sales, legal, compliance, and IT departments to ensure seamless product launches and ongoing management.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on product strategy, a portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and the ability to translate insights into actionable plans is crucial. The emphasis on HCD and stakeholder management suggests portfolio pieces should highlight collaboration and client-centric problem-solving.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $81,000 - $121,000 CAD per year.

Explanation of Range: This range is based on the provided data for the Individual Wealth Product Strategy Manager role in Waterloo, ON. It reflects a typical compensation structure for experienced professionals in financial services product strategy roles within the Canadian market, considering the specified experience level (5-10 years) and the hybrid work arrangement.

Benefits:

• Incentive Pay: Eligibility for discretionary annual incentive awards tied to overall business performance.

• Annual Salary Reviews: Regular salary evaluations to ensure competitive compensation.

• Employer-Paid Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, employer-paid.

• Pension Matching: Employer contributions to a pension plan, matching employee contributions.

• Competitive Vacation: Generous vacation allowance to support work-life balance.

• Paid Volunteer Day: One paid day per year for employees to engage in volunteer activities.

• Employee Wellness Programs: Initiatives focused on promoting employee health and well-being.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week. This is a hybrid role, requiring a minimum of two (2) assigned, consecutive days in the Waterloo office every other week, plus a fifth (5th) assigned day per month. Employees are welcome to work from the office more frequently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an annual equivalent, as the input indicated "HOUR" but provided significant annual figures. This is a common conversion for salaried positions. The benefits listed are standard for professional roles in the financial services sector, with specific emphasis on wellness and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (specifically insurance and investment management). Equitable is a Canadian mutual company focused on helping Canadians protect today and prepare for tomorrow.

Company Size: Large enterprise (specific number not provided, but "Equitable" as a known financial institution suggests a significant employee base, likely in the thousands globally/nationally).

Founded: Equitable was founded in 1845, bringing a long history and established presence in the financial services sector.

Team Structure:

• The role reports to the "Head, Individual Wealth Product and Marketing," indicating a direct line within the Individual Wealth division, likely part of a broader Marketing or Product Management department.

• This structure suggests close collaboration with marketing, sales enablement, product development, and potentially actuarial or risk management teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The role requires strong analytical skills to monitor product performance and market trends, suggesting a data-centric approach to strategy.

• Human Centric Design (HCD): This is explicitly called out as a core requirement, indicating a strong emphasis on client-focused product development and user experience.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The need to work with various departments (marketing, sales, leadership) highlights a collaborative methodology for strategy development and execution.

• Strategic Planning & Execution: The role involves both identifying opportunities (strategic planning) and implementing strategies, requiring a blend of forward-thinking and operational execution.

Company Website: https://www.equitable.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Equitable's mutual company status and long history suggest a stable, client-focused, and potentially relationship-driven culture. The integration of HCD indicates a modern approach to product development that prioritizes user needs. The hybrid work model is typical for large financial institutions balancing collaboration needs with employee flexibility.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Manager-level position within Product Strategy, overseeing the strategic direction of Individual Wealth products. It requires significant experience (5+ years) and a Bachelor's degree, placing it beyond an entry-level or junior role. The scope involves influencing senior leadership and driving significant business outcomes.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Head of Individual Wealth Product and Marketing. This senior leadership position provides strategic guidance and oversight, offering opportunities for exposure to high-level decision-making within the Individual Wealth division.

Operations Impact: The Individual Wealth Product Strategy Manager plays a pivotal role in shaping the company's product portfolio, directly influencing revenue generation, market share, and competitive positioning within the Individual Wealth segment. Effective product strategy is critical for driving sales, enhancing client retention, and ensuring the long-term financial health of the organization. The role's success is measured by the growth and profitability of the Individual Wealth product suite.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into senior product leadership roles, such as Director or VP of Product Management/Strategy, or expand into broader GTM leadership roles.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific product areas within Individual Wealth or develop advanced capabilities in HCD and user experience strategy.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to transition into related areas such as marketing leadership, business development, or even operational management roles that leverage strategic product knowledge.

• Continuous Learning: Access to ongoing development sessions, industry conferences, and potential for certifications in product management or HCD.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a Product Strategy Manager in financial services typically involves increasing responsibility for product portfolios, market segments, or strategic initiatives. Growth often leads to leadership positions where strategic vision and execution oversight are paramount.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model within a professional office environment in Waterloo, ON. This suggests a structured workplace with dedicated office spaces designed for collaboration and focused work.

Office Location(s): Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This location offers access to a strong talent pool and a vibrant business community.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to facilitate collaboration, with opportunities for in-person meetings, team brainstorming sessions, and interaction with colleagues across departments. The hybrid model mandates specific days in the office to foster these connections.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard productivity software, analytics platforms, and communication tools necessary for strategic planning, market analysis, and stakeholder engagement.

• Professional Network: Opportunities to build relationships with a diverse group of professionals within Equitable, including product experts, marketing specialists, sales leaders, and senior management.

Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is complemented by a hybrid arrangement, offering a degree of flexibility. While specific in-office days are required, the overall structure aims to support a healthy work-life balance. The "dress for your day" approach suggests a professional yet adaptable office culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model implies a balance between structured in-office collaboration and remote work flexibility, a common setup for knowledge-based roles in established companies. The emphasis on "employee wellness always top of mind" suggests a supportive work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and potentially a brief introductory call with Talent Acquisition to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience with product strategy, market analysis, HCD, and stakeholder management. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based assessments.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present key aspects of your portfolio, showcasing strategic thinking, analytical capabilities, and HCD application. This is a critical stage for demonstrating your strategic impact.

• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with individuals from marketing, sales, or other relevant departments to assess collaboration skills and understanding of GTM dynamics.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and overall fit with the company's direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your product strategy development, market analysis, and HCD expertise. Focus on projects with clear business impact.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the challenge, your role and approach, the methodologies used (especially HCD), key decisions made, challenges overcome, and quantifiable results achieved (e.g., revenue growth, market share increase, client satisfaction improvements).

• Highlight HCD Integration: Explicitly show how user needs and insights drove your strategic decisions and product outcomes. Use visuals or diagrams to illustrate user journeys or design thinking processes.

• Demonstrate GTM Alignment: Explain how your product strategies considered market launch, sales enablement, and ongoing customer engagement.

• Prepare for Q&A: Be ready to discuss your thought process, defend your strategic choices, and elaborate on any aspect of your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Product Strategy Case Study: Be prepared for a hypothetical scenario where you might be asked to develop a product strategy for a new wealth product or address a decline in an existing one. Focus on market analysis, target segmentation, competitive positioning, and a high-level roadmap.

• HCD Application: Expect questions on how you would approach a problem using HCD principles, or how you've applied them in the past to solve a user-centric challenge.

• Stakeholder Alignment Scenarios: Practice articulating how you would gain buy-in for a new product strategy from different stakeholder groups with potentially competing priorities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a strategic role like this will heavily focus on strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to articulate complex ideas. A well-prepared portfolio that showcases impact and a clear understanding of HCD and GTM is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Product Management Platforms: Tools for roadmap planning, feature prioritization, and backlog management (e.g., Jira, Aha!, Productboard).

• Market Research & Analytics Tools: Platforms for competitive intelligence, market trend analysis, and customer insights (e.g., Statista, Forrester, Gartner, survey platforms like SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics).

• Collaboration & Communication Tools: Suite of tools for team communication, project management, and documentation (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack, Confluence, SharePoint).

• Presentation Software: Tools for creating impactful presentations for leadership and stakeholders (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Platforms for data analysis, dashboard creation, and performance reporting (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) to monitor product KPIs.

• CRM Systems: While not directly managed, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) informs customer segmentation and strategy is beneficial.

• Financial Reporting Tools: Familiarity with systems that provide financial performance data for products.

CRM & Automation:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): While this role is strategy-focused, understanding how CRM data informs customer needs and how products integrate with sales processes is key.

• Marketing Automation Platforms: Awareness of how marketing automation (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo) supports product launch campaigns and client engagement.

• Human Centric Design (HCD) Tools: Tools or platforms that support user journey mapping, persona development, and design thinking workshops.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tool requirements aren't listed, a Product Strategy Manager in financial services would typically use a combination of market intelligence, project management, BI, and collaboration tools. Proficiency in HCD tools and methodologies is explicitly required.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client Focus: A paramount value, driven by the Human Centric Design requirement, emphasizing that all strategic decisions and product developments must prioritize client needs and value.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The hybrid model and cross-functional responsibilities highlight the importance of working effectively with diverse teams to achieve common goals.

• Curiosity & Innovation: Encouraged by the company culture, this value supports the exploration of new market opportunities and forward-thinking product strategies.

• Integrity & Trust: Essential in the financial services industry, underpinning client relationships and business operations.

• Excellence & Continuous Improvement: A drive to perform at a high level and consistently refine strategies and processes for better outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: The role requires building strong partnerships with Marketing, Sales, Distribution, and potentially other product teams to ensure cohesive strategy and successful execution.

• Consultative Approach: Acting as an HCD champion and strategy advisor, this role involves guiding and influencing colleagues through data-backed insights and user-centric perspectives.

• Transparent Communication: Open and clear communication is vital for keeping stakeholders informed, managing expectations, and fostering alignment on strategic initiatives.

• Feedback Integration: A culture that values constructive feedback, allowing for iterative improvements in product strategy and execution based on input from various sources.

📝 Enhancement Note: Equitable's stated values of "care, passion, and curiosity" combined with the emphasis on "putting people first" and HCD suggest a culture that is both client-centric and employee-supportive, fostering an environment conducive to strategic innovation and collaborative problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Market Volatility: The financial services industry is subject to rapid changes, regulatory shifts, and economic fluctuations, requiring adaptable and resilient product strategies.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Managing the diverse and sometimes conflicting priorities of senior leadership, sales teams, advisors, and clients requires strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Driving HCD Adoption: Championing Human Centric Design across an organization can be challenging, requiring continuous education, advocacy, and demonstration of its value.

• Competitive Pressures: Staying ahead of competitors in the Individual Wealth market demands constant innovation and a keen understanding of market dynamics.

• Hybrid Work Integration: Ensuring seamless collaboration and consistent strategy execution across a hybrid workforce requires effective communication protocols and leadership.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Product Strategy: Opportunities to delve deeper into advanced strategic frameworks, competitive strategy, and market entry planning specific to financial services.

• Human Centric Design Expertise: Potential to pursue certifications or advanced training in HCD, user experience (UX) research, and service design.

• Leadership Development: Access to leadership training programs, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to senior management discussions to prepare for future leadership roles.

• Industry Conferences & Seminars: Participation in industry events to stay abreast of the latest trends, regulations, and best practices in wealth management and product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for strategic roles in dynamic industries. The growth opportunities focus on deepening expertise and advancing leadership capabilities, aligning with typical career progression in product management and strategy.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed a product strategy that significantly impacted business growth. What was your process, and what were the key outcomes?" (Focus on market analysis, strategic choices, and quantifiable results.)

• "How would you approach identifying and validating a new product opportunity in the Individual Wealth market for Equitable?" (Demonstrate your market research, HCD, and strategic planning process.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Equitable's mission and values, and how does that resonate with your approach to product strategy?" (Research Equitable's history, mutual status, and stated values.)

• "How would you integrate Human Centric Design principles into our existing product development lifecycle, and what challenges do you anticipate?" (Discuss your HCD expertise and change management approach.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the 'Why': Clearly articulate the business problem or market opportunity your portfolio project addressed.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, data, and concise narratives to illustrate your process, insights, and solutions. For HCD projects, map out user journeys or personas.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the tangible results of your strategy (e.g., % increase in sales, market share gain, improved client retention, cost savings).

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you worked with different teams (sales, marketing, etc.) and how your strategy facilitated their efforts.

• Conclude with Strategic Learnings: Summarize key takeaways and how they inform your future approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on aligning your experience with the core requirements of product strategy, HCD, and GTM enablement. Be ready to discuss specific examples and demonstrate strategic thinking.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Equitable careers portal (jobs.dayforcehcm.com).

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in product strategy, market analysis, Human Centric Design, financial services, and stakeholder management. Quantify achievements with specific metrics where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong examples of product strategies, market research, or HCD initiatives. Be ready to present these, focusing on your process, impact, and lessons learned.

• Research Equitable: Understand the company's mission, values, history, and its position in the Individual Wealth market. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate cultural fit.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions related to strategy development, problem-solving, collaboration, and HCD application. Rehearse your portfolio presentation.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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