Senior Operations Manager

Vitesse; London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company is seeking a Senior Operations Manager to ensure efficient payment processing and team management. The role requires strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of financial operations, and the ability to implement change in a fast-paced environment. Ideal candidates will have 5+ years of experience in a senior operational position. This position offers a hybrid working model with competitive benefits.

Benefits

25 days Holiday per year

Hybrid working arrangements

Contributory pension scheme

Enhanced Parental leave

Private Medical Insurance

Unlimited access to therapy sessions

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in a senior operational role within Financial Services.
• 4+ years of direct people management experience.
• Deep understanding of payment processing lifecycles.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of payments and funding.
• Manage escalations and incidents.
• Drive automation and increase Straight-Through Processing rates.

Skills

Results-driven leadership

Analytical skills

Payment processing knowledge

Strong communication skills

Operational expertise

Job description

We are Vitesse - the treasury and payment partner of choice for insurance.

Formed in 2014 by a team of proven FinTech entrepreneurs, we are an FCA-regulated business providing global claim funds management and payment solutions. Operating one of the largest banking and payment settlement networks in the world, we give our customers direct access to 200 countries and currencies. Through a single integration, insurers can use this network to pay claims in as fast as 45 seconds and deliver a superior claimant experience. Our market-leading treasury proposition provides insurers with transparency and control over their claim funds, even when delegated to third parties, allowing them to have their money in the right place, at the right time, to make that all-important payment when customers need it most.

With over 240 employees across our London headquarters, Europe, and the US, $93m Series C funding secured, and exceeding £10bn in processed transactions, we are only just getting started.

We are collaborative, customer centric and work with integrity, whilst partnering with some of the biggest insurance leaders including Lloyd's of London and Many Pets. We take huge pride in our company culture, ensuring that everyone has a part to play, an opportunity to be heard, be involved, and the ability to make a real difference. As we continue to scale up, we want like-minded humans to join us on this exciting journey. Are you ready?

As the Senior Operations Manager, you will report to the VP, Operations and be accountable for the efficient, timely, and accurate processing of payments and receipts. You will lead a high-performing team, manage operational risk, handle incidents and escalations, and drive continuous improvement. This role is instrumental in futureproofing Operations to meet Vitesse's strategic and commercial goals, while ensuring operational resilience, scalability, and compliance.

You will collaborate closely with cross-functional stakeholders including Risk, Product, Dev, Commercial and Customer Support to deliver a seamless and controlled operations function. With a strong focus on automation, data-driven decision-making, and risk awareness, you will help shape and execute operational strategies to support long-term growth.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee the day-to-day BAU operations of payments and funding to ensure SLA compliance and operational excellence.
• Monitor and evaluate team performance to ensure high productivity, quality, and development of a best-in-class operations function.
• Manage escalations and incidents with a focus on timely resolution and root cause analysis to prevent recurrence.
• Implement and evolve operational strategies that align with Vitesse's long-term objectives.
• Own and manage operational risk within the UK Operations team, fostering a strong risk-aware culture and ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with Risk, Compliance, and the Operations Control Managers to maintain a robust, controlled, and auditable environment.
• Drive automation and increase Straight-Through Processing (STP) rates by reducing manual processes and identifying opportunities for optimization.
• Produce and present meaningful Management Information (MI) and insights to senior stakeholders and Executives to inform decision-making.
• Lead and contribute to cross-functional projects aimed at enhancing the customer journey and improving process efficiency.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, coaching and developing team members to support career growth and team cohesion.

Requirements

You are a results-driven leader with a deep understanding of payments and operations, paired with a proven ability to manage teams and implement impactful change in fast-paced environments. You combine operational expertise with strategic thinking and thrive on building scalable processes and risk-controlled environments.

• 5+ years' experience in a senior operational role within Financial Services, ideally in payments, treasury, settlements, or liquidity.
• 4+ years of direct people management experience with a track record of building, coaching, and leading high-performing teams.
• Experience working with senior leadership.
• Deep understanding of payment processing lifecycles, funding operations, and associated risk controls.
• Demonstrated ability to lead incident management and escalate appropriately while driving long-term resolution.
• Strong analytical and business analysis skills with a background in change and transformation.
• Experience with process automation and leveraging operational data to drive improvements.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of clearly explaining complex issues to diverse audiences.
• Confident in chairing cross-functional meetings and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Highly organized with strong prioritization skills and the ability to manage multiple competing demands.
• Adaptable, collaborative, and capable of working independently or within a wider team.

Benefits

• 25 days Holiday per year (increasing by 1 day per years' service, up to 30 days) + Bank Holidays
• Hybrid working arrangements - minimum 2 days in the office, Tuesday - Thursday
• Contributory pension scheme
• Enhanced Parental leave
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance with AXA
• Unlimited access to therapy sessions through our partner, Oliva
• Discounted Gym membership through Gympass
• Financial Coaching with Octopus Wealth
• 2 days of volunteering leave per year
• Sabbatical after 5 years' service
• Reduced Nursery fees with salary sacrifice scheme YellowNest
• Life Assurance - MetLife (UK employees only)
• Ongoing Learning and Development to support you reach your career goals

Vitesse at our best - our values

The Vitesse values are a true reflection of what it takes to thrive in our business, so it's important to us that any employee who joins our business is aligned with these 3 attributes

Confident Humility

We don't do ego and we know that unless we all win, none of us win. We admit when we're wrong, ask for help and always think about the wider business before ourselves.

Driven to Succeed

We see the opportunity ahead of us and we won't stop until we fulfil the potential we know we have. We hold ourselves to high standards and deliver high quality outcomes for Vitesse and our customers.

Tenacious Responsibility

We take ownership for our actions and decisions, and face into the challenges that come our way. We are committed to seeing things through to completion, even in the face of adversity.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that enables everyone to perform at their best, where we recognise the rights of all individuals to mutual respect and where there is an unbiased acceptance of others. Our policies and practices aim to promote an environment that is free from all forms of Unfair discrimination and values the diversity of all people. At the heart of our policy, we seek to treat people fairly and with dignity and respect. Please confirm if selected for an interview, what interview adjustments you would need? You can contact Clara Moretti-Greene on [e-mail] or in her absence contact our People Team [e-mail].