Business & Operations Development Program Specialist – Rotational Program

BMO; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

BMO U.S. invites new graduates and early-career professionals to join a 16-month full-time development program designed to accelerate growth and leadership exposure in U.S. Banking and the COO organization.

You will work on research, strategy, and execution of initiatives, while gaining hands-on experience with SQL, Python, and Power BI in a collaborative, business-facing environment.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in a related field, suitable for new grads or early career talent.
• 1–2 years of relevant professional engagement.
• Strong written and verbal communication, collaboration, analytical, problem-solving and influencing skills.
• Data-driven decision-making, solid methodology, process understanding and analytics/reporting.
• Desirable knowledge includes software architecture; coding with SQL, Python, Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Develop Business Initiatives: Research, develop, implement, and execute business initiatives that drive organizational objectives and enhance both customer and employee experiences within U.S. Banking and the COO organization.
• Conduct Strategic Analysis: Perform market research, forecasting, pricing, and competitive analysis, alongside monitoring product and system performance to identify challenges and develop solutions.
• Manage Product Lifecycle: Participate in the design, implementation, and enhancement of banking products or services, managing their lifecycle from concept to market, including defining business cases and strategic roadmaps.
• Collaborate & Influence Stakeholders: Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external partners, ensuring alignment on strategic initiatives.
• Monitor & Report Performance: Design and produce regular and ad-hoc reports and dashboards, analyze data to provide insights and recommendations, and track key metrics.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Collaboration

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Influence

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

SQL

Python

Power BI

Job description

Business & Operations Development Specialist | BMO U.S.

The Tone: This is a full-time, 16-month development program role at BMO U.S., designed for new graduates and early career talent. BMO, a financial services organization, offers this program to recruit, hire, and develop future leaders by providing extensive hands‑on experience, focused training, and direct exposure to executive leadership. This position is crucial for supporting the research, development, and execution of business initiatives that aim to enhance customer and employee experiences across U.S. Banking and the COO organization, contributing to BMO’s purpose to boldly grow the good in business and life.

The TL;DR

• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Not specified
• Pay: $55000–$120000 yearly
• Mission: To support the development and execution of business initiatives and strategic projects that enhance customer and employee experiences across U.S. Banking and the COO organization.
• Tech Stack: SQL, Python, Power BI

What You’ll Actually Do

• Develop Business Initiatives: Research, develop, implement, and execute business initiatives that drive organizational objectives and enhance both customer and employee experiences within U.S. Banking and the COO organization.
• Conduct Strategic Analysis: Perform market research, forecasting, pricing, and competitive analysis, alongside monitoring product and system performance to identify challenges and develop solutions. This includes analyzing product risks for compliance.
• Manage Product Lifecycle: Participate in the design, implementation, and enhancement of banking products or services, managing their lifecycle from concept to market, including defining business cases and strategic roadmaps.
• Collaborate & Influence Stakeholders: Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external partners, ensuring alignment on strategic initiatives, and supporting change management efforts across the enterprise.
• Monitor & Report Performance: Design and produce regular and ad-hoc reports and dashboards, analyze data to provide insights and recommendations, and track key metrics to address performance issues and optimize financial outcomes.

The Must-Haves

• Background: A post-secondary degree in a related field of study, tailored for new graduates or early career talent with typically 1-2 years of relevant experience. Candidates should possess a working knowledge and understanding of the retail and business banking environment.
• Experience: Demonstrable technical proficiency acquired through either education or prior business experience, along with 1-2 years of relevant professional engagement.
• Skills: In-depth verbal and written communication, collaboration, analytical, problem-solving, and influence skills. Strong capabilities in data-driven decision-making, good methodology, process understanding, and analytics and reporting.
• Bonus: Desirable knowledge includes software and systems architecture, with proficiency in coding languages such as SQL, Python, and Power BI.