Head of Operations/COO

Selby Jennings; Greater London; On-site; GBP 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Selby Jennings is seeking a Head of Operations / COO to lead and scale its global operations across trading, fund operations and corporate entities. The role reports to the CEO and requires building robust operating infrastructure with a strategic, hands-on approach.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in a quant hedge fund or similar firm, strong cross-functional leadership, and a track record of delivering scalable operations for growth and expansion.

Qualifications

• Proven experience building and leading operations in a quant hedge fund or similar active trading environment.
• Strong understanding of multi-asset life cycles, trading infrastructure and fund operations.
• Experience scaling operations across multiple locations and teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across all entities, funds and office locations.
• Define and execute the operational roadmap for growth.
• Oversee prime brokers, exchanges and counterparty relationships.
• Drive automation, governance and scalable controls.
• Partner with trading, technology, risk and finance leaders.

Skills

Operations leadership

Quant hedge fund experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Team development

Job description

Our client is a leading Swiss quantitative multi-strategy hedge fund seeking an exceptional Head of Operations / COO to lead and scale its global operations function. Reporting directly to the CEO, this individual will be responsible for building, developing and overseeing the firm's operating infrastructure across trading, fund operations and corporate entities.

This is a strategic and highly hands-on role suited to someone who has previously built and managed operations within a quantitative hedge fund, systematic investment manager, proprietary trading firm or electronic market maker.

Key Responsibilities

Firm-Wide Operations

• Lead operations across all entities, funds and office locations.
• Identify operational gaps and inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions.
• Define and execute the firm's operational roadmap.

Trading Operations & Market Infrastructure

• Oversee relationships with prime brokers, clearing brokers, exchanges and counterparties.
• Manage market access, clearing, settlement, collateral and financing arrangements.
• Support the operational onboarding of new products, strategies and markets.

Fund Operations & Oversight

• Oversee fund accounting, NAV production, reconciliation and P&L attribution processes.
• Review and challenge valuation methodologies where appropriate.
• Manage external administrators, auditors and service providers.

Technology, Automation & Scalability

• Drive automation and straight-through processing initiatives.
• Build robust operational controls, governance frameworks and escalation procedures.
• Ensure operating infrastructure can support continued business growth.

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with senior stakeholders across trading, technology, risk and finance.
• Support business expansion initiatives and new trading ventures.
• Act as a key member of the firm's executive leadership team.

Team Development

• Build and scale operational teams across multiple locations.
• Determine the optimal operating model, balancing internal resources, outsourced solutions and technology.

Requirements

• Proven experience building and leading operations within a quant hedge fund, multi-strategy fund, electronic market maker or proprietary trading firm.
• Deep understanding of the multi-asset trade lifecycle and trading infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of fund accounting, valuation, NAV oversight and reconciliations.
• Experience managing brokers, counterparties, exchanges and external service providers.
• Demonstrated ability to build teams and operational frameworks in high-growth environments.
• Strong commercial judgement with the ability to work effectively alongside traders, quants and technology teams.

This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of the operational architecture of a rapidly expanding quantitative investment platform and play a significant role in its next phase of growth.