Join a Challenger

Being a traditional bank just isn’t our thing, so we challenge ourselves to get creative in providing innovative banking solutions for Canadians.

How do we get there? With a talented team of inquisitive and agile challengers that break through the status quo. So, if you’re passionate about redefining the future of banking—while having fun—this could be your next big opportunity.

Our company continues to grow, and today we serve more than 780,000 customers across Canada through Equitable Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank™, and have been around for more than 50 years. Equitable Bank's wholly-owned subsidiary, Concentra Bank, supports credit unions across Canada that serve more than six million members. Together we have over $138 billion in combined assets under management and administration, with a clear mandate to drive change in Canadian banking to enrich people's lives. Our customers have named our EQ Bank digital platform (eqbank.ca) one of the top banks in Canada on the Forbes World's Best Banks list since 2021.

The Work

The Senior Director, Program Management is the Powerhouse that drives one of the Bank’s most critical integration programs- setting pace, creating alignment, and ensuring steady progress against milestones. Anchored at the center of the Integration Management Office, this role orchestrates complex workstreams, facilitates cross‑functional decision‑making, and ensures integration activities are executed with discipline and clarity.

You provide structure in ambiguity, momentum where progress stalls, and direction across competing priorities. You elevate program governance, enable transparent reporting, manage risks and interdependencies, and create the conditions for seamless coordination across the Central Control Tower and workstream leads ensuring that integration decisions lead to real, measurable business outcomes.

This is a role for someone who thrives in big‑thinking environments and enjoys the challenge of delivering sophisticated, multi‑layered programs that move an organization forward.

Key Responsibilities - What You Will Lead

• Be the heartbeat of the integration program: Build, manage, and continuously refine end‑to‑end program plans, governance routines, and cross‑functional execution rhythms.
• Create clarity at scale: Translate complex integration requirements into structured workplans, simplifying interdependencies, and ensuring every team understands their path to success.
• Shape the story: Craft high‑impact executive updates, steering materials, and insights that cut through complexity and influence decision‑making at the most senior levels.
• Drive pace and discipline: Maintain an unwavering focus on timelines, milestones, and outcomes ensuring the program stays aligned, on track, and value‑focused.
• Solve problems before they surface: Proactively identify risks, issues, and bottlenecks across workstreams and lead cross‑functional problem‑solving to resolve them.
• Connect the dots across the Bank: Foster strong working relationships across Retail Banking, Technology, Risk, HR, Finance, and Legal to keep execution tightly aligned.
• Champion the integration mindset: Embed best practices, structure, and repeatable processes to strengthen the Bank’s integration muscle for future opportunities.

Project Focus - Where You’ll Make Your Mark

• Lead the central Program Management Office (PMO) for the Bank’s acquisition integration.
• Oversee planning and alignment across dozens of workstreams ensuring no dependency is missed and no milestone drifts.
• Support core strategic priorities such as customer migration, technology readiness, synergy realization, and regulatory milestones.
• Elevate the program’s operating model through clear governance, reporting, decision frameworks, and communication flows.

Team and Collaboration - How You’ll Influence

• Collaborate daily with senior executives and workstream leaders, acting as an orchestrator and trusted advisor.
• Coach and guide program managers, senior managers, and consulting partners to drive consistent delivery.
• Facilitate cross‑functional forums where complex conversations become actionable decisions.
• Build a culture of ownership, transparency, and shared accountability across the integration role's interactions with other departments, teams, or stakeholders to achieve company goals.

Let's Talk About You!

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Engineering, or related field; MBA preferred.
• Project management certifications (PMP, PgMP, Lean, Prosci) considered an asset
• 10 -15+ years leading large‑scale transformation or integration programs in banking or financial services
• Deep understanding of how banking functions operate and interact across the enterprise
• Expertise in program/project management tools, methodologies, governance routines, and dashboards
• Strong analytical ability to turn data into insights and insights into action
• Proven ability to mobilize and influence senior stakeholders in matrixed environments
• Natural driver mindset: organized, proactive, and able to create momentum across large groups
• Exceptional stakeholder management, relationship‑building, and cross‑functional collaboration skills
• Vocal, articulate, and persuasive communicator capable of influencing decisions at senior levels
• Structured, first‑principles thinker able to simplify complex problems and identify root causes
• Fast learner who quickly absorbs new information, concepts, and operating models
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, including executive‑level presentation capability
• Strong interpersonal presence - credible, empathetic, and effective at managing diverse personalities

What we offer [For full-time permanent roles]

\uD83D\uDCB0 Competitive discretionary bonus

✨ Market leading RRSP match program

\uD83E\uDE7A Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits

\uD83D\uDCDD Employee Share Purchase Plan

\uD83D\uDC76\uD83C\uDFFD Maternity/Parental top-up while you care for your little one

\uD83C\uDFDD Generous vacation policy and personal days

\uD83D\uDDA5 Virtual events to connect with your fellow colleagues

\uD83C\uDF93 Professional development and comprehensive Career Development program

\uD83D\uDC9B A fulfilling opportunity to join one of the top FinTechs and help create a new kind of banking experience

The incumbent will be working hybrid and in office time will be spent working from Equitable Bank’s additional office space located at 2200-25 Ontario Street, Toronto, ON.

Equitable Bank is deeply committed to inclusion. Our organization is stronger and our employees thrive when we honour and celebrate everyone’s diverse experiences and perspectives. In tandem with that commitment, we support and encourage our staff to grow not just in their career path, but personally as well.

We commit to providing a barrier-free recruitment process and work environment for all applicants. Please let us know of any accommodations needed so that you can bring your best self to the application process and beyond. All candidates considered for hire must successfully pass a criminal background check and credit check to qualify for hire. While we appreciate your interest in applying, an Equitable recruiter will only contact leading candidates whose skills and qualifications closely match the requirements of the position.

We can’t wait to get to know you!