Innovation Lead

PNC • Strongsville, OH

1d • $65,000 - $152,375 • Onsite

About The Position

At PNC, our people are our greatest differentiator and competitive advantage in the markets we serve. We are all united in delivering the best experience for our customers. We work together each day to foster an inclusive workplace culture where all of our employees feel respected, valued and have an opportunity to contribute to the company’s success. As an Innovation Lead within PNC's Experience Integration & Strategy Team, you will be based in Pittsburgh, PA, Strongsville, OH, Dallas, TX, Birmingham, AL or Denver, CO. The mission of the Experience Integration & Strategy Team is to unlock the possible; to imagine how financial services can improve everyday life of people and organizations. PNC believes that innovation is at the forefront of technology and has a profound impact on the customer experience. This team’s enterprise-wide view and expertise in design thinking, technology, software engineering, digital products and business design, help to identify and create strategic advantages for PNC. Our services include advisory, incubation, emerging technology labs, design thinking training, and experiential learning and programs. We are seeking a strategic and innovative professional to lead end-to-end process reimagination and transformation initiatives across the organization. In this role, you will analyze existing business processes through a systems-thinking lens, identifying opportunities for simplification, optimization, and automation. By applying human-centered design principles, you will ensure solutions are grounded in user needs and deliver measurable improvements to both stakeholder experience and operational performance. You will collaborate closely with business leaders, technology teams, and data experts to integrate digital tools, automation, AI, and emerging technologies into scalable, future-ready process designs. You will lead cross-functional initiatives, translating complex process and performance metrics into clear, actionable insights that drive informed decision-making. This role requires the ability to develop repeatable frameworks, methodologies, and toolkits that enable consistent process transformation across the enterprise. Success will be measured through defined metrics and continuous improvement cycles, with an emphasis on adaptability—rapidly iterating and pivoting solutions in response to feedback, evolving priorities, and business needs. The ideal candidate brings a strong foundation in engineering, business, design, or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in human-centered design, systems thinking, and business process management. You should be comfortable working with digital transformation concepts including automation, data analytics, AI applications, and systems integration. Experience with process engineering, customer journey mapping, Lean Six Sigma, Agile methodologies, and business architecture is highly valued, as are strong communication and facilitation skills that enable effective collaboration across diverse teams. Certifications such as Lean Six Sigma, Design Thinking, or Agile are a plus. PNC is an in-office company that fosters a supportive culture where employees can thrive and achieve balance. We encourage candidates to connect with their recruiter and hiring manager to understand workplace expectations and ensure the role aligns with their goals. PNC will not provide sponsorship for employment visas or participate in STEM OPT for this position.

Requirements

• Successful candidates must demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities for a role.
• Roles at this level typically require a university / college degree, with 5+ years of industry-relevant experience.
• Specific certifications are often required.
• In lieu of a degree, a comparable combination of education, job specific certification(s), and experience (including military service) may be considered.
• Customer Focused - Knowledgeable of the values and practices that align customer needs and satisfaction as primary considerations in all business decisions and able to leverage that information in creating customized customer solutions.
• Managing Risk - Assessing and effectively managing all of the risks associated with their business objectives and activities to ensure they adhere to and support PNC's Enterprise Risk Management Framework.

Nice To Haves

• Branding
• Business Process Management (BPM)
• Change Management
• Design
• Design Thinking
• Digital Marketing
• Human-Centered Design
• Ideation
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Process Engineering
• Web Development
• Certifications such as Lean Six Sigma, Design Thinking, or Agile are a plus.
• Experience with process engineering, customer journey mapping, Lean Six Sigma, Agile methodologies, and business architecture is highly valued, as are strong communication and facilitation skills that enable effective collaboration across diverse teams.

Responsibilities

• Manages innovation activities to meet organizational needs and to capitalize on potential new product opportunities.
• Develops, manages and implements a portfolio of innovation projects.
• Advises senior management and internal clients to understand the results and implications of innovation initiatives.
• Implements and executes the defined innovation strategy.
• Partners with internal and external resources to meet organizational needs and to capitalize on potential new product opportunities.

Benefits

• PNC offers a comprehensive range of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future.
• Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time employees include: medical/prescription drug coverage (with a Health Savings Account feature), dental and vision options; employee and spouse/child life insurance; short and long-term disability protection; 401(k) with PNC match, pension and stock purchase plans; dependent care reimbursement account; back-up child/elder care; adoption, surrogacy, and doula reimbursement; educational assistance, including select programs fully paid; a robust wellness program with financial incentives.
• In addition, PNC generally provides the following paid time off, depending on your eligibility: maternity and/or parental leave; up to 11 paid holidays each year; 9 occasional absence days each year, unless otherwise required by law; between 15 to 25 vacation days each year, depending on career level; and years of service.
• To learn more about these and other programs, including benefits for full time and part-time employees, visit pncthrive.com.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees