Project Research Analyst

Job Description Project Research Analyst The primary function of this position is to assist Community Credit Union of Florida in living out our mission: Always improve the financial well-being of our members and make a positive difference in the communities we serve. The Project Research Analyst partners with the Project Management Office (PMO) to support enterprise initiatives through structured research, vendor evaluation, and data‑driven analysis. This role enables informed project approval and solution selection by conducting market research, facilitating requirements gathering, developing business cases, and supporting governance processes across the project lifecycle. The Project Research Analyst works closely with project sponsors, executive stakeholders, project managers, and Finance to ensure recommended solutions align with strategic priorities, performance standards, and value realization goals. Community Credit Union of Florida is an equal opportunity employer (EEO) and supports a drug‑free workplace. ESSENTIAL DUTIES Support the PMO intake and governance process by reviewing project requests from business owners and executive stakeholders to determine appropriate sourcing approaches (RFP, RFI, RFQ). Conduct comprehensive market and vendor research using multiple channels to identify best‑in‑class solutions aligned with approved project objectives and portfolio priorities. Facilitate and document stakeholder working sessions to elicit, define, and validate business, functional, and operational requirements for proposed projects. Perform peer and industry analyses to assess solution adoption across comparable organizations and inform Project Governance Committee (PGC) decision‑making. Conduct benchmarking analyses to define success criteria, expected performance outcomes, and measurable indicators for proposed solutions. Coordinate vendor prescreening efforts, including outreach and initial qualification calls, to confirm alignment with PGC‑approved minimum viable and governance requirements. Plan and lead vendor demo and discovery sessions in partnership with business owners, stakeholders, and executive sponsors by developing structured agendas that align with stakeholder needs and evaluation frameworks. Develop standardized vendor evaluation scorecards to support objective comparison, transparency, and auditability in PGC recommendations. Obtain baseline pricing and partner with the Finance team to perform financial, cost‑benefit, and value analyses in support of funding and prioritization decisions. Support business owners and executive stakeholders during contract negotiations by providing analytical insights, pricing comparisons, and vendor performance data. Update and maintain project business cases with detailed analysis of the vendor landscape, solution capabilities, risks, and trade‑offs, documenting final recommendations for PGC and executive approval. Following project approval, assist project managers and PMO leadership in defining success metrics and tracking benefits realization to measure delivered value against approved objectives. Ensure documentation, research artifacts, and recommendations align with PMO standards, templates, and project lifecycle controls. Drives innovation and continuous improvement across financial operations, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and adaptability in support of the Credit Union’s mission. Follows policy and procedures related to Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti‑Money Laundering (AML), Customer Identification Program (CIP), and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) daily to ensure compliance with current regulations. Demonstrates enthusiastic support of corporate mission, core values, and long‑term objectives by performing job duties within our bylaws, regulations, Board of Directors policies, established internal and external service standards, and our work procedures while possessing adequate product knowledge as measured by the annual product knowledge assessment. Delivers service to both internal and external members that is in alignment with the credit union’s Service Promises and meets all established service goals. Abides by CCU’s Service Promises when helping a member or co‑worker to ensure timely responsiveness to the individual’s needs. Promotes teamwork, respects opinions, abilities, and contributions of others, and conveys a willingness to assist and cooperate with others for the benefit of the organization. Assists in attaining established departmental goals and adheres to all credit union standard operating policies and procedures, as well as state and federal regulations and guidelines. Performs other related duties and works on special projects as assigned. ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY The environment for this position is primarily an open office that is clean and comfortable, though it may include minor annoyances such as noise, odors, or drafts. The role is in a non‑confined, office‑type setting in which the individual is free to move about as needed and may include driving a vehicle in the course of job duties. This position may also offer a hybrid work arrangement, allowing for a combination of on‑site and remote work, based on business needs and role requirements. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to spend time writing, typing, speaking, listening, lifting (up to 25 pounds), carrying, seeing (such as close, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and adjusted focus), sitting for long periods of time (up to 8 hours), pulling, walking, standing, squatting, kneeling, and reaching. The incumbent for this position must be able to operate routine office equipment, including any or all of the following: computer, telephone, copy and fax machines, calculator, camera equipment, and an automobile. MENTAL DEMANDS The incumbent in this position must be able to: read and interpret documents or instruments, perform highly detailed work, assist or guide problem solving, resolve employee issues, perform mathematical functions, conduct meetings and presentations, prepare written communication, perform analytical reasoning, withstand stress, handle multiple, concurrent tasks, and constant interruptions. Possess excellent member contact and verbal and written communication skills. POSITION REQUIREMENTS Two‑year degree from an accredited college or university or completion of specialized certification A minimum of 1‑3 years of related experience and/or training; or Equivalent combination of education and experience. Prior experience supporting project initiatives, governance processes, or PMO‑driven analysis Strong analytical, research, and documentation skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information for executive‑level audiences Demonstrated experience facilitating cross‑functional stakeholder discussions Proficiency in developing and supporting business cases, evaluation scorecards, and structured decision‑making frameworks. Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to multitask, ability to work with moderate supervision while performing duties, and be a strong team player. Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting RFP/RFI/RFQ processes within a PMO or enterprise environment. Familiarity with project portfolio management, benefits realization, or governance models. Experience partnering with Finance and Procurement teams. Project management or business analysis certifications (e.g., PMP, CAPM, CBAP) preferred. Current Florida driver’s license and a vehicle with appropriate insurance coverage if required to drive in the course of performing assigned duties and responsibilities. #J-18808-Ljbffr