Director, Network Strategy & Planning

vnbcareers; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

vnbcareers seeks a senior leader to drive the strategic expansion and optimization of a multi-state branch network in the United States. You will define market coverage, oversee openings and closures, and align investments with growth and customer experience goals.

The role requires deep experience in retail banking strategy, strong analytics, and familiarity with CRA and regulatory considerations. You will collaborate cross-functionally to deliver measurable ROI and modernized branch formats.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in branch networks (150+ locations preferred)
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills for location analytics and ROI modeling
• Experience balancing cost optimization with growth and customer-experience outcomes
• Experience across mature and high-growth banking markets
• Familiarity with CRA, fair-lending, and regulatory considerations affecting branch decisions
• Exposure to digital-first or omni-channel transformation initiatives

Responsibilities

• Develop a multi-year branch network strategy aligned with growth objectives
• Define optimal branch coverage by market and oversee openings/closures/relocations
• Segment markets by growth, profitability, and demographics for investment decisions
• Lead location intelligence, including drive-time, deposits, and competitive overlap
• Coordinate with Marketing and Finance to integrate demographic data into decisions
• Assess ROI, payback, and lifetime value for network investments
• Design differentiated branch formats and staffing models
• Own financial business cases for network changes and governance processes
• Coordinate with branch sales strategy, workforce planning, and digital migrations
• Define KPIs and develop executive dashboards for board review
• Drive test-and-learn pilots and market experiments

Skills

Branch leadership

Location analytics

Financial modeling

Regulatory awareness

Digital transformation

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance

MBA preferred

Job description

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop and maintain a multi-year branch network strategy aligned with the bank's consumer, small business, and wealth growth objectives.
• Define optimal branch coverage by market, including openings, closures, consolidations, relocations, and remodels.
• Segment markets by growth, profitability, competitive intensity, and demographic trends to guide investment decisions.
• Evaluate trade-offs between physical presence and digital adoption across customer segments.
• Lead location intelligence and spatial analysis (catchment areas, drive-time analysis, deposit flows, and competitive overlap).
• Partner with Marketing and Finance to integrate demographics, psychographics, and customer behavior data into network decisions.
• Assess market-level ROI, payback periods, and lifetime value for all network investments.
• Design differentiated branch formats (flagship, advisory/light-transaction, micro-branch, co-located models).
• Set staffing and capacity models aligned to sales goals, service demand, and digital adoption.
• Align branch design with evolving customer expectations and brand positioning.
• Own the financial business cases for all network changes, including capital, operating expense, and revenue impacts.
• Establish clear governance, approval processes, and performance tracking for network decisions.
• Ensure seamless coordination with branch sales strategy, workforce planning, and digital channel migration.
• Define and monitor KPIs such as deposits per branch, sales productivity, cost-to-serve, foot traffic trends, and market share.
• Develop executive-level dashboards and insights for senior management and the board.
• Drive continuous improvement through test-and-learn pilots and market experiments.

Required Skills:

• Proven leadership in managing large, multi-state branch networks (150+ locations preferred).
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including location analytics and financial modeling.
• Experience balancing cost optimization with growth and customer-experience outcomes.
• Experience across both mature and high-growth banking markets.
• Familiarity with CRA, fair-lending, and regulatory considerations impacting branch decisions.
• Exposure to digital-first or omni-channel transformation initiatives.
• The ideal leader for this role will possess several essential attributes:
  
  • Strategic thinker with strong business, financial, and customer orientation
  • Data-driven decision-maker who can translate analytics into clear executive recommendations
  • Collaborative leader able to influence across functions without direct authority
  • Comfortable presentation to executive leadership and the board
    
    • Key success metrics include:
      
      • Retail, mortgage, and small-business sales growth
      • Deposit market share growth
      • Clear, board-approved multi-year network strategy aligned to growth priorities
      • Improved branch-level profitability and productivity across the footprint
      • Disciplined capital deployment with measurable ROI on network investments
      • Modernized branch formats supporting sales growth and digital adoption

Required Experience:

• High School or GED and a minimum of 10+ years of experience in branch network planning, retail banking strategy, or distribution optimization.

Preferred Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related field.
• MBA.