Caitlin Bode
NC
Summary
Strategic Program & Project Manager with 10+ years leading organizational transformation, cross-functional execution, and complex initiative delivery across financial services, technology, and operational environments. Adept at translating business strategy into actionable roadmaps, driving alignment across teams, and accelerating value delivery using Agile, SAFe, and data-informed decision-making frameworks. Recognized for building collaborative relationships, influencing outcomes, and elevating execution standards across programs.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Product Manager
Navy Federal Credit Union
Remote, NC
08.2024 - Current
- Drove cross-functional alignment across Engineering, Operations, Compliance, and Risk to deliver high-visibility Originations initiatives, ensuring clarity, prioritization, and momentum in an inherently ambiguous environment.
- Led multiple concurrent product workstreams —often with shifting requirements and emerging constraints—by establishing structure, defining ownership, and enabling teams to execute with confidence and clarity.
- Championed the strategic adoption of OCR-driven AI automation , transforming manual document intake into a streamlined, scalable workflow that accelerated application processing and increased downstream data accuracy.
- Partnered with business stakeholders to define product vision, long-term roadmap, and measurable outcomes , translating complex problems into clear priorities that supported enterprise lending strategy.
- Influenced decision-making at all levels by synthesizing technical constraints, operational realities, and member experience goals into concise recommendations and risk-aware product direction.
Project Manager
Navy Federal Credit Union
03.2023 - 08.2024
- Led enterprise-wide process and system modernization initiatives , driving cross-department alignment and ensuring delivery remained tightly connected to strategic organizational priorities.
- Drove high-level collaboration across Product, Engineering, Operations, and Compliance , clarifying complex requirements, surfacing critical dependencies, and accelerating delivery in an evolving and ambiguous environment.
- Enabled organizational readiness for PI Planning by shaping strategic roadmaps, orchestrating backlog prioritization, and proactively mitigating risks and constraints within a large-scale SAFe Agile ecosystem.
- Owned enterprise-level risk, dependency, and issue management , improving delivery predictability, reducing variance, and enabling teams to maintain focus and execution quality.
- Translated stakeholder insights, operational data, and market trends into strategic recommendations , shaping long-term product direction and influencing executive decision-making.
Loan Officer
Navy Federal Credit Union
Remote, NC
05.2021 - 03.2023
- Guided members through complex lending decisions , providing tailored financial recommendations while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with credit union lending policies.
- Evaluated income, credit, and risk factors to determine loan eligibility, strengthening analytical skills foundational to later work in Originations and product strategy.
- Collaborated with Underwriting, Processing, and Member Service teams to resolve documentation issues, reduce application friction, and improve end-to-end loan processing efficiency.
- Identified recurring operational gaps and documented enhancement opportunities , contributing insights that informed workflow improvements within the Originations ecosystem.
- Delivered high-quality member experiences by simplifying financial concepts, communicating requirements clearly, and ensuring transparency throughout the loan lifecycle.
Finance Manager
Washington Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Directed financial operations and team performance , implementing process improvements that contributed to a 35% increase in monthly sales and a 30% reduction in loan defaults.
- Developed and deployed scalable onboarding and training programs , strengthening team capability, reducing training costs, and maintaining consistently high customer satisfaction.
- Modernized the loan approval lifecycle by introducing workflow automation and streamlining documentation processes, significantly improving processing speed and accuracy.
- Built and sustained strong partnerships with dealerships and financial institutions , expanding revenue opportunities and increasing deal flow through improved collaboration and communication.
- Provided financial leadership through budgeting, forecasting, and executive-level analysis , supporting data-driven decision-making and long-term operational planning.
Data Management Analyst
United States Air Force Reserve
01.2011 - 01.2019
- Served as the primary liaison for Maintenance Information Systems , coordinating requirements, validations, and system updates across multiple operational units to ensure alignment and mission readiness.
- Collaborated with information management and processing centers to uphold data integrity, system compliance, and operational capability within a highly regulated environment.
- Oversaw end-to-end system governance and data lifecycle processes , including audits, deviation analysis, quality reviews, and long-term reporting to support operational accuracy.
- Created dashboards, reports, and high-impact executive presentations , transforming complex data sets into actionable insights for senior leadership and mission planners.
- Supported enterprise-level system enhancements by ensuring requirements, documentation, and implementation efforts aligned with headquarters directives and mission-critical objectives.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Public Health
East Carolina University
NC01.2020
Associate of Arts -
Carteret Community College
NC01.2019
Skills
- Strategic Program & Portfolio Management
- Roadmapping & Prioritization
- Organizational Change Leadership
- Stakeholder & Executive Communication
- Process Optimization & Operational Excellence
- Risk, Dependency & Issue Management
- Agile / SAFe / Iterative Delivery
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Microsoft Office Suite (Advanced Excel)
- Azure DevOps
- ServiceNow
- Asana
- Miro
- Trello
- Data Warehousing
- Cloud Technologies
- Cisco Networking
- Project Management Tools
Certification
- Prosci Certified Change Practitioner — 2023
- SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) — 2023
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) — 2023
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM) — 2022
Timeline
Product Manager
Navy Federal Credit Union
08.2024 - Current
Project Manager
Navy Federal Credit Union
03.2023 - 08.2024
Loan Officer
Navy Federal Credit Union
05.2021 - 03.2023
Finance Manager
Washington Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat
01.2020 - 01.2021
Data Management Analyst
United States Air Force Reserve
01.2011 - 01.2019
Bachelor of Science - Public Health
East Carolina University
Associate of Arts -
Carteret Community College