At People First Bank, we're committed to creating better experiences for our customers and our people. We're looking for a Continuous Improvement Senior Specialist to lead high-impact initiatives that reduce customer friction, improve operational performance, and deliver measurable business value.
This is an opportunity to work across the organisation, partnering with leaders and stakeholders to identify root causes, solve complex challenges, and implement sustainable improvements that make a real difference to our customers' experiences.
About the Role
As the Continuous Improvement Senior Specialist, you will own and coordinate a pipeline of customer-focused improvement initiatives through our Customer First Forum, ensuring priority friction points are identified, understood, and addressed.
Working closely with stakeholders across the business, you will lead end-to-end improvement initiatives, leveraging customer insights, data, and continuous improvement methodologies to deliver lasting outcomes. You will play a key role in ensuring customer concerns are translated into meaningful actions, while supporting regulatory obligations, including the identification and reporting of potential systemic issues under RG271.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives on influencing change, bringing people together to solve problems, and turning insights into measurable improvements.
In this role you will:
- Coordinate and actively contribute to the Customer First Forum, ensuring customer friction points are prioritised and managed effectively.
- Lead complex continuous improvement projects that enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and employee effectiveness.
- Identify root causes of customer pain points and translate insights into practical improvement opportunities.
- Facilitate workshops, problem-solving sessions, and stakeholder engagement activities across the organisation.
- Maintain oversight of the customer friction improvement pipeline, ensuring risks, dependencies, and delivery timeframes are effectively managed.
- Develop and maintain reporting that demonstrates the customer and business value delivered through improvement initiatives.
- Prepare and present recommendations, insights, and progress updates to leaders and senior leaders.
- Coach and support teams in continuous improvement practices and methodologies.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer-centric thinking across the business.
About You
You are a strategic and results-focused improvement professional who combines strong analytical capability with exceptional stakeholder engagement skills. You enjoy solving complex problems, challenging the status quo, and leading initiatives that create meaningful outcomes for customers and the organisation.
To be successful, you'll bring:
- Significant experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, customer experience, business improvement, or transformation roles.
- A proven track record of leading end-to-end improvement initiatives that have delivered measurable customer and business outcomes.
- Experience managing multiple priorities and complex initiatives within a dynamic environment.
- Strong facilitation, stakeholder management, and influencing capabilities.
- Advanced critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
- Experience presenting recommendations and insights to senior stakeholders.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- An understanding of project management principles, governance frameworks, and change management practices.
Qualifications
You'll have strong practical experience applying Continuous Improvement methodologies and frameworks, including:
- Lean Six Sigma
- DMAIC
- Process Mapping
- Value Stream Mapping
- Customer Journey Mapping
Why you’ll love working with us
People First Bank – our new brand – says exactly what we’re all about: people. We're committed to supporting and growing our team and creating an outstanding work environment.
You’ll have access to financial and lifestyle benefits to support your success and individuality:
- Flexibility and hybrid working arrangements.
- Extend your salary with discounts on banking, health insurance, and shopping across Australia.
- Advance your career with training, study support, and project opportunities.
- Competitive leave benefits that empower employees to take time for themselves and loved ones.
- Wellbeing support with our Employee Assistance Program, wellbeing leave, mental health app, and mental health ambassadors’ program.
- Make a difference with paid volunteering, Workplace Giving, and diverse community initiatives.
- Be recognised for your contributions through our peer-driven recognition program.
A bit about People First Bank
In March 2023, People’s Choice and Heritage Bank merged to form Heritage and People’s Choice Limited - Australia's leading mutual bank. We are now on an exciting journey to bring together our products, services, and technology under a single brand - People First Bank.
We have over 700,000 members and 1,900 employees, with dual head offices in Adelaide and Toowoomba, an Australian-based contract centre and branches across five states.
With a vision ‘To deliver positive change through banking’, People First Bank serves members and contributes to the community, while offering an inclusive, flexible work environment. We’re big enough to make an impact; but agile enough to influence and do interesting work.
Apply online now
If this sounds like the kind of role where you’ll thrive, we’d love to hear from you. Click ‘Apply’ and submit your application, including a short cover letter and your current resume by Tuesday, 10 November 2026.
Our diversity makes us stronger
People First Bank acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past and present. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and culturally safe workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences. We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments to ensure all candidates can participate fairly and confidently in our selection process.
Skills Required
- Significant experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, customer experience, business improvement, or transformation roles
- Proven experience leading end-to-end improvement initiatives with measurable customer and business outcomes
- Experience managing multiple priorities and complex initiatives in a dynamic environment
- Strong facilitation, stakeholder management, and influencing capabilities
- Advanced critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills
- Experience presenting recommendations and insights to senior stakeholders
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
- Understanding of project management principles, governance frameworks, and change management practices
- Practical experience applying Lean Six Sigma methodologies
- Practical experience applying DMAIC
- Practical experience with process mapping, value stream mapping, and customer journey mapping
What We Do
People First Bank is an Australian customer-owned mutual bank formed through the merger of Heritage Bank and People’s Choice Credit Union. It provides banking products and services for individuals and communities, while seeking to offer a national alternative to major banks. Its purpose centers on supporting customers, communities, and employees, with operations spanning customer service, lending, payments, and other core banking functions.
