Consumer Banking Strategy and Planning Analyst

The Consumer Banking Strategy and Planning Analyst is a key contributor to the strategic planning and optimization of the bank's physical branch network. This role involves deep analysis of branch performance, market dynamics, and customer behavior to inform decisions on branch openings, closures, format transitions, and workforce planning. The analyst will build scenario models, develop staffing strategies, and deliver executive-level reporting to support data-driven decision-making. Collaborating cross-functionally with Facilites, HR, Digital Banking, Operations, and Finance teams, the analyst ensures the branch network evolves in alignment with customer needs, operational efficiency, and long-term growth objectives.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Branch Network Strategy:
  
  
  
  • Analyze branch performance using financial data, transaction volumes, customer traffic, service usage patterns, and customer demographics.
  • Assess markets for growth, consolidation, or investment opportunities using internal performance data, external market intelligence and vendor-provided tools (e.g., census data, competitor branch locations).
  • Build and manage scenario planning models for:
    
    
    
    • New branch openings: identifying optimal locations based on population density, product penetration, and competitive landscape.
    • Closures/consolidations: Evaluate financial viability, customer migration strategies, and service gap mitigation.
    • Format transitions: Assess suitability for cashless branches, advisory hubs, or self-service kiosks.
    • Collaborate with Facilities teams on space planning, lease optimization, and capital investment strategies.
    • Partner with data engineering teams to define and implement data pipelines and tools that support network optimization.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
• Workforce Optimization:
  
  
  
  • Develop and refine staffing models for all branch types based on:
    
    
    
    • Customer foot traffic and transaction complexity
    • Peak hour/day activity trends
    • Digital vs. in-person service migration patterns
    
    
    
    
  • Collaborate with HR and Operations to evaluate labor budgets, staff scheduling, and productivity benchmarks.
  • Provide data-driven recommendations on staffing levels, skills mix (e.g., tellers, bankers, universal agents), and forecasted hiring needs.
  • Support regional teams with tools and analytics to optimize FTEs while maintaining (SLAs) and customer satisfaction targets.
  
  
  
  
• Performance Reporting & Decision Support:
  
  
  
  • Design and maintain dashboards and executive-level reporting for:
    
    
    
    • Branch and market-level KPIs
    • Staff-to-customer ratio trends
    • FTE utilization vs. allocation
    • Queue times, appointment conversions, and customer service impact
    
    
    
    
  • Translate complex data analyses into compelling narratives and visualizations for senior leadership.
  • Present strategic recommendations in monthly and quarterly planning sessions.
  • Leverage SaaS-based analytics platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) to deliver actionable insights and automate reporting.
  
  
  
  
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  
  
  • Serve as a strategic advisor to Regional Sales Managers and Market Leaders.
  • Partner with Digital Banking and CX teams to analyze the impact of digital migration on physical channel relevance and staffing.
  • Collaborate with Finance and Strategy teams on annual planning, operating expense projections, and cost-benefit analyses.
  • Work closely with technical teams to define business requirements for analytics tools and ensure successful implementation of new solutions.
  
  
  
  

To be successful in this position, we require the following:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, management information technology, business, or a related field or associate degree/two (2) years of college plus two (2) years of related work/military experience or four (4) years of related work/military experience (plus additional required experience list below).
• A minimum of five (5) years of business intelligence, business analyst or related experience, including two years of report writing experience using SQL or similar technology.

The following would be a plus:

• Experience in banking or the financial services industry.

First Merchants offers the following:

• Base Pay PLUS Bonuses
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• 401k
• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Vacation/Sick Time
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Additional Benefits

A little about us:

First Merchants is guided by a genuine philosophy of being a meaningful place to work and having a prosperous impact across all walks of life throughout the communities we serve, including consumers, businesses and other organizations. Our Vision, Mission and Team statement reflect and reinforce that authentic service philosophy.

Our Vision is:

To enhance the financial wellness of the diverse communities we serve.

Our Mission is:

To be the most responsive, knowledgeable, and high-performing financial organization for our clients, teammates, and shareholders.

Our Team:

"We are a collection of dynamic colleagues with diverse experiences and perspectives who share a passion for positively impacting lives. We are genuinely committed to attracting and engaging teammates of diverse backgrounds. We believe in the power of inclusion and belonging."

Apply today to begin your career with us!