Turns out, it’s pretty cool.
What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think about banking? Nothing exciting? Well, at Coast Capital Savings we do things a little (ok, a lot) differently. We’ve been celebrated for our innovation, but it doesn’t happen overnight. To bring our projects to life, we need some pretty smart people. That’s where our EPMO team comes in.
Meet Kim, Senior Manager of Coast Capital’s Enterprise Project Management Office (or, in simpler terms, the EPMO). Kim and her team lead the charge on a number of exciting initiatives here at Coast. Things like managing our expansion as a federal credit union, launching Interac Flash, and finding ways to make banking more accessible on computers and mobile devices. We like to call them our resident project management wizards.
We sat down with Kim to get her two cents on what working for Coast Capital is really like.
Hi Kim! In your words, what does the EPMO do for Coast Capital and its members?
The EPMO makes sure that all the company-wide initiatives outlined in our corporate strategy are executed to a high standard. We’re divided into three teams: Project Management (led by me), the Business Analyst & Business Technologists, and Enterprise Process Transformation. We work together to innovate and help every department at Coast Capital achieve success.
We also care about the member experience – a lot. All of the processes and projects we touch put the member’s financial well-being front-and-center. That means making sure all projects contribute to a superior member experience.
How does that make you feel about working on the EPMO team?
I love working here. Being part of a team that drives the delivery of these business initiatives is pretty exciting. I’m proud of my team for all the hard work and commitment they put in to get these initiatives across the finish line. Knowing that my team has direct influence on the projects that improve both member and employee experience makes me excited to come to work every day. I’m also fortunate to have great leadership above me, supporting and guiding our team through each of these projects.
What would you say to someone who is looking to work in Project Management but might not consider applying for a job at a credit union to change their mind?
Project Management is an ever-changing role. You get to work on so many unique initiatives that challenge you every day. As customers increasingly expect digital methods of doing their day-to-day tasks, credit unions are coming up with new and innovative ways to serve their members. It’s an exciting time to be at a credit union.
Coast Capital’s brand is all about help. And having fun while we do it.
What’s the culture like at Coast Capital?
I’ve actually answered this question many times over the last few years! My answer is always the same: the people are amazing, and our culture is unlike any other. I’ve been here for 17 years, and one of the things that keep me here is the culture. It’s important to me that I come to a place where I feel empowered, encouraged to take risks and comfortable interacting with my co-workers.
Once you join Coast Capital, everyone treats you like family. We truly embody our motto that we take banking seriously but ourselves, not so much. Everyone’s voice counts here. Spend one week at Help Headquarters and you’ll see it right away.
How does the team celebrate success?
Every year we have Toast to Coast, our annual employee recognition event. We recognize employees who have reached milestone anniversaries (think 15, 25, 30, even 40 year anniversaries!), company-wide successes, and have a laugh (or many). As a department we also make sure to celebrate birthdays, dress-up at Halloween, and celebrate the success of completed projects.
What’s your proudest moment?
I’ve had so many proud moments throughout my career at Coast Capital, but two really stand out for me.
Before I took over the Senior Manager position, I was a Project Manager. My last initiative in that role was opening up our new Help Headquarters building –it was a labour of love with several challenges and successes, but so satisfying to see it all come together on time.
The other moment came at the end of 2016 when my team delivered the last of 19 projects for the year. Delivering 19 projects on time is no easy feat; I couldn’t be more proud of them!
What are you looking forward to over the next year?
I’m very excited to deliver some very exciting initiatives in 2017 and through 2018! Stay tuned…
If working at Coast Capital sounds like something up your alley, good news – we’re hiring. Check out our latest job opportunities.
