Chief-Operating-Office /Chief of Staff

Pontoon; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global investment bank seeks an experienced COO/Business Manager to drive operational excellence within its FX and Emerging Markets Technology team. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to influence key projects and engage with senior stakeholders across various regions. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in financial services along with advanced skills in project governance and people management. If you thrive in dynamic environments and have a passion for financial technology, we encourage you to apply.

Qualifications

• 5–10+ years in COO, Business Manager, or PMO roles in financial services.
• Strong experience in project governance, tech finance, operational risk, or people management.
• Ability to engage with senior stakeholders globally.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-border tech project initiatives and manage regulatory compliance.
• Drive project review meetings and oversee budgeting/resource planning.
• Track operational risk issues and own remediation plans.

Skills

Communication

Analytical Mindset

People Management

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Clarity

Apptio

Tableau

Job description

Client: Our client is a leading global investment bank with a strong presence across North America, EMEA, and Asia–Pacific. They are known for their innovation in financial technology and robust global markets infrastructure.

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and driven COO / Business Manager to support the global FX and Emerging Markets (EM) Technology team within a leading investment bank. This high–impact role reports into the Global COO and partners closely with senior technology and business leadership across London, New York, and Asia.

You'll drive operational excellence across a complex, fast–paced technology organisation supporting one of the bank's most dynamic trading businesses.

Key Responsibilities
You will lead across a mix of the following (strength in at least 2 areas required):

• Centralise and report on cross–border tech project initiatives
• Coordinate between project leads and governance teams
• Drive senior–level project review meetings and deliverables
• People & Org Management
• Manage regulatory and structural compliance (e.g., FINRA, span of control)
• Lead people–focused initiatives (training, engagement, development)
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and headcount/resource planning
• Analyse financial performance and support cost optimization
• Track contractor/consultant spend and hiring approvals
• Identify, track, and resolve operational risk issues
• Support compliance with internal tech risk/control frameworks
• Own remediation plans and back–to–green tracking

Ideal Candidate Profile
We're looking for someone with:

• 5–10+ years' experience in a COO, Business Manager, or PMO–type role in financial services
• Strong experience in at least two of: project governance, tech finance, operational risk, or people management
• Excellent communication skills – able to engage with senior stakeholders globally
• Proven ability to operate in fast–paced, evolving environments
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills; strong analytical mindset
• Prior experience within investment banking, trading tech, or global markets strongly preferred

Nice to Have

• Knowledge of FX / Emerging Markets businesses or trading systems
• Exposure to financial governance tools (e.g., Clarity, Apptio, Tableau)
• Experience working across UK, US, and Asia regions

Apply Now
If you're a high–performing operations leader with a background in financial technology or trading environments, we'd love to hear from you.