Chief Innovation Officer (California)

What if your role wasn't to manage today's business, but to help shape what comes next?

A growing credit union in the western United States has created a new executive position, Chief Innovation Officer (CINO), to help guide its next phase of growth, innovation, and organizational evolution. As consumer expectations, technology, competition, and financial services continue to evolve, the organization is seeking a leader who can integrate innovation, strategy, data, risk, and brand differentiation into a cohesive enterprise vision.

Reporting directly to the President and CEO and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Chief Innovation Officer will help identify emerging opportunities, evaluate strategic risks, and lead initiatives that strengthen member engagement, organizational agility, and long-term growth. This executive will provide leadership across Marketing, Enterprise Risk Management, and Data Analytics while serving as a strategic thought partner to the CEO, Board of Directors, and executive leadership team.

The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, future-focused, and energized by helping organizations anticipate change rather than simply respond to it. They bring a combination of strategic thinking, enterprise leadership, innovation, and execution that enables them to transform ideas into measurable organizational outcomes.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, Technology, Data Analytics, or a related field required; Master's degree or advanced education preferred.
• 10 or more years of progressive leadership experience, including executive responsibility for strategic planning, innovation, organizational performance, or enterprise transformation.
• Experience within financial services, credit unions, banking, or fintech is required.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise initiatives that drive growth, organizational effectiveness, member experience, or digital transformation.
• Strong understanding of strategy development, innovation, data analytics, performance measurement, and organizational change.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, consumer trends, and evolving financial services delivery models.
• Proven ability to influence across an organization, build alignment among stakeholders, and lead through complexity and change.
• Experience presenting strategic recommendations, business insights, and organizational priorities to executive leadership and governing boards.

Why This Role Matters

This role was created to help the organization think beyond today's challenges and prepare for tomorrow's opportunities. The Chief Innovation Officer will play a central role in shaping strategic direction, evaluating new ideas, strengthening organizational capabilities, and ensuring the credit union remains relevant, competitive, and member-focused in a rapidly changing environment.

This is an opportunity for a leader who enjoys connecting ideas, challenging assumptions, and helping an organization translate innovation into meaningful results. The successful candidate will influence strategy, guide enterprise priorities, and help position the organization for sustained growth and impact.