General Summary:

The primary purpose of this position is to assist First Commerce in fulfilling our Vision of Empowering Generations, Transforming Communities. This is achieved through delivering Remarkable Member Service as defined by our Service Standards as well as building and maintaining strong member relationships through identification of member's financial needs and effectively recommending appropriate products and services to meet those needs.

In alignment with our vision and goals, we are seeking a Strategic Initiatives Associate to drive research-informed, data-supported innovation initiatives. This role blends research, analytics, and business strategy with hands-on execution to shape innovative solutions that enhance member experiences and drive FCCU's growth. The ideal candidate will not only gather and interpret insights but will also collaborate across teams to bring new initiatives from concept to reality.

Responsibilities:

Innovation & Strategy Execution

• Assist in the development and refinement of new products, services, and experiences that align with business goals.
• Support the ideation, prototyping, and testing of new initiatives through cross-functional collaboration.
• Work with stakeholders to develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess effectiveness and ROI of new initiatives.

Project Management

• Coordinate and manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and budgets, collaborating with cross-functional teams to execute initiatives.
• Facilitate status meetings, compile progress reports, and proactively identify and mitigate project risks.
• Ensure smooth rollout and adoption of initiatives by gathering feedback and iterating as needed.

Research, Insights and Data Analysis

• Perform deep dives into market trends, competitive offerings, and consumer behaviors to identify actionable opportunities.
• Analyze business performance, financial models, and customer data to guide decision-making and improve offerings.
• Synthesize qualitative and quantitative insights from surveys, interviews, and third-party data to support strategic recommendations.
• Lead primary research efforts, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews to capture customer and stakeholder perspectives.
• Develop business cases and data-backed recommendations to support decision-making.

Communication & Influence

• Develop written communications and presentations to explain insights and strategies to senior leadership.
• Partner with internal teams to ensure that data and research inform decision-making at all levels.
• Foster a culture of innovation, problem-solving, and continuous improvement across teams.

Other Responsibilities:

• Fully support in actions and words FCCU's Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Service Standards. Dress and represent First Commerce in a professional manner.
• Perform job duties in accordance with policies established by the Board of Directors under the rules and regulations set by the National Credit Union Administration, the State of Florida and any applicable State laws for financial centers located in other States.
• Comply with Reg E, BSA, OFAC and CIP requirements such as reporting suspicious or unusual activity to appropriate authorities.
• Ability to travel within and occasionally outside the North Florida and South Georgia area. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Other projects, assignments, or duties assigned.

Requirements:

• Proven ability to translate ideas into actionable business initiatives, from research to execution.
• Demonstrated ability to drive the customer experience through innovative solutions, ensuring consistency and excellence at every touchpoint.
• Requires critical thinking skills, exceptional communication skills, strong analytic and decision-making ability.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.
• Adept at prioritizing and handling multiple high-impact initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, ensuring deadlines are met.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and creation of visuals including charts and graphs.
• Experience with Google Analytics, social media analytics, or business intelligence tools is a plus.
• Moderate to advanced database management skills.
• Ability to work in a highly collaborative and dynamic work environment.
• Strong organizational, planning, interpersonal, analytical, research, communication, writing, verbal and presentation skills.

Education and Experience:

• A bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, or a related field. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.
• 2+ years of experience in business strategy, innovation, market research, or analytics.