Director, Business Planning-(Hybrid)

Central 1 cooperatively empowers credit unions and other financial institutions to deliver banking choice to Canadians. Central 1 provides critical services at scale to enable a thriving credit union system. We do this by collaborating with our clients, developing strategies, products and services to support the financial well-being of their more than 5 million diverse customers in communities across Canada. For more information, visit www.central1.com.

What we offer:

• Work-life flexibility 

• Hybrid work environment 

• Variable annual incentive plan

• Generous annual vacation allotment

• Top-notch flexible benefits plan including family building and gender affirmation

• Retirement Plan, matched contributions at 6%

• Access to a learning platform and educational assistance support

• Access to a virtual wellness platform

• Career development opportunities

• Wellness Flex Fund to support personal interest and activities

• Day off to volunteer in your community and other paid time off options

• Corporate discounts

*subject to employment agreement

Job Summary:

The  Director of Business Planning will be at the forefront of executing against CI strategic vision. This is a high-impact role tailor-made for a strategic thinker and doer who thrives on collaboration, influence, and innovation. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with senior leaders to turn big ideas into meaningful action - guiding the development and execution of enterprise-wide initiatives and involved in the strategic and annual planning cycles.
 

With the credit union system and Central 1 undergoing a period of rapid transformation, there's never been a more exciting time to help steer the organization into its future. You won’t just plan for change; you’ll help lead it.
 

Bringing a strong enterprise mindset, you’ll partner across the organization to assess capabilities, unlock opportunities, and shape a future-ready operating model. You have a knack for translating vision into reality, and you're known for turning complex, conceptual ideas into results through inclusive collaboration, flexibility, and a relentless focus on impact.

What you’ll be doing:
 

Business and Portfolio Planning:

• Responsible for the business planning process and collaborate, consult, and support business units as appropriate
• Designs and develops  monthly, quarterly and annual ELT and Board strategic planning meetings and discussions
• Ensure  C1 strategic portfolio aligns to C1 strategy.  Ensuring our initiatives are prioritized in way that allows C1 to achieve their business objectives.
•  Partners with the Project Management Office and business partners to enable a enterprise roadmap that aligns to C1 strategy. 
   

Strategic Initiative Prioritization and Implementation:

• Accountable for tactical design on how we priorities our portfolio investments and or support the implementation into the C1 ecosystem.
• Participate in cross-functional teams, and provide strategic and thought leadership and partnership at all levels of the organization
• Collaborate with executive and senior leaders and key stakeholders to prioritize initiatives
• Tackle abstract issues and solve complex problems with a structured data-driven approach and innovative mindset in a fast-paced environment

Enterprise Performance Reporting:

• Tracks the progress of the strategy and initiatives in the strategic plan and monitor the metrics / measures of success associated with the operational plan objectives and desired outputs, and make recommendations to address the findings
• Supports the maintenance and quarterly updates to ELT, senior leaders and the Board on implementation of C1’s strategic framework
• Oversee business and operational planning materials, including writing, analysis, reporting and other materials targeted at the Board; and advise or lead in preparing ELT for Board strategy and planning sessions
• Develop and maintain the annual strategy and planning calendar of key processes, engagement sessions with executives and senior leaders to ensure timely preparation and delivery of milestones
   

Collaboration and Stakeholder Relationship Management:

• Establish collaborative and trusting relationships with the business’s key internal leaders and stakeholders in order to ensure that there is a free flow of ideas and information across the business, leading to suitable strategy formulation and overall business performance enhancement.
• Act as a business partner, providing advice and thought leadership to key stakeholders across our businesses to ensure effective articulation of strategy and required capabilities
• Partner with other areas of the organization and/or external vendors to facilitate the achievement of deliverables and overall objectives, including alignment of the enterprise strategy and financial strategy
   

Leadership Responsibilities:                                          

• Exert confidence, influence and mentorship to peers and stakeholders, drive and facilitate organizational changes
• Work collaboratively with all levels across C1
• Strategic thought leader
• Create opportunities that are rooted in actionable insights
• Influences to drive business results
• Maximize performance of individuals by mentoring, coaching, developing and managing Strategy team members
   

What you’ll have:
 

Must Haves:

• Bachelor's degree in economics or commerce (or equivalent) is required; At least 5 years of relevant experience, including three-plus years in strategy development and executing corporate initiatives
• Financial Analysis, Business Casing and Project Management experience
• Excellent oral and written communication skills – strong storyboarding and ability to make clear, concise presentations
• Entrepreneurial minded and results-oriented
• Solid relationship building skills (internal and external networks)
• Strong analytical, problem solving, critical thinking, negotiation, facilitation, prioritization, decision making, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to challenge the status quo and drive continuous improvement
• Committed to innovation and continuous learning
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment with rapidly changing priorities
• Ability to represent Central 1 professionally to outside business and/or client and member contacts
   

Nice to Haves:

• Understanding of the cooperative credit union system
• Experience from a strategy-consulting / management consulting firm
• Experience in &/or working with the financial services sector
• Master’s degree in business

Salary range: $140,000-$165,000, plus incentive pay bonus of 20%-30%

The salary represents the job rate determined for the successful candidate who is fully competent in the role. The actual salary will vary depending on market conditions and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. 

#LI-Hybrid

Central 1 does not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to screen, assess, or select applicants during our recruitment process. This job posting is for an existing, specific vacancy within our organization. All applications will be considered exclusively for the position described in this posting.

Central 1 is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building an inclusive workforce by creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to be successful. We welcome all applicants to join our diverse workforce and we will provide an accessible candidate experience including, but not limited to accommodations to interview sites and alternate formats upon request to our Recruitment team.