VP, Digital Engagement

Posting date: March 03, 2026

Reference: 002425SR

1. Job Type: Full-time
2. Location: Cambridge
3. School/Unit: Harvard University Central Administration
4. Salary Grade: 059
5. Job Function: Communications
6. FLSA Status: Exempt
7. Term Appointment: No
8. Union: 00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

At Harvard FCU, we believe a brighter world is possible, and that together, we can all help create it. That’s why, since 1939, we’ve helped our members build a strong financial future so they can make an impact in life, wherever it may lead. From students to professionals, from in-branch to online, from new beginnings to lifetime milestones, from Harvard Square to around the world, we deliver the accessible financial tools and resources everyone, everywhere needs to thrive. By coming together to serve, equip, and empower people to make a positive impact in their lives and communities, we’re helping build a more prosperous world for all. Join us!

Harvard FCU

Job Description

Reporting to Chief Information Officer, the VP of Digital Engagement is responsible for providing the vision, leadership, and execution oversight needed to advance the credit union’s digital ecosystem, across all products and services. The VP is responsible for shaping the long-term digital banking roadmap—from online and mobile banking to payments, account opening, fraud prevention, and integrated digital servicing. The VP combines strategic insight with practical execution, acting as a connector between Technology, Operations, Products, Marketing, Member Experience and external fintech partners. This leader oversees the strategy, roadmap, performance, and evolution of all digital channels, ensuring the credit union delivers a modern, intuitive, and secure digital banking ecosystem that deepens member relationships, accelerates growth and streamline operations.

This role requires a blend of strategic foresight, strong financial acumen, deep digital expertise, and the ability to align diverse stakeholders toward a unified digital direction.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Digital Vision

• Leverage internal and external industry insights, developing and maintaining a comprehensive digital banking strategy aligned with the credit union’s mission, growth goals, and member-first philosophy.
• Identify strategic opportunities to expand features, simplify journeys, and modernize digital servicing capabilities.
• Create long term digital roadmap covering platform evolution, channel enhancements, and new digital capabilities such as personalization, payments innovation, automation, and embedded analytics.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory expectations, security standards, and risk management practices inherent in financial services.

Digital Banking Platform Stewardship

• Provide leadership for the credit union’s digital banking platform- Oversee platform performance, release management, vendor roadmaps, and upgrade planning.
• Evaluate fintech integrations, API opportunities, and ecosystem partnerships that enhance member services or operational efficiency.
• Lead business case analyses for new features, integrations and products both within digital banking and other channels in the digital space.
• Serve as primary vendor contact, ensuring contractual, financial, and operational accountability.

Experience Design & Member Journeys

• Lead the design and optimization of end-to-end member journeys (including but not limited to account opening, onboarding, authentication, transactions, lending, payments, and digital member support).
• Champion member-centered design and ensure that member feedback, pain points, and behavioral insights shape product decisions.

Digital Transformation & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Drive cross-departmental digital initiatives such as digital account opening, card management, RTP/FedNow, fraud mitigation, loan origination modernization, and personalized financial insights. Collaborating with IT, Data, Operations and Marketing to ensure seamless implementation, launch, tracking and monitoring.
• Modernize digital servicing operations to streamline processes and migrate manual processes to automated, self-service or intelligently assisted workflows.
• Drive cultural change by promoting digital literacy, innovation mindset and data-driven decision-making across departments.

Data, Insights & Performance Measurement

• Build and maintain an enterprise digital scorecard with KPIs tied to adoption, engagement, conversion, operational efficiency, financial outcomes, and member satisfaction.
• Leverage data around member digital behavioral, segmentation and usage patterns to prioritize digital improvements across the credit union.
• Present digital performance updates, opportunities, risks, business cases to the Senior leadership team.

Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure digital banking initiatives meet regulatory, privacy, ADA, and cybersecurity standards.

People Leadership & Organizational Influence

• Lead and mentor teams involved in digital product management, research and innovation.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships that encourage collaboration, accountability, and shared ownership of digital outcomes.
• Influence senior leaders, and different stakeholders by communicating a compelling vision, presenting clear strategies, data-backed recommendations, and a thoughtful point of view on emerging digital trends.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or related graduate degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in digital banking, digital strategy, product management, or related financial-services leadership roles.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Strong familiarity with credit-union operations, member-centric service philosophy, and regulatory environment.
• Expertise in digital banking platforms, fintech integrations, payments modernization, digital fraud tools, and member experience design.
• Proven track record of leading transformation programs, shaping strategy, and delivering measurable impact.
• Executive presence, and the ability to lead through influence in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive communications and messaging strategy.
• Demonstrated presentation skills.
• Strong presence with a proven ability to communicate effectively at all levels inside organization and with key stakeholders outside the organization.
• Work experience demonstrates sustained achievement in roles of progressively increasing responsibility.
• Work experience and exposure in a variety of operational and business development disciplines.
• Experience working in a highly regulated environment.
• Proven understanding of federal and state student and consumer lending regulations.
• Travel to affiliated organizations is required.

Additional Information

• Working Conditions: Onsite work is performed in an office setting
• Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week.
  3 days a month onsite with 1-week WFH. Additional onsite days will be required based on business needs.
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Credit, Criminal, Education, Identity, Prohibited Parties (OFAC - Office of Foreign Assets Control).
• Other Information:
  Please provide a cover letter and resume as one document with your application.
  This position has a 90-day orientation and review period.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.