Strategy & Operations Leader (Hybrid, London)

InvestEngine Limited; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

InvestEngine is seeking a hands‑on Head of Strategy & Business Operations to partner with the CEO in setting the strategic agenda, running the company and building the operating model for the next growth phase.

You will translate high‑level objectives into execution plans, lead a lean Strategy & Operations team of five, and drive cross‑functional delivery, governance, KPIs and reporting across Product, Technology, Platform Operations, Data & Analytics, Finance and People.

Qualifications

• Significant experience (typically 8+ years) across strategy and operations in fintech, financial services or another high‑growth, regulated environment — for example as Head of Strategy & Business Operations, Head or Lead of Strategy & Operations, Chief of Staff, or a similarly broad leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience building a company operating model rather than administering one designed by someone else, and securing genuine adoption by a leadership team.
• Proven track record leading company‑wide initiatives end to end, including embedding them into business‑as‑usual and stopping those no longer worth the investment.
• Experience managing a team of four or more strategy, operations or programme professionals, with evidence of raising performance.
• Strong commercial and analytical judgement; you build your own models and argue from the numbers.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and secure outcomes without formal authority.
• Comfortable in fast‑paced environments with limited existing structure, and credible with a CEO, an executive team and a Board.

Responsibilities

• Design and run InvestEngine's company operating model, including the goal cycle, executive meeting architecture, business reviews and decision governance.
• Own the quarterly goal cycle end to end, working with function leaders to set targets that are ambitious, measurable and owned.
• Run the executive cadence so that decisions are made once, documented and acted upon, and surface risks and slippage early.
• Own the annual and multi‑year strategic planning process, from framing the agenda to a plan the leadership team commits to.
• Partner with the CEO and leadership team on strategic planning, prioritisation and resource allocation.
• Structure and answer the company's most significant open questions, including market sizing, prioritisation and build‑versus‑buy decisions.
• Bring an independent, evidence‑based point of view to executive discussions, including where it differs from the prevailing one.
• Own the portfolio of company‑wide initiatives, with clear prioritisation and formal start and stop gates.
• Lead high‑impact initiatives end to end, resolving delivery challenges directly rather than escalating them.
• Embed completed work with the function that will own it as business‑as‑usual, leaving no residual dependency on your team.
• Own the monthly CEO pack and quarterly Board pack, produced from a single, trusted source of truth.
• Develop the KPI framework covering commercial performance, delivery, customer outcomes, cost efficiency and operational risk.
• Build the analysis yourself, working with Data & Analytics on the underlying infrastructure.
• Lead, develop and grow a team of five, setting remits, priorities and standards, and hiring into open roles.
• Partner closely with leaders across Product, Technology, Platform Operations, Marketing, Data & Analytics, Finance, Compliance and People, securing outcomes from teams that do not report to you.
• Apply AI and automation practically to reporting, planning and internal workflow to keep the function lean as we scale.

Skills

Strategy & operations leadership

Executive stakeholder management

Operating model design

Team leadership

Commercial & analytical judgement

Influence without authority

Job description

InvestEngine is seeking a hands‑on Head of Strategy & Business Operations to partner with the CEO in setting the strategic agenda, running the company and building the operating model for the next growth phase.

You will translate high‑level objectives into execution plans, lead a lean Strategy & Operations team of five, and drive cross‑functional delivery, governance, KPIs and reporting across Product, Technology, Platform Operations, Data & Analytics, Finance and People.