Director of Operations

Aave Labs; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Aave Labs is seeking a Director of Operations to lead the global operational function, building processes and systems for scalable, compliant customer experiences. The role sits at the intersection of Product, Engineering, ICT & Security, Compliance and Support, with responsibilities across governance and regulatory adherence for the Irish entity.

You will ensure operational excellence, oversee complaints adjudication, drive automation, define KPIs and partner with Legal and Compliance to meet

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Operations or related function.
• Experience in senior leadership roles within fintech, consumer tech or financial services.
• Experience operating across regulated and unregulated activities with governance and controls.
• Proven track record delivering customer experiences at scale across journeys and touchpoints.
• Strong ability to design scalable processes and operating models for growth.
• Data-driven mindset with experience establishing KPIs and translating data to actions.
• Familiarity with PCF-42 or equivalent regulated roles; crypto/Web3 experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and scale the operational strategy, structure and processes for a growing global business.
• Own and oversee the Irish entity's day-to-day operations, risks, controls and regulatory obligations.
• Identify bottlenecks and risks; implement processes and systems to improve reliability and speed.
• Ensure high-quality customer experience from onboarding to issue resolution.
• Lead complaints management and adjudication within the regulated entity in line with requirements.
• Drive automation, tooling and AI to reduce manual work and improve experiences.

Job description

About us

Aave Labs began with a simple question: how do we make financial services like borrowing, saving, and earning more accessible globally?

We built the Aave Protocol, now the world’s largest and most trusted onchain lending market, connecting decentralized finance with individuals, traditional finance, and fintech.

Today, we build trusted, high-quality products that expand access to lending, credit, and savings globally

Our culture

We build trusted products that help people access and discover economic opportunities.

We hold a high bar for quality and craftsmanship. No detail is too small. Trust depends on it.

We’re a global team building products people can actually use, turning complex technology into something simple and reliable.

We stay aligned, move quickly, and think long term, while keeping teams lean and focused on impact.

About the role

We’re looking for a Director of Operations to lead the operational function supporting our growing global business.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role responsible for building the processes, systems and operating infrastructure needed to deliver a seamless customer experience at scale. You’ll sit at the intersection of Product, Engineering, ICT &Security, Compliance, Support and the wider business, ensuring our day-to-day operations are efficient, resilient and ready to support continued growth.

The role combines Group-wide operational leadership with specific regulatory responsibilities within our Irish regulated entity, Push Virtual Assets Ireland Ltd. The successful candidate will be expected to obtain approval from the Central Bank of Ireland to perform the Pre-Approval Controlled Function of Chief Operating Officer (PCF-42) and undertake responsibilities associated with Controlled Function CF-8 (Complaints Adjudication).

You’ll be responsible for ensuring that our regulated operations meet applicable regulatory requirements, while developing proportionate and scalable operational frameworks for the wider business. This requires someone who understands how to balance operational efficiency, customer experience and innovation with the governance, accountability and controls expected of a regulated financial services business.

Given the nature of our products, you’ll help ensure we maintain a high bar for operational excellence while meeting the requirements expected of a regulated financial services business.

How you can make an impact:

• Develop and scale the operational strategy, structure and processes required to support a growing global business and customer base without compromising quality, controls or customer experience
• Assume responsibility for the operational management of Push Virtual Assets Ireland Ltd in the capacity of PCF-42, ensuring effective oversight of its day-to-day operations, operational risks, controls and regulatory obligations.
• Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies and operational risks, implementing processes and systems that improve reliability, speed and quality of execution
• Ensure we deliver a consistently high-quality customer experience across key operational touchpoints, from onboarding through to ongoing support and issue resolution
• Own the Group’s complaints management framework, ensuring complaints are appropriately identified, investigated, escalated and resolved, with specific responsibility for complaints adjudication within the Irish regulated entity in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.
• Identify opportunities to use tooling, automation and AI to reduce manual processes, improve efficiency and create better experiences for both customers and internal teams
• Define and monitor operational KPIs, identifying trends, risks and opportunities and translating data into clear actions and priorities
• Bring operational and customer insights into product development, helping identify friction points, improve customer journeys and ensure operational readiness for new products and launches
• Own relationships and performance across relevant operational vendors and service providers, ensuring they meet our standards for quality, reliability and customer
• Partner closely with Compliance and Legal to ensure operational processes and customer outcomes meet applicable regulatory requirements
• Work with ICT & Security to oversee operational resilience, incident management and business continuity arrangements, working closely with relevant teams to ensure operational risks and incidents are appropriately identified, managed, escalated and remediated.
• Hire, coach and develop a high-performing Operations organisation with a strong culture of ownership, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Provide operational reporting and management information to executive leadership and relevant Boards, ensuring appropriate visibility of operational performance, customer outcomes, incidents, complaints and material risks.

Let’s connect if you have:

• You have 8+ years of experience in Operations, Customer Operations, Business Operations or a related function, with meaningful experience in a senior leadership role
• You’ve built or scaled operations within a high-growth consumer technology, fintech or financial services business
• You have experience operating across regulated and unregulated business activities, with an understanding of how operational requirements, governance and controls differ depending on the nature of the business
• You have experience delivering customer experiences at scale, with a strong understanding of how operations, technology and support come together across the customer journey
• You have a track record of designing processes and operating models that can scale with significant customer and transaction growth
• You understand how to use technology, automation and AI to improve operational efficiency and reduce unnecessary manual work
• You’re highly data-driven and comfortable establishing KPIs, analysing performance and using data to prioritise improvements
• You have experience working closely with Product, Engineering, Compliance and other cross-functional teams
• You have a strong understanding of the operational and governance requirements applicable to regulated financial services businesses, including customer complaints, operational risk management and regulatory accountability.
• Experience within PCF-42 or a similar regulated position
• Experience within crypto or Web3 is strongly preferred, particularly within consumer-facing products, but isn’t essential

Haven’t quite met all the criteria? Let’s not miss out on the chance to speak. Whilst you might not meet every single requirement, you might bring other, more exciting skills to the companies!

Equal opportunities statement:

Aave Labs celebrates diversity and views each and every team member as a separate individual with their own unique identity. No matter your race, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation or even the wallet you use, we welcome you at Aave Labs. As an equal opportunities employer, we take accountability and believe in everyone's potential to build, create and inspire changes. With a mission to build a diverse workforce, we are proud to foster a working environment in which everyone can feel safe and valued for who they are.