SVP Mortgage Investments | Great West

Permanent Full Time

The Canadian Investment operations manage over $102 billion of assets in the Company’s consolidated general funds and over $38 billion of segregated fund assets.

The Commercial Mortgage Investment operations offers a range of mortgage products for commercial borrowers and provides nationwide real estate financing through offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal.

The Position:

Canada Life Assurance is looking for a senior commercial mortgage executive responsible for the oversight of origination, underwriting and funding of the Canadian commercial mortgage program in excess of $2 billion annually for both general account and segregated funds.

The SVP will provide ongoing portfolio and risk management together with oversight of daily administration and mortgage servicing of the commercial mortgage portfolio comprising a principle balance of approximately $16.0 billion.

The role will:

• Be responsible for a team that originates more than $2 billion annually of investment grade commercial mortgages and manages a $16 billion portfolio
• Directly manage five leaders responsible for origination, underwriting, portfolio management and administration
• Lead the mortgage investment committee and be responsible for its investment decisions
• Collaborate with other senior leaders in Canadian investments as well as counterparts in the US and UK businesses
• Make presentations to the Board for investment approvals or on portfolio issues as required

• Provide input and guidance with respect to Investment Policies, establish and update departmental policies and business process.
• Be responsible for a staff of 40, across Canada with respect to training, development, promoting, hiring, team building and all HR matters.

Candidate  Qualifications:

Education

• Undergraduate degree required.
• MBA and/or CFA / AACI preferred.

Experience

• Over 20 years in a senior leadership role with a successful track record at a major Canadian financial institution, or a public/private real estate company with responsibilities for the mortgage financing of commercial real estate across Canada.
• Thorough understanding of real estate values and valuation techniques.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Canadian commercial mortgage market.
• Fully knowledgeable in all real estate sectors, real estate markets and emerging trends that impact real estate and mortgage lending.
• Excellent negotiation skills, both internal and external with respect to approving/declining/committing mortgage proposals.
• Fully knowledgeable in all legal, and real estate laws applicable to commercial mortgages.
• Excellent analytical and negotiating capabilities.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities.
• Excellent presentation skills at the senior management/board level.
• Attracts, motivates and develops talent to build the right team to meet strategic direction and tomorrow’s needs

Personal Characteristics

• Strategic and forward thinking
• An effective problem solver
• Well organized
• A true team player

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Grow with Great-West Lifeco 

Great-West Lifeco Inc is a Canadian headquarter, international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses. We operate in Canada, the United States, and Europe under the brands: Canada Life, Empower and Irish Life. At the end of 2024, our companies had over 32,250 employees, 106,000 advisor relationships, and thousands of distribution partners – serving approximately 40 million customer relationships.

Great-West Lifeco trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the ticker symbol GWO and is a member of the Power Corporation group of companies.

What we offer:  

We’re committed to supporting our employees through every stage of their career. Here’s what you can expect as a full-time or part-time permanent team member: 

Career Development: Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to $2,000 annually towards education reimbursement. 

Health & Wellness: Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being. 

Time Off: In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.  

Financial Security: Company-matching pension plan, share ownership program and additional investment options. 

Rewards and Recognition: Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!  

Emphasis on Community: We provide a workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.  

Learn more about Great-West Lifeco.  

We’re committed to removing barriers and ensuring equal access to employment. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact  talentacquisitioncanada@canadalife.com. All information provided will be handled in accordance with applicable laws and Great-West Lifeco policies.  

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