Operations Program Manager Senior

At Associated Bank we strive to create an inclusive culture where different perspectives are valued and recognized as strengths critical to our success. If you thrive in an environment where your growth and development are encouraged and supported, then Associated Bank may be the right place for you.

Associated Bank requires you to directly represent yourself and your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process. Associated Bank conducts a thorough background check on all new hires.

The Operations Program Manager Senior is a senior individual contributor responsible for driving cross functional operational improvement, workflow modernization, and data driven decision making across Commercial Loan Operations, Deposit Operations, Treasury Services Operations, and Enterprise Mail & Print. This role serves as the centralized point for operational performance management, transformation initiatives, and advanced analytics, with a strong focus on improving efficiency, quality, and scalability across the enterprise.

In this role, the Operations Program Manager Senior delivers fact-based insights into volumes, productivity, cost, risk, and service levels to inform strategic and operational decisions. The position supports large scale operational change initiatives and partners closely with operations, business and technology stakeholders to modernize workflows, enhance performance transparency, and collaborate on the design and implementation of solutions that strengthen operational effectiveness and resilience.

Key Accountabilities

• Program Leadership: Helps lead and coordinate cross department operational initiatives across payments modernization, loan onboarding, deposit servicing, treasury onboarding, and third party vendor implementations. Serve as a key connector between Operations, Technology, Risk, and business partners to ensure successful execution and adoption of enterprise initiatives.

• Operations Data & Analytics: Own and evolve the operational data schema and reporting framework for Bank Operations. Design, develop, and maintain dashboards and performance reporting that provide visibility into volumes, cycle times, service level agreements (SLAs), error rates, staffing capacity, automation ROI, and other key performance indicators to support data driven decision making.
• Workflow Architecture & Continuous Improvement: Map, analyze, and optimize end to end workflows across deposits, loans, treasury, payments, and document production. Drive continuous improvement efforts that measurably reduce or sustain cycle times, error rates, cost per transaction, and other operational KPIs, while improving scalability and customer experience.
• Business Case & Financial Support: Build business cases and ROI models to support operational transformation, automation, and technology investments. Partner with Finance and leadership to support budget planning, prioritization, and benefits realization tracking.
• Risk & Compliance Oversight: Ensure all operational changes, process improvements, and technology implementations meet regulatory, audit, operational risk, and fraud control requirements. Partner with operation Key Leadership, Risk, Compliance, and Audit teams to proactively identify and mitigate operational risk.
• AI Stewardship for Bank Operations: Serve as the AI steward for Bank Operations by leading the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of AI driven solutions. Partner closely with Operations and Technology leadership to support responsible adoption, change management, and performance measurement of AI capabilities that enhance efficiency, quality, and scalability.

Education & Experience:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Business, Operations, Information Systems, or Data Analytics
• 5+ years of bank operations experience
• 3+ years of data analysis and business analysis experience
• 3+ years of cross-functional collaboration experience

Preferred:

• 5+ years in Deposit, Loan, or Treasury Operations
• 3+ years in process improvement or business analysis roles
• Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt or higher)
• CBAP® or equivalent certification

Why You’ll Love Working Here

You’ll work on high-impact initiatives that modernize core banking operations and shape the future of how work gets done. The role offers strong collaboration, exposure to senior leadership, and opportunities to lead innovation, including AI-driven transformation. You’ll grow your skills while making a measurable difference—apply today to make an impact.

We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified parties, including but not limited to people returning to the workforce, people with disabilities, those without a college degree, and veterans or those with military experience.

In addition to core traditional benefits, we take pride in offering benefits for every stage of life. 

• Retirement savings including both 401(k) and Pension plans. 

• Paid time off to volunteer in your community. 

• Opportunities to connect with others through our diversity-focused Colleague Resource Groups. 

• Competitive salaries with professional development and advancement opportunities. 

• Bonus benefits including well-being programs and incentives, parental leave, an employee stock purchase plan, military benefits and much more.  

• Personal banking, loan, investment and insurance benefits. 

Associated Bank serves more than 120 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri and we consider our colleagues critical to our continued success. See why our colleagues continually vote us a best place to work in the Midwest. Join our community on Facebook, LinkedIn and X. 

Compliance Statement

Associated Bank is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We support a work environment where colleagues are respected and given the opportunity to perform to their fullest potential. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors.

Fully complies with all applicable enterprise policies and procedures. Acts in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in training materials, including but not limited to Bank Secrecy Act. Responsible for reporting suspicious activity to Financial Intelligence. Responsible to report all customer complaints as prescribed and procedure violations to management or HR.

Responsible to report ethical concerns as needed to Associated Bank’s anonymous Ethics Hotline.

Associated Bank provides additional assistance throughout the application, interview and hiring process. Please contact leavesandaccommodations@associatedbank.com if you need an accommodation at any time during the process.

Associated Banc-Corp participates in the E-Verify Program. E-Verify Notice English or Spanish. Know Your Right to Work English or Spanish.

Associated Bank is Pay Transparency compliant.

The pay range represents anticipated base pay for this role. Actual pay may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, work location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role.

$61,110.00 - $104,760.00 per year