Director, Operational Excellence and Innovation

Job Overview

Citadel Credit Union is seeking a visionary leader to serve as Director of Operational Excellence & Innovation. This role will drive process improvement within the Experience & Retail team and will focus on enhancing current business processes within the team. This position will also focus on integrating new technologies within the organization, such as blockchain (DLT), smart contracts, and artificial intelligence into member and employee experience to drive efficiency, automation and service improvements. The Director will lead, collaborate, and influence the business to modernize workflows, automate processes, and position Citadel as a technology leader in retail financial services.

What will I be doing?

As a Director of Operational Excellence & Innovation, you will support Citadel’s Experience and Retail environments in meeting strategic initiatives for our members. The following tasks must be executed with high fidelity:

• Lead the design and implementation of emerging technologies to include blockchain and AI-powered automation solutions for retail operations.
• Act as liaison and collaborate with various lines of business, including EPMO, Digital & Transformation, and Retail Operations & Support.
• Coordinating of testing and implementing branch technology and compliance.
• Act as liaison between the team and internal/external partners to ensure successful deployment of system upgrades and enhancements.
• Manage team related vendor relationships.
• Oversee the development and deployment of smart contracts to automate efficiencies in member onboarding, KYC/AML/NRA compliance, transaction processing, and reporting.
• Identify, assess, and recommend blockchain platforms, smart contract frameworks, and AI vendors to support retail automation initiatives.
• Collaborates on system and workflow enhancements while acting as a vendor and system liaison.
• Manage pilot programs for new automation solutions, collect feedback, refine processes, and oversee full-scale deployment and staff training across team channels.
• Ensure all solutions meet regulatory requirements, maintain data immutability, and enhance fraud prevention through biometric and cryptographic security.
• Monitor system performance, optimize retail workflows, and implement enhancements based on analytics and stakeholder input.
• Develop and execute strategies to overcome resistance to technology adoption, including comprehensive staff training and phased implementation.

What we are looking for?

• 7+ years’ experience in process improvement, project management, or technology implementation in retail financial services.
• Bachelor's degree; MBA or advanced degree a plus
• Proven expertise in blockchain/DLT, smart contracts, and AI workflow automation.
• Strong understanding of KYC/AML/NRA compliance and regulatory reporting in retail banking.
• Experience with vendor selection and management for enterprise technology solutions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to analyze complex retail workflows and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Familiarity with zero-trust architecture and Microsoft Azure AD integration.
• Experience with RPA tools and business process automation platforms.
• Knowledge of UTAUT, TPB, and TAM models for user technology adoption.
• Prior experience in retail financial technology innovation or credit union operations.