Career Development and Growth

“My career could be described as less of a ‘ladder’ and more of a ‘lattice’, with horizontal moves where I had opportunities to learn and partner.” - CJ Spates, Head of Enterprise Experience Risk

At Citizens, we recognize the journey to a fulfilling career is not a straight line, but full of twists, turns, and experiences along the way. Your career should deliver diverse experiences that enrich you, personally and professionally. With programs, upskilling and networking opportunities, advice and guidance, you can build the career you want with us. In 2023, almost 30% of colleagues accepted new roles internally.

💡 Citizens ranked as one of The Wall Street Journal's Best Companies for Career Growth.

Academies: Citizens’ Academies prepare colleagues for the future by building in-demand skills to adapt to our rapidly evolving world. Each academy has engaging learning experiences that provide pathways for growth and recognition.

Academies offered include: Agile, Business of Banking and Credit, Data and Analytics, Innovation, NeXT Gen Tech, and Leadership.

💡 In 2023, more than 5,100 colleagues used our Academies to build skills needed to adapt to our evolving world and propel our performance.

BRG Leadership Opportunities

Membership in any of our 7 Business Resource Groups (BRGs) lets colleagues contribute to Citizens' diverse and inclusive culture. Roles for Colleague, Customer, Community, Communications, and Operations committees are open to everyone to gain new skills and experience outside of the day-to-day.

How I Got Here

Our storytelling series depicts colleagues who explored new opportunities and took their careers to the next level in a variety of ways, inspiring others to act and reflect on their own journeys. Read more stories here.

CJ: Building a well-rounded career.

CJ, Head of Enterprise Experience Risk, has been with Citizens for 17 years and shares how to grow your career by gaining skills and experiences along the way.

Jessika: A journey to new career experiences.

Jessika shares how pursuing curiosity, being open to learning and growth and building meaningful relationships across the organization paved the way for her career.

Robert: From client to colleague.

Hear Robert share how he went from being a loyal customer, to thriving with an incredible career journey at Citizens.

Citizens Learning Hub: About 82% of colleagues regularly use the Citizens Learning Hub to further develop the skills they have and invest in the skills they’ll need in the future. Self-paced learning experiences are delivered through on-demand virtual courses and content, allowing our colleagues to build necessary practices, skills, and habits.

💡 In 2023, about 82% of colleagues completed over 450,000 hours of development and training.

Career Advice & Guidance: Our Citizens Talent Acquisition team is committed to helping our own colleagues thrive through:

Office Hour Sessions - These 1:1 virtual meetings are scheduled at a colleague’s convenience. Our in-house recruiters tailor guidance across topics like resume tips, ways to find new roles at Citizens, how to effectively build your personal brand, and more.

💡 In 2023, 350 Office Hours sessions occurred, helping more than 280 colleagues.

Day in the Life Series - This internal, virtual series gives colleagues a first-person perspective about open roles before they apply. Senior leaders and current colleagues share more about the responsibilities, the department, and the skills needed to succeed.

Leadership Development: We believe that everyone should engage in meaningful growth. Monthly company-wide manager meetings, leadership trainings, and guidance on career growth for individuals and their teams is part of our culture.

24/7 Development & Career Conversations: Two-way dialogue about learning and growth doesn’t just happen at performance review time. Colleagues have ongoing, meaningful discussions with managers, mentors, and peers. Actionable goals are mapped at the start of each year, with midyear and year-end reviews, along with regular check-ins about opportunities to support growth. Colleagues play a role in their own development by seeking 360 feedback and are encouraged to network with colleagues outside of their direct team or departments.

💡 "We need people who have a demonstrated ability to learn, who are agile learners and have a real thirst for bettering themselves. We can't possibly hire for everything we need in the future. What we can hire - people who are voracious learners, people who want to improve themselves."
Source: Chief Human Resources Officer, Susan LaMonica in Newsweek, How Young Workers Can Land a Gig With the Best Companies for Job Starters

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