Role:
Under the guidance of the AVP of Digital Solutions and in accordance with established protocols, this role encompasses a range of responsibilities to oversee product direction within Digital Product Management and Digital Continuous Improvement. The position involves formulating organizational strategies in digital and technology, aligned with current trends and member demands. Responsibilities include supervising all aspects of the Digital Product team, including training, operational oversight, and vendor relationships. Key areas of focus include the product management of digital channels and services, including mobile and online banking, digital account opening, omnichannel experiences, digital channel feedback and surveys, and knowledge base management. Additionally, the role assumes leadership on critical projects identified for enhancing operational efficiency. Supporting the management of Digital Solutions personnel, the role ensures the smooth execution of essential activities to uphold operational effectiveness. Addressing member issues and complaints, both internal and external, is also integral to the role, adhering closely to organizational principles and regulatory standards. This addition underscores Apple FCU's commitment to a Member First philosophy, aiming to fully digitize and enhance the member experience. The role performs duties and responsibilities in accordance with The Apple Way principles: Team Up, Serve with Purpose, Challenge Yourself, and Own It. It remains cognizant of and adheres to credit union policies and procedures, and regulations pertaining to the Bank Secrecy Act. Performs other job duties as assigned by the Digital Solutions Senior Management Teams.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities:
Team Leadership and Development: Lead, coach, and develop the digital services team. Hold regular team meetings and one-on-one sessions to give feedback, set goals, and solve performance or operational issues. Encourage a team environment that promotes innovation, continuous improvement, and excellence. Work with business, product, and operations teams to improve workflows, processes, and member communications, enhancing the member experience. Interview, schedule, train, and manage team members' performance. Promote professionalism and excellence to deliver great member services and support. Ensure staff are ready through effective training programs and keep necessary documentation for personnel actions.
Digital Product and Vendor Management: Partner with senior leadership to enhance member experiences and increase usage of Apple FCU products. Collaborate with IT teams to develop and deploy digital solutions, oversee internal communications, and prepare training materials. Manage vendor relationships to ensure operational systems and resolve issues. Test and recommend improvements to digital solutions. Engage and maintain vendor relationships, represent business needs, and hold vendors accountable.
Strategic Product Management and Ownership: Collaborate with Digital Solutions leadership teams and cross-functional teams to propose and execute new digital products and services. Lead product lifecycle management from requirements gathering through to release management, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and member needs. Lead product management efforts, including requirements gathering, evaluation, prioritization, and release management. Own the comprehensive communication of product features and functions across the organization.
Collaboration with Other Departments: Collaborate with IT, marketing, and other departments to align digital operations with overall organizational goals and strategies. Communicate effectively with all levels of the organization to report on digital operations performance, project progress, and strategic initiatives. Represent the digital services team in cross-functional meetings and projects. Ensure that all stakeholders are informed and enrolled in the product development process, from initial concept through to launch and post-launch evaluation.
Project Participation and Management: Lead and participate in projects aimed at launching new digital services, features, or enhancements. Ensure communication to impacted areas are delivered and ensure timely delivery and alignment with organizational goals by coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure successful implementation and adoption of new initiatives.
Operational Excellence: Resolve complex member issues, ensuring adherence to credit union policies and procedures while maintaining positive member relations. Prepare and deliver accurate reports to senior leadership in a timely manner to support informed decision-making.
Technical Oversight and Maintenance: Oversee the review and maintenance of digital systems essential to business operations, including but not limited to Digital Solutions Helpdesk, Fraud Solutions, and various banking platforms. Liaise with IT for system-specific issues and improvements.
Performance Measurements:
1. This position will be assessed against the following performance competencies: Challenging Yourself, Communications, Serving with Purpose, Owning It, and Teaming Up
2. This position will be assessed against annual goals.
Knowledge and Skills:
Experience
• Minimum 8 years of digital banking support, bank systems administrator or product management of a financial institution.
• Minimum 2-3 years or more of demonstrated experience in a leadership position or operational and system management experience.
• Minimum of 5 years or more of product management experience is required showing progressively responsible experience supporting banking or credit union products, including Digital Banking systems, and Core Banking systems.
• Experience with Banking vendors, including Alkami, Fiserv, Vertifi and Jack Henry Symitar EASE is required.
• Experience with Atlassian Products including Jira and Confluence, is required.
• Experience releasing member/member-facing software at a scale in a fast-paced work environment.
Education
• Technical Certifications such as Scrum Master, Scrum Product Owner and Product Management are required.
• Bachelor’s degree or similar work experience is required.
Interpersonal Skills
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact effectively with team members, other departments, and stakeholders.
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to manage, develop, and motivate high performing teams. Ability to inspire and guide team members toward achieving organizational goals.
• Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, fostering a cooperative and inclusive work environment. Skilled in building and maintaining productive working relationships.
• Problem-Solving: Strong prioritization, problem-solving, diagnosis, and troubleshooting skills to identify, triage, and resolve issues efficiently.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Analytical Skills: Advanced analytical skills to interpret digital analytics and user feedback for continuous improvement of digital platforms.
• Strategic Thinking: Strategic thinking and planning abilities to align digital initiatives with overall business goals.
• Change Management: Change management capabilities to lead the adoption of new technologies and processes within the organization.
• Industry Knowledge: Knowledge of current digital banking trends and technologies to drive innovation and enhance member services.
• Interpersonal Interaction: Ability to interact positively and effectively in group and individual situations at all levels within and outside the credit union.
• Teamwork: Ability to work in a team environment, meet deadlines, and take on a high level of responsibility and accountability.
• Negotiation: Skilled in negotiating with vendors and stakeholders to ensure favorable outcomes for the organization. Ability to manage vendor relationships and resolve conflicts effectively.
Technical Skills
• Digital Product Management: Extensive experience in digital product management, including product lifecycle management, requirements gathering, and release management. Knowledge of best practices in digital product development.
• Project Management: Proficient in project management methodologies and tools, with the ability to lead and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Experience in defining project scopes, establishing timelines, and tracking progress.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with digital technologies, online and mobile banking platforms, and digital account opening systems. Understanding of IT infrastructure and software development processes.
• Software Knowledge: Experience with software release management, system validation, and user acceptance testing.
• Documentation: Proficient in drafting and maintaining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and using knowledge management systems like Confluence.
• Data Analysis: Strong analytical skills with the ability to analyze market trends, member needs, and competitive offerings. Experience in using data to drive strategic decision-making and product development.
• Technical Support: Experience in providing technical support and troubleshooting for digital solutions and services.
• User Experience (UX) Design: Understanding of UX design principles and best practices. Ability to collaborate with design teams to create user-friendly digital products and services.
• Vendor Management: Experience in managing relationships with digital solutions vendors, ensuring system reliability, and resolving issues promptly. Ability to evaluate vendor performance and negotiate contracts.
• Process Improvement: Knowledge of process improvement methodologies and ability to recommend and implement technological advancements to enhance operations.
Physical Requirements
• The ability to lift 25 lbs. and utilize standard office equipment including, but not limited to, PC, fax, copier, telephone, etc.
Work Environment
• Competent in navigating the dynamics of a financial institution setting.
• Adaptability to thrive in high-velocity work conditions.
• Frequent engagement through phone and email communications.
• Hybrid work environment (minimum of 3 days in-office per week)
This Job Description is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities comprising the position.