AI Catalyst

Mechanics Bank is currently searching for an AI Catalyst to join our team. Here at Mechanics Bank, we value connection, partnership, long term relationships and working together in person. This is a fully remote opportunity.
The AI Catalyst owns the full lifecycle of an innovation — from the first stakeholder conversation to proven adoption. This role independently manages multi-unit business relationships, leads discovery sessions, produces BRDs (Business Requirements Documents) with AI assistance, and applies the ALIGN scoring framework to prioritize opportunities. Working within a Paired Innovation model — Paired Innovation — the working model where a Catalyst and Creator partner throughout the innovation lifecycle, combining business insight with technical execution — the AI Catalyst serves as the single point of accountability for business outcomes, partnering with AI Creators to translate business needs into working solutions. Reports to the Director, AI Innovation.

What you will do:

• Independently manage stakeholder relationships across multiple business units, leading discovery sessions to identify automation and AI opportunities.

• Produce comprehensive BRDs using AI tools, capturing requirements, success criteria, and expected business impact.

• Apply the ALIGN scoring framework to evaluate and prioritize innovation opportunities, presenting recommendations to leadership.

• Partner with AI Creators through the Paired Innovation model, translating business requirements into actionable build specifications and providing ongoing business context.

• Demo POC (Proof of Concept) solutions to business stakeholders, gathering feedback and validating that solutions address the identified need.

• Present innovation proposals and outcomes to senior leadership, including documentation of expected return and MVP (Minimum Viable Product) estimates.

• Own implementation follow-up and adoption tracking, ensuring innovations deliver measurable value after deployment.

• Contribute to the AI Innovation Handbook, skills repository, and team processes through regular review and improvement.

• Participate in team ceremonies and rotate through scrum master responsibilities.

• Travel required: 0-10%

Who you are:

• 4 Year / Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Communications, or related field preferred.

• Graduate Degree in Business Administration, Data Analytics, or Technology Management preferred. Additional experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

• Required: Minimum 3 years of experience in either (a) product or business analysis (including product management, requirements gathering, business case development, or strategic consulting) or (b) banking/financial services with deep operational, process, or line-of -business knowledge within a bank or regulated financial institution.

• 2+ years of experience in demonstrated AI fluency and regular use of AI tools for business tasks is preferred.

• Proven ability to manage business relationships across multiple organizational units and levels of seniority.

• Strong requirements elicitation skills with the ability to translate business needs into structured documentation.

• Demonstrated fluency with AI tools for analysis, documentation, and presentation preparation.

• Ability to present confidently to senior leadership, translating technical concepts into business outcomes.

• Understanding of innovation lifecycle management from ideation through adoption measurement.

• Experience with scoring or prioritization frameworks for project intake and resource allocation.

• Strong follow-through skills with a track record of ensuring initiatives deliver on stated goals.

• Comfort with ambiguity and evolving processes; ability to remain productive when direction is unclear or shifting.

• Willingness to pivot quickly when priorities shift based on business needs or new information.

• Understanding that exploratory work sometimes means building something that gets discarded — and that is expected, not failure.

• Experience presenting to executive leadership and managing competing stakeholder priorities.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies, Azure DevOps, and iterative delivery models.

• Banking or financial services experience is preferred but not required.

• Relevant certifications in AI, data analytics, project management, or software development are a plus.

ADA Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.

• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

#LI-ML1

Pay Range: $98,290.00 - $176,910.00 annually

AIP/Bonus: up to 15%

Anticipated Date of Application Window Closure: 05/31/2026 (or until filled)

Our comprehensive employee benefits program is designed for you to live your best life at work, home, and everywhere in between. Employees working 25 hours or more per week are eligible for health benefits effective the first day of the month following or coinciding with their date of hire.
Benefits package includes[1]:

• Medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their eligible family members

• Employer paid Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, AD&D, and Disability benefits

• Health Savings Account with employer contribution

• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and Commuter/Parking Benefit

• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) with company contribution

• 529 Education Savings plan, Tuition Reimbursement Program and Student Loan Assistance Program

• Supplemental Health plans, Voluntary Legal and Identity Theft Services

• 11 paid holidays, paid Sick days (accrual of one hour for every 30 hours worked), up to 25 paid vacation days, and 16 hours of paid volunteer time throughout the calendar year

• Free personal checking and savings account; Discounted rates on primary residence loan with $0 origination fees (restrictions apply)

Final compensation package will be determined by the work experience, education, and/or skill level of the applicant along with internal equity and alignment with geographic market data.

• Mechanics Bank is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, or on the basis of disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or other bases prohibited by applicable law.

• Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

• To learn more about Mechanics Bank’s California privacy and security policies, including your right to a Notice At Collection as a California Resident, please visit

  California Privacy Policy for Prospective Employees | Mechanics Bank

[1] The benefits listed in this job posting reflect the Bank’s most reasonable and genuinely expected benefits offered for this position.