MidFirst Bank is seeking an experienced and dynamic Director of Operations, Planning & Analysis (OPA) to lead one of the Bank’s vital, strategic positions. This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing the OPA department, which includes multiple managers and a team of more than a dozen business analysts and project professionals. The Director will take responsibility for and oversee project and portfolio management, including the processes, governance, and technology platforms that power it as well as oversight of the business analyst function.
This position reports to the SVP, Director of Digital Advancement and serves as a key strategic partner to senior leaders across the bank, ensuring that the company's technology and strategic project portfolio is well-governed, transparently managed, and consistently delivered.
What You'll Do
Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team
- Provide leadership for the OPA department, overseeing project allocation, project performance, and acting as a mentor for managers and analysts
- Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
- Coach, develop, and mentor team members, and own all aspects of performance management, career development, and department staffing
Own Project & Portfolio Management
- Serve as the bank's primary authority for project and portfolio management practices, standards, and governance
- Oversee the Project & Work Management System and ensure the tools effectively support planning, tracking, and reporting across the enterprise
- Maintain visibility into the full portfolio of technology and strategic initiatives, ensuring projects are appropriately prioritized, resourced, and progressing toward delivery
Partner with Senior Leadership
- Build trusted relationships with senior leaders across the Bank to align the project portfolio with the company's strategic priorities
- Facilitate executive-level conversations on project status, prioritization, resource trade-offs, and risk
- Deliver clear, data-driven reporting and briefings that enable informed decision-making at the highest levels of the organization
Oversee the Business Analyst Function
- Lead and provide direction for the business analyst team, setting standards for how requirements are gathered, documented, and delivered
- Ensure the BA function serves as a strong bridge between business stakeholders and technology, driving solutions that meet business needs efficiently and effectively
Drive Strategic Planning & Operational Excellence
- Lead OPA's contribution to annual and quarterly planning processes, including budgeting, resource planning and reporting
- Continuously evaluate and improve departmental processes, methodologies, and tools to maximize quality and efficiency
- Stay current on industry best practices and bring forward innovative approaches to portfolio governance and project delivery
What We're Looking For
Experience & Education
- Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred
- 8+ years of progressive experience in project management, portfolio management, business analysis, or operations planning
- 4+ years in a leadership role managing multi-level teams (managers and individual contributors)
- Experience in banking or financial services strongly preferred
Skills & Capabilities
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior and executive audiences
- Strong writing skills, with the ability to provide written updates and oversee written communication for quarterly and annual reports
- Proven track record of successfully governing enterprise-level project and technology portfolios
- Demonstrated experience owning and administering Project & Work Management tools and platforms
- Deep knowledge of project management methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid approaches
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills; able to synthesize complex portfolio data into clear, actionable insights
- Collaborative leadership style with a strong service orientation and the ability to build trust across the organization
Qualifications Experience Required • 8+ years of progressive experience in project management, portfolio management, business analysis, or operations planning • 4+ years in a leadership role managing multi-level teams (managers and individual contributors) Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- 8+ years progressive experience in project management, portfolio management, business analysis, or operations planning
- 4+ years in a leadership role managing multi-level teams
- Experience in banking or financial services
- Demonstrated experience owning and administering Project & Work Management tools and platforms
- Deep knowledge of project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, hybrid)
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills for executive audiences
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
MidFirst Bank Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about MidFirst Bank and has not been reviewed or approved by MidFirst Bank.
-
Healthcare Strength — Health, dental, and vision coverage are available to eligible full‑time and part‑time employees, with company‑paid long‑term disability and an EAP included. Medical plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield and wellness incentives that can lower premiums are highlighted.
-
Retirement Support — A company 401(k) match with a clear formula and a defined vesting schedule provides meaningful retirement support. Eligibility and enrollment timing are specified, reinforcing predictable access to the plan.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid vacation, paid sick leave, and paid holidays are emphasized, with a paid community service day also referenced. Time‑off offerings are portrayed as generous across materials.
MidFirst Bank Insights
What We Do
MidFirst Bank occupies a rare position within the banking industry. With $41.2 billion in assets, MidFirst Bank is the largest privately owned bank in the country. This combination of size and private ownership provides our customers with a special brand of banking. MidFirst Bank offers a full range of personal, commercial, trust, private banking and mortgage banking products and services. MidFirst is a strong commercial real estate lender and a major servicer of mortgage loans nationally. As a private business ourselves, we understand the unique needs of each business community we serve at each of our locations in Arizona (Phoenix), California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Barbara, San Diego), Colorado (Boulder, Denver, Edwards, Fort Collins), Nevada (Las Vegas), Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Western Oklahoma), Texas (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) and Utah (Salt Lake City). Additionally, MidFirst Bank has commercial lending offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, Raleigh and Southern California. We serve Southern California through 1st Century Bank, a division of MidFirst Bank. We also operate MidFirst Business Credit as a subsidiary of MidFirst Bank. MidFirst Bank provides services that compete with larger banks, while the people and culture truly define the MidFirst Bank difference. MidFirst provides exceptional financial and deeply committed customer service. Team members are loyal in their character, loyal in their personal commitment to customers, and loyal to always doing the right thing. MidFirst customers can always count on working with thoughtful, intelligent, honest professionals who are true to their financial goals. MidFirst Bank is a strong supporter of the communities they serve, investing time and money in important educational, charitable and civic organizations. Copyright © 2025 MidFirst Bank. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
