Head of Operational Strategy

Capital; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Work-life harmony

Generous time off

Employee referral program

Health and pension benefits

Workation for remote work

Job summary

Capital is seeking a Head of Operational Strategy to shape the future of Operations with AI and automation at its core. You will set the AI strategy, lead delivery, and own the improvement roadmap, capacity planning and controls.

You will build a small team and provide evidence-based recommendations to the COO and senior leaders. You will drive AI automation, manage the improvement portfolio, and work across functions to deliver high-value, measurable benefits while ensuring governance and risk

Qualifications

• Significant experience in operational strategy, transformation or operational excellence in financial services, fintech, payments or another regulated, high-volume environment.
• Proven record of setting an AI or automation strategy and delivering it end-to-end.
• Experience building and leading a team of operations managers, analysts, planners or improvement specialists.
• Track record running an improvement portfolio with business cases and prioritisation.
• Understanding of capacity and workforce planning including demand forecasting and capacity models.
• Process improvement expertise (Lean, Six Sigma or similar).
• Working knowledge of first-line control frameworks, risk and compliance aspects.
• Strong analytical skills; ability to set baselines, measure benefits and present recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Set the AI strategy for Operations and lead its end-to-end delivery.
• Lead AI automation initiatives and measure capacity released.
• Own and translate operational strategy into an AI roadmap.
• Develop demand forecasts and capacity models for resource allocation.
• Lead cross-functional process redesign with focus on automation opportunities.
• Establish a framework for documenting operational controls and testing.
• Manage the overall improvement portfolio and advise leadership on priorities.
• Define how improvements are measured and assess impact on service quality and cost.

Skills

Operational strategy

AI strategy

Strategy delivery

Team leadership

Portfolio management

Capacity planning

Process redesign

Operational controls

Risk & compliance

Analytical skills

Tools

Tableau

Jira

Process mining

RPA platforms

Job description

We are a leading trading platform that is ambitiously expanding to the four corners of the globe. Our top-rated products have won prestigious industry awards for their cutting-edge technology and seamless client experience. We deliver only the best, so we are always in search of the best people to join our ever-growing talented team.

As Head of Operational Strategy, you will shape how Operations works in the future, with AI and automation at its core. You will set the department’s AI strategy, lead its delivery and drive automation of operational processes. You will also own the improvement roadmap, capacity planning and first-line controls. You will build a small team and give the COO and functional leaders clear evidence and recommendations when priorities compete.

Responsibilities

• AI strategy and delivery. Set the AI strategy for Operations and own its delivery end to end. Find where AI can remove manual work, build the business cases and lead implementation with functional, product and engineering owners. Set common evaluation standards, track benefits and make sure every solution runs with appropriate controls and human oversight.
• AI automation. Treat automation of operational processes as a core objective. Set targets for the share of work automated, prioritise the highest-value processes and measure the capacity released.
• Strategy and roadmap. Own and build the team that translates operational strategy into a prioritised improvement and AI roadmap. Define the problem each initiative addresses, the intended benefit, its dependencies and who is accountable for delivery, and lead delivery of key strategic projects.
• Capacity and workforce planning. Build a consistent approach to capacity and workforce planning. Develop demand forecasts and capacity models that help the business allocate resources.
• Process redesign. Lead cross-functional process redesign, focusing on how work moves between functions and where it can be automated. Work with the Head of Operations, who owns day-to-day process performance, and agree changes with process owners.
• Operational controls. Establish a practical framework for documenting operational controls and coordinating first-line testing. Help process owners identify gaps and track corrective actions, working with Risk and Compliance on the approach.
• Portfolio management. Manage the overall improvement portfolio, making dependencies and resource constraints visible. Bring clear recommendations to the COO and functional leaders when priorities compete or expected benefits no longer justify the work.
• Measuring benefits. Define how improvements will be measured, establish credible starting points and assess the effect of changes on service quality, control performance, capacity and cost.

Requirements

• Significant experience in operational strategy, transformation or operational excellence in financial services, fintech, payments or another regulated, high-volume environment.
• A proven record of setting an AI or automation strategy and delivering it in an operational setting, from use cases and business cases through to deployment, adoption and measured results such as reduced manual effort or capacity released.
• Experience building and leading a team of operations managers, analysts, planners or improvement specialists.
• A track record of running an improvement portfolio: building business cases, prioritising competing initiatives, managing dependencies and stopping work that no longer pays off.
• Understanding of capacity and workforce planning, including demand forecasting and how to build capacity models that leaders use to make resourcing decisions.
• Process improvement expertise (for example Lean, Six Sigma or similar methods) applied across functions, with measured results.
• Working knowledge of first-line control frameworks, control documentation and testing, and experience working with Risk and Compliance.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to set credible baselines, measure benefits and present clear recommendations to the COO and senior leaders.

Nice to have

• Experience in online brokerage, trading platforms or digital banking.
• Experience with operations spread across several regulated entities or countries.
• Hands-on familiarity with LLM tools, workflow automation or RPA platforms.
• Familiarity with tools such as Tableau, Jira or workforce management and process mining platforms.
• Recognised portfolio, programme or project management qualification.

What you will get in return:

Competitive Salary: We believe great work deserves great pay! Your skills and talents will be rewarded with a salary that makes you feel valued and motivated.

Work-Life Harmony: Join a company that genuinely cares about you - because your life outside of work matters just as much as your time on the clock. #LI-Hybrid

Generous Time Off: Need a breather? Our annual leave policy lets you recharge and enjoy life outside of work without a worry.

Employee Referral Program: Love working here? Share the love! Bring your talented friends on board and get rewarded for growing our awesome team.

Comprehensive Health & Pension Benefits: From medical insurance to pension plans, we’ve got your back. Plus, location-specific benefits and perks!

Workation Wonderland: Live your digital nomad dreams with 30 extra days to work remotely from anywhere in the world (some restrictions apply). Adventure awaits!

Volunteer Days: Make a difference! Take two additional paid days each year to support causes you care about and give back to the community.

Be a key player at the forefront of the digital assets movement, propelling your career to new heights!Join a dynamic and rapidly expanding company that values and rewards talent, initiative, and creativity.Work alongside one of the most brilliant teams in the industry.

Applicable for Poland: Our company has an Internal Reporting Procedure. It is available from the Human Resources Department upon [e-mail]. You may report a violation referred to in the Procedure under the terms specified therein.