Head of Operational Strategy

Role overview

AI strategy and automation

• Set Operations' AI strategy and own end-to-end delivery; identify manual work, build business cases, and lead implementation with functional, product, and engineering owners.
• Set common evaluation standards, track benefits, and ensure solutions operate with appropriate controls and human oversight.
• Set automation targets, prioritize high-value operational processes, and measure released capacity.

Strategy, planning, and process improvement

• Build and lead a team that translates strategy into a prioritized improvement and AI roadmap, with defined problems, benefits, dependencies, and delivery accountability.
• Lead strategic projects and cross-functional process redesign, focusing on work handoffs and automation opportunities.
• Develop demand forecasts and capacity models to support workforce and resource planning.

Controls, portfolio, and measurement

• Establish practical operational control documentation and first-line testing; help process owners identify gaps and track corrective actions with Risk and Compliance.
• Manage the improvement portfolio, expose dependencies and resource constraints, and recommend how to resolve competing priorities or stop work that no longer pays off.
• Set credible baselines and measure effects on service quality, control performance, capacity, and cost.

Required experience

• Significant operational strategy, transformation, or operational excellence experience in financial services, fintech, payments, or another regulated, high-volume environment.
• Proven record delivering an operational AI or automation strategy from use cases and business cases through deployment, adoption, and measured results.
• Experience building and leading an operations, analytics, planning, or improvement team and managing a portfolio of competing initiatives.
• Understanding of capacity and workforce planning, demand forecasts, and capacity models used for resourcing decisions.
• Cross-functional process improvement expertise, such as Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methods, with measured results.
• Working knowledge of first-line control frameworks, control documentation, and testing; experience working with Risk and Compliance.
• Strong analytical skills to establish baselines, measure benefits, and present clear recommendations to senior leaders.

Nice to have

• Online brokerage, trading platform, or digital banking experience; experience spanning multiple regulated entities or countries.
• Hands-on familiarity with LLM tools, workflow automation, or RPA platforms.
• Familiarity with Tableau, Jira, workforce management, or process mining platforms.
• A recognized portfolio, programme, or project management qualification.

Workplace

• The posting includes a hybrid-work indicator.