Lead Branch Experience Design Strategist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Branch Experience Design Strategist

Company: Wells Fargo

Location: Charlotte, NC, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Experience Design & Strategy (GTM Operations Alignment)

Date Posted: October 04, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic translation of branch format visions into tangible customer and employee experiences, leveraging advanced service design and human-centered design principles.

• Drive the creation of comprehensive experience architectures, journey maps, and service blueprints to define the operational and experiential framework for future branch formats.

• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams including Physical Design, Technology, Operations, Analytics, and Customer Experience to ensure cohesive and integrated future-state branch concepts.

• Synthesize complex customer insights, employee feedback, and business objectives into actionable design criteria and experience requirements that guide strategic initiatives.

• Monitor and incorporate emerging trends in retail, hospitality, and service design to continuously innovate and optimize branch experiences for scalability and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is "Lead Branch Experience Design Strategist," its core functions involve translating strategic vision into operational execution for physical retail spaces, aligning closely with GTM operations and customer experience strategy. The emphasis on journey maps, service blueprints, and cross-functional collaboration highlights its operations-centric nature.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leadership to translate long-term branch format strategy into actionable experience design frameworks and principles for future retail environments.

• Lead the end-to-end development of customer and employee journey maps, service blueprints, and experience architectures that detail the functional and emotional aspects of future branch operations.

• Define clear experience requirements and design criteria by synthesizing customer strategy, behavioral insights, employee feedback, and overarching business objectives.

• Architect the intended purpose, interaction models, employee behaviors, critical customer moments, necessary capabilities, and desired outcomes for distinct branch experience zones.

• Conceptualize and design future-state experiences that seamlessly integrate physical spaces, digital touchpoints, assisted service interactions, and self-service capabilities.

• Proactively identify friction points, unmet needs, and opportunities for enhanced experiences across key customer journeys, proposing practical and innovative design solutions.

• Facilitate critical workshops, including journey mapping sessions, service design sprints, concept development exercises, and cross-functional alignment meetings.

• Collaborate closely with the Physical Design team to ensure that the strategic intent of the experience is accurately reflected in architectural layouts, environmental standards, furnishings, signage, privacy considerations, and wayfinding systems.

• Synthesize both qualitative and quantitative research findings into clear, compelling insights, actionable design implications, executive-level narratives, and strategic recommendations.

• Continuously research and integrate emerging trends in service design, retail, hospitality, workplace strategy, accessibility, technology, and evolving customer behaviors into the experience strategy.

• Effectively manage multiple concurrent experience design workstreams and influence cross-functional partners and stakeholders without direct reporting authority.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed heavily emphasize the strategic design and operational planning aspects of physical retail spaces. This role acts as a critical bridge between high-level business strategy and the practical execution of customer and employee experiences within the branch network, requiring strong operational understanding and process design capabilities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Design, Business, Psychology, or a related discipline.

• An advanced degree in Service Design, Human-Centered Design, Customer Experience, Business, Strategy, or Organizational Design is highly desired. Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in experience strategy, service design, customer experience, journey design, human-centered design, design consulting, retail strategy, or closely related disciplines.

• Demonstrated experience (5+ years) in leading customer journey mapping, employee journey mapping, service blueprinting, experience architecture, or comprehensive service design initiatives.

• Proven track record (4+ years) of translating customer research, employee insights, business objectives, or operational requirements into concrete experience strategies, design requirements, or measurable customer experience improvements.

• Experience (3+ years) in facilitating workshops, design sessions, journey mapping activities, or key stakeholder alignment meetings.

• Extensive experience (3+ years) applying established customer-centered methodologies such as Design Thinking, Human-Centered Design, Service Design, or Jobs-to-Be-Done frameworks. Required Skills:

• Service Design: Deep understanding and practical application of service design principles to map, analyze, and improve service delivery systems.

• Human-Centered Design: Proficiency in user-centric methodologies to understand and address customer and employee needs effectively.

• Experience Strategy: Ability to develop and articulate a clear, compelling vision for customer and employee experiences aligned with business goals.

• Customer Journey Mapping: Expertise in creating detailed visual representations of customer interactions and emotional touchpoints across various channels.

• Service Blueprinting: Skill in developing comprehensive blueprints that illustrate service processes, interactions, and backstage operations.

• Design Thinking: Applied knowledge of the Design Thinking process for problem-solving and innovation.

• Workshop Facilitation: Proven ability to lead productive and engaging workshops for diverse stakeholder groups.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Strong skills in building consensus and driving alignment among cross-functional teams and senior leadership.

• Retail Strategy: Understanding of retail operations, customer engagement models, and strategic planning within a retail context.

• Translating Insights: Ability to convert qualitative and quantitative data into actionable design requirements and strategic recommendations.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services/Retail Banking Experience: Prior experience within the financial services or retail banking sector, understanding its unique operational and regulatory landscape.

• Omnichannel Design: Experience designing seamless customer experiences across physical, digital, assisted, and self-service channels.

• Prototyping & Experimentation: Experience supporting pilots, prototypes, test-and-learn programs, or innovation lab initiatives.

• Workplace Strategy: Understanding of workplace design principles and how they impact employee experience and productivity.

• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of accessibility guidelines and best practices in design.

• Technology Integration: Familiarity with how technology capabilities can be leveraged to enhance service delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of strategic thinking, deep design methodology expertise, and practical operational understanding. The requirement for facilitating workshops and aligning stakeholders points to a strong "operations" component in managing projects and driving consensus.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies of Experience Design: Showcase detailed examples of customer and employee journey mapping, service blueprinting, and experience architecture projects. Highlight the problem, process, solutions, and measurable outcomes.

• Process Optimization Documentation: Include examples where your design work led to tangible improvements in operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, or employee effectiveness. Quantify impact wherever possible.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Evidence: Demonstrate how you've worked with diverse teams (e.g., technology, physical design, operations) to bring experience designs to life, showcasing your ability to influence and align stakeholders.

• Strategic Framework Development: Present examples of strategic frameworks, design principles, or experience guidelines you've developed that have guided broader initiatives.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Evidence of designing and documenting new workflows or optimizing existing ones to improve service delivery and customer interactions.

• Implementation & Automation Methods: Showcase how your design strategies considered implementation feasibility, including potential for automation or technology integration within operational processes.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate how you've defined metrics to measure the success of implemented experience designs and analyzed performance data to identify further optimization opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, a portfolio is crucial. It should not just showcase design artifacts but also the strategic thinking and operational impact behind them. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the "how" and "why" of their design choices, focusing on process improvements and measurable results.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

For a Lead role with 5-10 years of experience in Charlotte, NC, the estimated salary range is between $110,000 - $160,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major metropolitan areas, considering the seniority level, strategic impact, and specialized skill set required for experience design strategy within a large financial institution.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Covering medical, dental, and vision needs for employees and eligible dependents.

• Retirement Savings Plan (401k): With potential company match to support long-term financial planning.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Including vacation days, sick leave, and paid holidays, designed to support work-life balance.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP): Opportunity to purchase company stock at a discounted rate.

• Life and Disability Insurance: Providing financial security for employees and their families.

• Professional Development & Training: Access to learning resources, workshops, and potential tuition reimbursement for relevant advanced degrees or certifications.

• Wellness Programs: Initiatives focused on physical and mental well-being, such as gym memberships or wellness challenges.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential counseling and support services for personal and work-related challenges. Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week, typically 40 hours.

• While the role is primarily on-site, flexibility may be offered for certain project-based needs or occasional remote work, subject to team and business requirements.

• Occasional travel (up to 30%) may be required for workshops, site visits, or cross-functional meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry data for a Lead Experience Design Strategist in Charlotte, NC, considering Wells Fargo's standing as a large financial institution. Benefits are typical for a company of this size and industry. The 30% travel requirement is noted as per the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Retail Banking. Wells Fargo operates within a highly regulated industry, emphasizing risk management, compliance, and customer trust. The company is undergoing significant transformation to modernize its services and customer interactions.

Company Size: Large enterprise (over 10,000 employees). This implies a structured environment with established processes, extensive resources, but also potential for bureaucracy. Operations professionals often navigate complex organizational structures.

Founded: 1852. With a long history, Wells Fargo has a deeply ingrained corporate culture that balances tradition with the need for innovation.

Team Structure:

• Operations Alignment: This role sits within a team focused on physical branch strategy and experience design, requiring deep collaboration with Operations, Physical Design, Technology, and Customer Experience teams.

• Reporting Structure: The role reports to a Senior Lead Branch Formats & Experience leader, indicating a hierarchical structure with clear lines of command and strategic oversight.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect extensive collaboration with diverse departments, requiring strong interpersonal skills, negotiation abilities, and a proactive approach to information sharing and consensus building.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: Emphasis on synthesizing qualitative and quantitative research to inform design decisions and strategic recommendations.

• Human-Centered Approach: Core methodology involves understanding customer and employee needs through Design Thinking and Service Design principles.

• Iterative Design & Experimentation: The mention of supporting pilots, prototypes, and test-and-learn programs suggests a culture that embraces experimentation and iterative improvement in its design processes.

Company Website: https://www.wellsfargo.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Wells Fargo's established presence in financial services means operations roles require a strong understanding of compliance, risk, and scalable processes. The emphasis on innovation and customer experience within this role suggests a progressive segment of the company culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Lead" individual contributor role, signifying a senior position responsible for driving strategic initiatives and influencing cross-functional teams. It requires deep expertise in experience design and strategy, coupled with the ability to manage complex projects and stakeholder relationships independently.

Reporting Structure: Reports to a Senior Lead, indicating a direct line of communication for strategic guidance and performance review. This structure allows for mentorship from a more senior leader while offering autonomy in day-to-day execution.

Operations Impact: The role has a significant impact on the future of Wells Fargo's physical retail presence, directly influencing customer acquisition, retention, operational efficiency within branches, and employee effectiveness. Successful execution translates to enhanced customer loyalty, improved operational performance, and a stronger brand perception.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, retail strategy, or omnichannel experience design within the financial services context.

• Leadership Development: Transition into management roles, leading teams of designers or strategists, or take on program management responsibilities for larger strategic initiatives.

• Broader Strategic Influence: Expand influence across other customer touchpoints or business units within Wells Fargo, contributing to enterprise-wide customer experience transformation.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to thought leadership through internal presentations, potentially industry conferences, or published case studies on innovative branch experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title suggests a path toward senior individual contributor roles or a transition into management. Growth opportunities are tied to deepening expertise within the financial services operations context and expanding strategic influence across the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Primarily on-site at a designated Wells Fargo office location. This environment fosters in-person collaboration and team cohesion, essential for intensive workshop facilitation and design sprints.

Office Location(s): 1525 W W.T. Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262. This specific location in Charlotte, NC, provides context for the daily work environment and potential commute.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The workspace is designed to support cross-functional collaboration, likely featuring meeting rooms, project spaces, and open areas conducive to brainstorming and workshops.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, design software, collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized tools for journey mapping and service blueprinting.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with a diverse team of designers, strategists, operational leads, and business stakeholders, fostering a dynamic and interactive work atmosphere.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• While predominantly on-site, occasional travel (up to 30%) is expected, requiring flexibility in scheduling to accommodate site visits, workshops, and project meetings. The role is not remote.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Charlotte signifies a traditional corporate work setting. Operations professionals in this environment benefit from direct access to colleagues and resources, which is crucial for the collaborative nature of this design strategy role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review applications and conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, strategic thinking, and alignment with the role's responsibilities.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: Candidates will likely be asked to present a selection of their work, focusing on 1-2 key projects that demonstrate their expertise in experience strategy, service design, and operational impact.

• Cross-functional Panel Interview: Interviews with key stakeholders from Physical Design, Technology, Operations, and Customer Experience teams to assess collaboration skills, ability to influence, and understanding of operational integration.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your ability to translate strategy into actionable experience designs and demonstrate tangible operational improvements or customer impact.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your role, the methodologies used, the challenges faced, the solutions developed, and the measurable outcomes achieved. Emphasize the "why" behind your design decisions.

• Showcase Process: Highlight your process for journey mapping, service blueprinting, and stakeholder engagement. Demonstrate how you synthesized insights and facilitated collaboration.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to illustrate the success of your designs. This could include improvements in customer satisfaction scores, operational efficiency, reduced friction points, or adoption rates.

• Tailor to Wells Fargo: Consider how your experience and projects align with Wells Fargo's goals in enhancing branch experiences and serving its diverse customer base.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical scenario, such as designing the experience for a new type of branch service or improving a specific customer journey within a branch.

• Practice articulating complex design concepts and operational implications clearly and concisely.

• Be ready to discuss your understanding of the financial services industry and the unique challenges and opportunities within retail banking operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes not just design skills but also the ability to integrate those designs into operational reality and gain buy-in from various departments. A strong portfolio demonstrating process, collaboration, and quantifiable results will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) for creating visual assets, wireframes, and mockups.

• Journey Mapping & Service Blueprinting Tools: Miro, Mural, Lucidchart, or specialized service design software for collaborative diagramming and visualization.

• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom for communication, virtual workshops, and team coordination.

• Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello for tracking project progress, task management, and workflow organization.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) & CRM Systems: Familiarity with systems like Salesforce, or internal Wells Fargo CRM, for understanding customer data and behavior.

• Analytics Tools: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BI tools for analyzing website and digital interaction data.

• Survey & Feedback Tools: Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey for gathering customer and employee feedback.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Experience with enterprise-level CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for understanding customer interaction data.

• Workflow Automation Tools: While not directly implementing, understanding the capabilities and limitations of workflow automation tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Pega) is beneficial for designing scalable processes.

• Integration Concepts: Awareness of how different systems (e.g., CRM, core banking, digital platforms) integrate to provide a seamless experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with collaborative design tools and platforms is essential. While direct implementation of CRM or automation tools may not be required, understanding their role in the customer journey and operational processes is critical for designing effective experiences.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, driving a culture of empathy and customer-centricity in all design and operational decisions.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest ethical standards, reflecting Wells Fargo's commitment to responsible business practices and customer data security.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing partnership and collective problem-solving, fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are respected and integrated to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Encouraging new ideas, embracing experimentation, and consistently seeking ways to enhance processes, experiences, and operational efficiency.

• Accountability & Execution: Taking ownership of responsibilities, driving projects to completion, and ensuring that strategic designs are effectively implemented and deliver measurable results.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Encourages proactive engagement with cross-functional teams, treating them as partners in the design and implementation process.

• Transparent Communication: Emphasizes open and honest communication, sharing insights, challenges, and progress regularly with stakeholders.

• Feedback-Driven: Fosters a culture where constructive feedback is welcomed and utilized for iterative improvement of designs and processes.

• Strategic Alignment: Focuses on aligning design efforts with broader business strategies and operational capabilities, ensuring that initiatives are practical and impactful.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values highlight a blend of traditional corporate responsibility (integrity, trust) with modern demands for innovation and customer-centricity. Operations professionals are expected to embody these values in their daily work and interactions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Large Organization: Effectively influencing stakeholders and driving change within a large, complex financial institution requires strong political acumen and communication skills.

• Balancing Innovation with Regulation: Designing innovative customer experiences while adhering to strict financial industry regulations and compliance requirements.

• Integrating Physical and Digital: Creating seamless omnichannel experiences that bridge the gap between physical branch interactions and digital self-service or assisted channels.

• Translating Strategy to Scalable Operations: Ensuring that innovative design concepts are practical, scalable, and operationally feasible across a wide branch network.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Service Design Certifications: Pursuing specialized certifications in service design, CX strategy, or related fields.

• Industry Conferences & Events: Attending retail, hospitality, and financial services industry events to stay abreast of emerging trends and best practices.

• Mentorship Programs: Engaging with senior leaders within Wells Fargo for guidance on career progression and strategic development.

• Cross-Functional Rotations: Opportunities to gain deeper insights into different operational areas (e.g., technology, compliance, marketing) through project involvement or potential short-term assignments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are typical for large, regulated organizations. Growth opportunities focus on deepening specialized knowledge and expanding strategic influence within the financial services sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you translated complex business objectives into a tangible customer experience strategy. What was your process, and what were the outcomes?" (Focus on your methodology, stakeholder engagement, and quantifiable results.)

• "How would you approach designing the ideal customer journey for a new digital banking product launch within a physical branch setting?" (Demonstrate your ability to think holistically about omnichannel experiences and operational integration.)

• "Walk me through a challenging workshop you facilitated. How did you ensure alignment and achieve desired outcomes with diverse stakeholders?" (Highlight your facilitation skills, conflict resolution, and ability to drive consensus.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Wells Fargo's current strategic priorities regarding its branch network and customer experience?" (Research recent company announcements, investor reports, and strategic initiatives.)

• "How do you see your experience design approach contributing to Wells Fargo's values of Integrity and Customer Focus?" (Connect your past work and values to the company's stated principles.)

• "Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders without direct authority. How did you build relationships and gain buy-in for your ideas?" (Showcase your communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process (methodologies used), the solution, and the impact (quantified results).

• Highlight Operational Impact: Emphasize how your designs considered operational feasibility, scalability, and efficiency. Discuss how you collaborated with operations teams.

• Showcase Collaboration: Explain how you engaged with different departments (Technology, Physical Design, Operations, etc.) and what strategies you used to ensure alignment.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your design choices, the data that informed them, and potential challenges you encountered. Be prepared to defend your decisions with logic and evidence.

• Focus on "Why": Articulate the reasoning behind your design decisions, connecting them back to customer needs and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, operational integration capabilities, and strong stakeholder management skills, backed by concrete examples from your portfolio that showcase measurable impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Branch Experience Design Strategist position:

• Submit your application through the Wells Fargo careers portal via the provided link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key projects that best exemplify your experience in service design, journey mapping, and translating strategy into operationalizable experiences. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your approach, your role, the methodologies used, challenges overcome, and quantifiable results.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in this job description, such as "experience strategy," "service design," "journey mapping," "stakeholder alignment," and "operational integration." Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your selected portfolio projects concisely and effectively, focusing on the strategic rationale, collaborative process, and tangible outcomes. Be ready to discuss how your work impacts operations and customer experience.

• Research Wells Fargo: Gain a deep understanding of Wells Fargo's current strategic direction, its customer base, its brand values, and any recent developments related to its branch network or customer experience initiatives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.