Retail Transformation Manager

The Retail Transformation Manager is responsible for identifying, designing, implementing, and sustaining process improvements that enhance efficiency, consistency, compliance, operational effectiveness, and member experience across the retail network. This role serves as a strategic partner to Retail leadership and is responsible for leading cross-functional retail projects, process improvement initiatives, system enhancements, and operational change efforts that support the credit union's strategic objectives. The position partners closely with branch leadership, Retail Support, IT, Digital Banking, Risk, Compliance, Organizational Development, and other stakeholders to simplify workflows, reduce friction, and ensure retail processes are scalable, member-centric, and aligned with organizational goals. This position provides direct oversight of the Retail Transformation Officer and is accountable for ensuring retail transformation initiatives are effectively prioritized, executed, and aligned with organizational objectives.

Competencies

• Member Focus
• Collaborating with Others
• Fostering Communication
• Quality Focus
• Adaptability
• Visioning and Alignment
• Emotional Intelligence
• Fostering Learning and Development
• Inspiring Others
• Project Management
• Improving Business Processes
• Leading Change

Key Responsibilities

Retail Process Design & Improvement

• Analyze existing retail processes to identify inefficiencies, risks, redundancies, and member pain points.
• Design and implement streamlined, standardized retail workflows that improve service delivery and operational effectiveness.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
• Partner with frontline teams to ensure processes are practical, intuitive, sustainable, and aligned with business objectives.
• Develop future-state process designs that improve efficiency, scalability, and consistency across the retail network.
• Facilitate process mapping sessions and root cause analyses to identify opportunities for operational improvement.
• Establish governance and documentation standards for retail processes.

Retail Project Management & Strategic Initiatives

• Lead and manage cross-functional retail projects from initiation through implementation, stabilization, and post-implementation review.
• Develop and maintain project charters, business requirements, project plans, timelines, resource plans, risk assessments, and implementation schedules.
• Serve as the Retail Division project lead for strategic initiatives, technology implementations, operational enhancements, regulatory changes, branch transformation efforts, and member experience improvements.
• Coordinate project activities across retail, operations, technology, compliance, risk, training, and vendor partners.
• Facilitate project meetings, stakeholder discussions, executive updates, and decision-making sessions.
• Monitor project scope, timelines, risks, dependencies, milestones, and deliverables to ensure successful execution.
• Lead operational readiness activities, implementation planning, pilot programs, user acceptance testing (UAT), and post-launch support efforts.
• Drive accountability and timely resolution of project issues, barriers, and competing priorities.
• Establish project success metrics and evaluate outcomes against expected business results.
• Support strategic planning efforts by identifying opportunities to improve processes, systems, member experience, and retail operational performance.

Member & Frontline Experience Focus

• Ensure retail processes support a seamless, consistent, and member-focused experience.
• Balance policy and compliance requirements with employee usability and member convenience.
• Actively seek feedback from branches to understand operational challenges and improvement opportunities.
• Serve as a champion for simplifying processes that create unnecessary friction for members and employees.
• Incorporate employee and member feedback into process and project design decisions.
• Evaluate the operational impact of process and project changes on the frontline experience.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Retail Support Services, IT, Digital Banking, Risk, Compliance, Organizational Development, Operations, and other business units.
• Support system rollouts, upgrades, and procedural changes impacting retail operations.
• Translate operational needs into clear business requirements for system enhancements and process improvements.
• Act as a liaison between retail operations and enterprise project teams.
• Facilitate collaboration among stakeholders to ensure alignment between business needs and project objectives.
• Ensure retail priorities are represented and incorporated into enterprise initiatives.

Change Management & Communication

• Lead change initiatives using a structured approach that considers branch capacity, operational impacts, and learning styles.
• Develop communication plans, implementation strategies, job aids, and procedural documentation for process and project changes.
• Partner with Organizational Development to support training design and delivery.
• Assess organizational readiness and develop mitigation strategies to support successful implementation.
• Reinforce adoption of new processes, systems, and operational practices.
• Monitor change effectiveness and drive continuous improvement following implementation.

Data, Metrics & Reporting

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and success metrics for retail process and project initiatives.
• Analyze operational data, performance trends, and root causes to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop dashboards, scorecards, and executive reporting to communicate project status and operational results.
• Prepare business cases, cost-benefit analyses, and return-on-investment assessments to support decision-making and prioritization.
• Provide recommendations and progress updates to retail and executive leadership.
• Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance through process documentation and reporting.

Governance, Risk & Controls

• Ensure retail processes and projects comply with applicable regulations, policies, and internal control requirements.
• Partner with Risk and Compliance to proactively identify and mitigate operational risks.
• Support audit findings resolution, corrective action planning, and process remediation efforts.
• Evaluate project risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize operational disruption.
• Maintain documentation to support governance, compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Supports by identifying opportunities to improve operational effectiveness, scalability, and retail service delivery.

People Leadership & Team Oversight

• Maintain project governance documentation and provide regular status reporting to retail and executive leadership.
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, development, and performance management for the Retail Transformation Officer.
• Establish priorities, goals, and performance expectations to ensure alignment with Retail Division strategies and transformation objectives.
• Oversee the Retail Transformation Officer's workload, and execution of process improvement and transformation initiatives
• Foster professional growth through mentoring, training, and continuous development opportunities.
• Promote collaboration and accountability while serving as an escalation point for project risks, issues, and resource constraints.

Job Skills and Experience

• Strong executive communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills
• Process Mapping 
• Data Analytics 
• Facilitation 
• Technical Writing 
• Banking Regulations 
• Planning and Organizing 
• Achievement Orientation 
• Problem Solving 
• Product and Technical Knowledge 
• Business Acumen 
• Analytical Thinking 
• Information Gathering and Processing 
• Stakeholder Management 
• Decision Making 

Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in retail banking, credit union operations, process improvement, project management, or related operational leadership roles.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects and operational improvement initiatives.
• Proven ability to successfully manage multiple priorities, project timelines, stakeholders, and implementation of activities simultaneously.
• Proven ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable operational initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supporting technology implementations, digital transformation initiatives, or system conversions
• Project Management Certification
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