Senior Vice President, Business Optimization

Senior Vice President, Business Optimization

Senior Vice President, Business Optimization

Turn strategy into action. Build stronger ways of working. Lead change that lasts.

FCS Financial is looking for a Senior Vice President, Business Optimization to help shape how we turn big ideas into meaningful results across our organization. This is much more than a project management or process improvement role. It is a senior leadership opportunity to connect strategy, people, priorities, and execution.

As a member of our Senior Leadership Team, you will lead talented people responsible for project management, continuous improvement, operational readiness and training, and change management. More importantly, you will bring those capabilities together to help the organization navigate change, improve how work gets done, and successfully execute the priorities that matter most.

• Turn strategy into execution - Partner with executive and senior leaders to translate organizational priorities into coordinated plans, clear accountability, and measurable results.
• Build a culture of continuous improvement - Bring people together to solve problems, and create better, smarter, and more sustainable ways of working.
• Lead through change - Help our employees and leaders successfully navigate new systems, processes, priorities, and ways of working by ensuring they have the communication, training, tools, and support they need to succeed.
• Bring clarity to complex priorities - Help leaders make thoughtful decisions about where to focus resources, how initiatives fit together, and how we balance competing priorities across the organization.
• Develop exceptional teams - Lead, coach, and empower professionals across project management, process improvement, and operational training. Build an environment where people have clarity, accountability, and the opportunity to grow.
• Create alignment across the organization - Work across functions and levels of leadership to break down silos, build shared ownership, and ensure changes work not only on paper, but in practice.

• Purpose Driven Work: Help support Missouri agriculture and rural communities.
• Career Growth: We invest in professional development, encourage leadership growth, and provide opportunities to influence the future of our organization.
• Relationship Focused Environment: Our people make the difference. Work alongside talented professionals who are passionate about serving our member owners.
• Competitive Total Rewards: Enjoy a comprehensive salary, incentive opportunities and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being. Based on experience the base pay for this position is $140,000 – $200,000.
• Flexible Work Environment: Hybrid options available within FCS Financial’s Loan Service Area, in Missouri.

We're seeking a leader who can:

• Build trust and credibility with executives, leaders, and employees.
• Bring people together around complex or competing priorities.
• Know how to create clarity when the path forward isn't obvious.
• Lead change with both urgency and thoughtfulness.
• Ask great questions and challenge conventional thinking.
• Hold yourself and others accountable for results.
• Develop strong teams and empower others to lead.
• Understand that the best solution isn't simply the most efficient one. It must also work for our people and customers we serve.
• Communicate complex ideas in ways that create understanding, alignment, and action.
  
  

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, finance, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressive operations leadership experience involving project management, process improvement, operational training, or similar functions.
• Three or more years of supervisory experience.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may also be considered.
  
  

This role will have the opportunity to influence how FCS Financial prioritizes work, develops employees, manages change, improves operations, and delivers on its strategy. If you're energized by bringing order to complexity, developing great people, challenging what's possible, and helping an organization get better, we'd love to talk with you.

Apply today and help shape the future of Ag & Rural Lending customer service at FCS Financial.

Preferred office locations are Jefferson City and Columbia, MO. All other Missouri FCS Financial Branch Locations will be considered.

Hybrid work environment and flexible work schedule will be considered based off the candidates’ qualifications and needs.

This position is open until filled.

This position is classified as Exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Percentage	Job Functions
30%	Process Ownership and Governance Drive a process and continuous improvement culture (e.g., Lean, Sigma) to evaluate, design, and streamline core operational workflows. Establishes strategic governance framework, including standards and tools for resource allocation, risk mitigation, and milestone tracking. Establish frameworks for process governance, including clear business ownership, accountability, documentation, measurement, and ongoing review of critical operational processes. Ensures improvements are effectively transitioned to business owners and sustained following implementation. Support process and continuous improvement resources to eliminate operational waste, optimize cycle times, and scale standard operating procedures (SOPs). Drive a data-driven continuous improvement mindset with implementation of key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and monitor overall process health and productivity gains.
20%	Project Management and Execution Directs the Association’s overall project management strategy and plan, which includes oversight of strategic, cross-functional projects and initiatives. Works with the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Leadership Team to prioritize various strategic projects and the overall project portfolio based on company strategy and goals, ROI, and operational capacity.
20%	Operational Readiness and Training Oversee operational training and readiness, including the design, development, and delivery of role and function specific training necessary for employees to effectively perform their day-to-day responsibilities. Works closely with Information Services team, Project Managers, and Process Improvement resources to prepare employees for new technologies, processes, procedures, and operational change. Ensures employees receive timely and relevant operational information, training, tools and resources as business processes, systems, procedures, and job requirements change. Establishes measures to evaluate training effectiveness, knowledge transfer, employee readiness, and application of learning on the job.
15%	Team Leadership Selects, develops, motivates, and empowers the project management, process and continuous improvement, and operational training teams. Assesses talent and determines optimal division of responsibilities, including how the team should be organized to best serve the needs and strategies of the Association. Establishes performance standards and measures performance against standards. Communicates individual, team, and overall business expectations and goals to team and is responsible for teams’ results.
15%	Change Management Ensure structured and consistent change management strategies and activities are practiced throughout and across project management, business and continuous improvement, and operational training functions and initiatives. Ensure operational improvement efforts consider the experience and needs of internal and external customers and balance efficiency with service quality and business effectiveness. Partners with Information Services and business leaders to ensure technology investments and system changes support operational needs, efficient processes, and effective adoption. Ensures business processes, training, readiness, and change activities are appropriately coordinated with significant technology implementations. Work with internal communications resources, where necessary, on specific communication plans for larger cross-functional or Association-wide initiatives. Ensure executive leadership is current on significant strategic projects, including progress on key milestones and activities.
n/a	Other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the organization.

* Essential Functions for this position consist of all items listed under any category that make up 5% or more of the job duties. This job description is subject to change without notice.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management, finance or a related field
• 5 years or more of progressive experience in operations with project management, process engineering, or corporate training functions at a senior level
• 3 years’ supervisory experience
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Advanced knowledge and capabilities in change management and organizational scaling
• Exceptional cross-functional leadership and executive communication skills
• Knowledge of project portfolio management and governance
• Knowledge of process improvement methodologies and process governance
• High level of accountability in consistently meeting deadlines while managing multiple priorities
• Self-starter with ability to work with limited supervision, either individually or as part of a team.
• Skill in facilitating cross-functional decision involving competing priorities
• Strong critical thinking skills; demonstrate initiative, attention to detail and accuracy
• Skill in managing, coaching, motivating and developing teams
• Skill in communicating objectives and effectively delegating tasks
• Verbal and written communication skills, sufficient to exchange information and influence decisions and actions of subordinates, peers, supervisor and customers
• Strong customer service skills, including the ability to communicate complicated information in an understandable manner, deliver bad news effectively, and exceed customer expectations
• Skill in working as part of a team and collaborating with colleagues at all levels of the Association