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GENERAL FUNCTION:

The Head of Design and Brand is responsible for leading and overseeing the design strategy and execution across physical products, digital experiences, retail environments and workplace design. This role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive innovation, enhance user experience, and ensure consistent brand identity within the sector. This role will play a pivotal part in shaping the company’s design vision and driving its growth through impactful and user-centric design solutions tailored to financial services.

Responsible and accountable for risk by openly exchanging ideas and opinions, elevating concerns, and personally following policies and procedures as defined. Accountable for always doing the right thing for customers and colleagues, and ensures that actions and behaviors drive a positive customer experience. While operating within the Bank’s risk appetite, achieves results by consistently identifying, assessing, managing, monitoring, and reporting risks of all types.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and oversee the design team, providing guidance and mentorship to ensure the highest quality of design output.

• Develop and implement the company’s design and brand strategy, aligning it with overall business goals and objectives specific to the financial industry.

• Collaborate with product management, engineering, and marketing teams to ensure seamless integration of design and brand across all financial touchpoints, including digital banking, investment platforms, and customer service interfaces.

• Drive innovation and creativity within the design team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and pushing boundaries in financial design thinking.

• In partnership with our data sciences group, conduct market research.

• Stay updated on industry trends, regulatory requirements, and customer preferences to inform design and brand decisions and maintain a competitive edge.

• Manage the design budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and cost-effective design solutions.

• Establish and maintain design and brand standards and guidelines, ensuring consistency and brand integrity across all financial design deliverables.

• Oversee the development and execution of user-centered design processes, including user research, prototyping, and usability testing, with a focus on physical products, digital experiences, retail environments and workplace design

• Discover new possibilities for relevance in the marketplace through understanding value from the customer perspective and align stakeholders around the implications of these for the organization’s future business.

• Employ a variety of tools and techniques to uncover latent customer needs and derive new insights from observation and direct customer experiences, ensuring input is represented in initiative selection.

• Develop a framework to ensure innovation activities are de-risked across the process, including strategic, resource, operational, and cultural risks.

• Champion the brand’s visual identity and messaging, ensuring it resonates with target audiences and is consistently applied across all channels.

• Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to create compelling brand narratives and campaigns that enhance brand awareness and loyalty.

• Infuse Design Thinking and Innovation Methods into Fifth Third Bank.

• Collaborate with external design agencies and freelancers as needed to augment in-house design capabilities.

• Present design concepts and strategies to senior leadership and stakeholders, emphasizing the impact on customer experience and business outcomes.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsible for fostering a culture of employee engagement by leading impact planning sessions, providing employees timely, candid and constructive performance feedback, developing employees to their fullest potential by providing challenging opportunities, developing the appropriate talent pool to ensure adequate bench strength and succession planning, and recognizing and rewarding employees for accomplishments.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILTIES REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design, technology, user experience (UX), interactive or digital design, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.

• 10+ year of professional experience in innovation and/or strategy or design, preferably with a digital and/or technology-connection, and with a proven record of increasing responsibility and achievement.

• Strong portfolio showcasing innovative design solutions and successful project outcomes in financial services.

• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

• Proficiency in design software and tools.

• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles and methodologies, particularly in the context of financial products.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to successfully engage and influence.

• Expertise in defining and building out product roadmap and business models.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience with design thinking and agile methodologies.

• Ability to inspire and motivate a creative team.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Normal office environment

• Extended viewing of CRT screen.

Head of DesignTotal Base Pay Range 152,100.00 - 327,000.00 USD AnnualLOCATION -- Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is proud to have an engaged and inclusive culture and to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity in all employment decisions regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, veteran status or any other legally protected status.