Senior Innovation Analyst (HYBRID)

About the role

Equitable is looking for a Senior Innovation Analyst to join the Design Thinking team, one of several teams within the Innovation & Design Office (IDO).

The mission of the IDO is to increase the metabolism of the enterprise by fundamentally changing the way we think, work and lead as an organization. This includes guiding and executing Equitable’s end-to-end approach to innovation strategy and process improvement.

Responsibilities

• Design and plan Design Thinking/Process Re-engineering workshops with creative and collaborative problem solving as the priority objective
• Lead pre-workshop discovery sessions and engage with stakeholders to outline the primary goals and initiative approach
• Energetically facilitate collaborative workshops virtually, in-person or hybrid, ensuring participants remain engaged and are led toward achieving desirable outcomes
• Actively lead and manage projects – ranging from simple to complex – including prioritization of activities, working within team capacity and anticipating issues
• Structure workshop formats and agendas including pre-work consulting with stakeholders
• Create detailed documentation for process flows
• Create training and education materials for Design Thinking
• Actively participate in the Design Thinking team activities around including team-building, communications and department support
• Support a culture of iterative thinking, continuous learning and innovation
• Champion Design Thinking and Process Re-engineering throughout the organization as a key pillar of the Innovation & Design Office

Requirements

• A strategic thinker who:
• Is passionate about improving client, advisor and employee experiences leading with empathy
• Drills down to root causes to clearly identify and articulate core problems, not symptoms
• Able to explore new domains and grasp complex concepts quickly
• Leverages outside research and industry trends to provide thought leadership
• Combines strong logical thinking with the ability to formulate creative solutions
• Can clearly explain your work, process and decisions to teammates and cross functional stakeholders
• Supports internal growth, development and innovation programs
• Conducts in-depth analysis of existing business processes to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks
• An outcome-driven team member who:
• Takes ownership of workstreams and with a focus on driving results
• A “do-er” – can build and structure quality presentations, conduct analysis and do research
• Perseveres in the face of challenges and even thrives on uncertainty and ambiguity
• Shows good judgment about when to get input or ask for help
• Maintains a humble, collaborative attitude and is committed to doing what is needed—regardless of task size—to drive team success
• Manages (often multiple) complex projects to ensure overall success, including scope, timelines, resourcing, and timely quality deliverables that meet stated objectives
• Skilled in synthesizing qualitative information and quantitative data into impactful, results-oriented reports
• An effective listener, communicator and facilitator who:
• Actively listens to stakeholders’ needs and can take the perspective of counterparts
• Synthesizes complex ideas into simple language and actionable next steps
• Bridges the gap between technology, business, and customers
• Have versatile visual design skills including presentation development and prototyping
• Experience with Service Design blueprinting
• Skills:
• Communicating for Impact: Knowledge of the concepts, tools and techniques for effective listening and communicating; ability to apply these theories to receive, transmit and accurately interpret information and ideas to influence others in various situations.
• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Design Thinking: Knowledge of concepts, principles, and processes of design thinking; ability to utilize the knowledge in designing new products and services and even improving organizational operation.
• Effective Presentations: Knowledge of effective presentation tools and techniques; ability to present information to groups with the appropriate degree of formality.
• Results Orientation: Knowledge of the importance of meeting or exceeding established targets; ability to drive critical activities to completion.
• Storytelling: Knowledge of concepts and ability to plan, create and present business proposals, initiatives and ideas by storytelling actual business scenarios that are situation-specific, engaging, memorable and persuasive as compared to one-way, fact-based presentations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• 3+ years of experience with planning, facilitating, and leading collaborative innovation workshops
• 2+ years of Business Analyst experience
• Experience using digital collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Whiteboard and Miro
• Proficiency in process mapping, journey mapping and activity flows
• Experience with PowerPoint, Word and Excel
• Experience with Agile-based project delivery
• Understanding of Design Thinking and human-centered design principles; is a effective advocate for the customer