Associate Director, Business Optimization & Strategy

RBC; Halifax; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

RBC in Canada is seeking an Associate Director of Business Optimization & Strategy to drive data initiatives, develop roadmaps, and support transformation efforts. You will collaborate with stakeholders to ensure capabilities align with business needs and communicate progress to senior leadership.

The role emphasizes strategic thinking, relationship building, and ownership from start to finish across multiple workstreams in a dynamic financial services setting.

Qualifications

• Experience in Financial Services with exposure to data activities.
• Strategic thinking and business understanding.
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities and deliver results.
• Ability to influence and work with business and technical stakeholders.
• Team collaboration and leadership presence.
• Ability to present information to senior leadership.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with change management and working with stakeholders.
• Solid skills in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience managing projects or programs.

Responsibilities

• Help develop and execute strategic roadmaps for data maturity, transformation, or service improvements
• Contribute to business cases and help evaluate how initiatives align with company priorities
• Work with teams to bring fragmented efforts together into a unified approach
• Break down strategy into clear milestones with defined success measures
• Prepare reports, decks, and summaries that explain strategy, progress, and value
• Create clear visualizations and insights to help senior leadership make decisions
• Communicate project updates and complex topics clearly to leadership and stakeholders
• Build and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders
• Serve as a subject matter expert for questions and updates on assigned projects
• Facilitate meetings to align teams on priorities and objectives
• Help balance competing needs through clear decision-making
• Help execute transformation programs and initiatives
• Work with teams to implement solutions and improve services
• Track progress and keep visibility on key projects
• Document processes and maintain program records

Skills

Big Data Management

Collaboration

Critical Thinking

Data Administration

Data Governance

Decision Making

Leadership

Knowledge Organization

Strategic Planning

Tools

JIRA

Asana

Job description

What is the Opportunity?

As part of the Chief Data Office (CDO), we're seeking someone to help support the development and execution of business strategy and transformation initiatives. The Associate Director of Business Optimization & Strategy will work on data initiatives, help develop roadmaps, support transformation efforts, and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure our capabilities align with business needs. This role is ideal for someone who communicates well, builds good working relationships, and takes ownership of projects from start to finish.

What Will You Do?

• Help develop and execute strategic roadmaps for data maturity, transformation, or service improvements
• Contribute to business cases and help evaluate how initiatives align with company priorities
• Work with teams to bring fragmented efforts together into a unified approach
• Break down strategy into clear milestones with defined success measures

Communication & Leadership Support

• Prepare reports, decks, and summaries that explain strategy, progress, and value
• Create clear visualizations and insights to help senior leadership make decisions
• Communicate project updates and complex topics clearly to leadership and stakeholders

Stakeholder Alignment & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders
• Serve as a subject matter expert for questions and updates on assigned projects
• Facilitate meetings to align teams on priorities and objectives
• Help balance competing needs through clear decision-making

Transformation & Program Support

• Help execute transformation programs and initiatives
• Work with teams to implement solutions and improve services
• Track progress and keep visibility on key projects
• Document processes and maintain program records

What We're Looking For

• Strategic Thinker: Understand how projects fit into the bigger picture; comfort with some ambiguity while working toward clarity
• Strong Communicator: Ability to present to leadership; explain complex topics clearly
• Relationship Builder: Work well with others and navigate different viewpoints
• Organized & Resourceful: Comfortable managing multiple workstreams; detail-oriented and reliable in delivering quality work on schedule
• Self-Motivated: Take initiative, solve problems, and drive results independently
• Collaborative: Enjoys working across teams and bringing different groups together toward common goals

What You Need to Succeed?

Must-Have

• Experience in Financial Services with exposure to data activities
• Strategic thinking and business understanding
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities and deliver results
• Ability to influence and work with business and technical stakeholders
• Team collaboration and leadership presence
• Ability to present information to senior leadership
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with change management and working with stakeholders
• Solid skills in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience managing projects or programs

Nice-to-Have

• Familiarity with workflow management tools (e.g., JIRA, Asana)
• Knowledge of financial services or banking industry
• Knowledge of global data management regulations (e.g., BCBS 239, FRB)

What’s in It for You?

• We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressive thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper. We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference to our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.
• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses and flexible benefits and competitive compensation
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team
• Opportunities to do challenging work

Job Skills

Big Data Management, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Data Administration, Data Governance, Decision Making, Information Capture, Knowledge Organization, Leadership, Long Term Planning, People Management, Performance Metrics, Relationship Management, Repository Tools, Service Delivery, Strategic Planning

Additional Job Details

Address: 175 WESTERN PKY:BEDFORD

City: Bedford

Country: Canada

Work hours/week: 37.5

Employment Type: Full time

Platform: CHIEF LEGAL & ADMIN OFFICE GRP

Job Type: Regular

Pay Type: Salaried

Posted Date: 2026-07-28

Application Deadline: 2026-08-28

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above

Our Employment Opportunities

At RBC, we are guided by living shared values of Client First, Integrity, Collaboration, Respect and Excellence and winning together as One RBC. We believe an inclusive workplace that has diverse perspectives is core to our continued growth as one of the largest and most successful banks in the world. Maintaining a workplace where our employees feel supported to perform at their best, effectively collaborate, drive innovation, and grow professionally helps to bring our Purpose to life and create value for our clients and communities. RBC strives to deliver this through policies and programs intended to foster a workplace based on respect, belonging and opportunity for all.

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RBC is presently inviting candidates to apply for this existing vacancy. Applying to this posting allows you to express your interest in this current career opportunity at RBC. Qualified applicants may be contacted to review their resume in more detail.