Head of Product & Operations

Kenanga Group; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 300,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Kenanga Group's KDX is seeking a Head of Product & Operations to own end-to-end product strategy and ensure smooth day-to-day operations across the exchange. This senior leadership role partners with the CEO and regulators, blending product vision with technology, compliance, and operational excellence.

The candidate will lead agile product delivery, drive JTBD-based discovery, oversee UX collaboration with Figma/Miro, manage budgets and KPIs, and shape risk-aware, scalable processes for a

Qualifications

• 7+ years in product management and operations, with senior leadership experience.
• Experience in regulated digital asset environments and fintech.
• Experience with cryptocurrency exchange or VASP is a plus.
• Strong budget, analytics, and cross-functional leadership.
• Proficient in Agile/Scrum practices and product discovery.

Responsibilities

• Define and communicate the product roadmap in collaboration with technology, compliance, and business stakeholders.
• Lead end-to-end product lifecycle from ideation to sunset planning.
• Drive JTBD-based discovery and prioritise investments.
• Oversee operations calendar, SOPs, and cross-functional planning.
• Own weekly/monthly performance reporting and OKRs.
• Lead business continuity and incident response planning.

Job description

The Head of Product & Operations is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the CEO. This

individual will serve as the operational and product backbone of KDX, owning the end-to-end product strategy and roadmap while simultaneously ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of business operations across the exchange. The role demands a commercially astute, highly organised, and technically literate leader who understands the nuances of regulated digital asset environments and can bridge the gap between product vision, technology execution, compliance obligations, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define, own, and communicate the product roadmap, translating KDX's strategic objectives into clearly prioritised features, epics, and deliverables in close collaboration with technology, compliance, and business stakeholders.
• Lead end-to-end product lifecycle management — from ideation and discovery through to launch, post-launch optimisation, and sunset planning — championing Agile and Scrum practices including sprint planning, backlog grooming, and retrospectives.
• Drive product discovery using frameworks such as Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) and the double diamond design process to surface user needs, validate assumptions, and prioritise development investments.
• Maintain a strong understanding of UX principles and human-centred design, collaborating with UX/UI designers using Figma and Miro to deliver intuitive, compliant, and user-centric digital experiences across the KDX platform.
• Provide strategic input on annual product budgeting and prepare cost-benefit analyses on product development and maintenance initiatives.

2.Exchange Operations & Day-to-Day Planning

• Serve as the operational nerve centre of KDX — owning and maintaining the operational calendar, coordinating cross-functional schedules, milestone tracking, and resource planning across product, technology, compliance, and customer operations.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for core exchange operations, ensuring all documentation is current, audit-ready, and aligned with regulatory and internal policy requirements.
• Oversee daily operational activities across the exchange, proactively identifying blockers, managing cross-team dependencies, and ensuring business continuity and service quality at all times.
• Manage ad-hoc projects, change requests, operational incidents, and escalations — ensuring timely resolution, thorough documentation, and clear stakeholder communication in line with internal policies and regulatory obligations.
• Monitor exchange operational performance (uptime, trade processing, settlement workflows, wallet operations) and work closely with technology teams to resolve issues and drive platform reliability improvements.

3.Digital Asset & Compliance Oversight

• Apply working knowledge of cryptocurrency exchange operations — including order books, matching engines, digital asset custody, wallet management, and on-chain transaction monitoring to inform product and operational decisions.
• Provide active oversight and input on regulatory compliance activities, including audit preparations, regulatory submissions, and briefings to regulators and internal stakeholders, ensuring the product and operations function remains aligned with SC Malaysia's Guidelines on Digital Assets and DAX licensing requirements.
• Ensure KDX's product and operational workflows remain compliant with applicable AML/CFT obligations for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), including Travel Rule implementation, suspicious transaction monitoring, and reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with the compliance team on new product or feature risk assessments, ensuring regulatory considerations are embedded into the product development process from the outset.

4.Performance Reporting & Analytics

• Own the preparation and delivery of weekly and monthly management reports covering product delivery milestones, platform operational metrics, and key business KPIs presented via dashboards built in Power BI and equivalent tools.
• Monitor and report on product and platform performance metrics, facilitating cross-functional reviews with technology and business teams to identify gaps and implement data-driven
• Define and track OKRs for the product and operations function, ensuring alignment with company-wide strategic priorities and providing transparent progress updates to the CEO and senior leadership team.
• Lead proposal creation, vendor evaluation, and contract negotiation support for new and renewing third-party partnerships, technology integrations, and service agreements — ensuring alignment with KDX's commercial, operational, and regulatory obligations.
• Manage relationships with key technology and service vendors, overseeing SLA compliance, performance reviews, and escalation management.

5.Business Continuity & Resilience

• Lead Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery (DR) preparedness from a product and operations perspective, overseeing readiness assessments, simulation exercises, and operational checklists across all critical business functions.
• Ensure incident response playbooks are maintained and regularly tested, with clear escalation paths and communication protocols in place for operational disruptions.

6.Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop the Product & Operations function, currently operating in a lean structure with the expectation to build and scale the team as KDX grows.
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative team culture that is outcome-focused, data-driven, and aligned with KDX's mission and values.
• Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to company-wide strategy, planning, and decision-making.

Requirements & Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in product management, digital product strategy, and operations, with at least 2–3 years in a senior leadership or head-of-function role.
• Demonstrable experience within regulated or technology-driven environments — fintech, digital assets, capital markets, or financial services strongly preferred.
• Prior experience working at or with a cryptocurrency exchange, digital asset platform, or VASP is a significant advantage.
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder product and operational programmes from inception through to delivery.

Domain Knowledge

• Strong understanding of cryptocurrency exchange operations, including order management systems, digital asset custody, wallet infrastructure, trade settlement, and on-chain transaction monitoring.
• Familiarity with SC Malaysia's regulatory framework for digital asset operators, including the Guidelines on Digital Assets, DAX licensing requirements, and AML/CFT obligations applicable to VASPs.
• Working knowledge of the Travel Rule and its operational implications for cryptocurrency exchanges.
• Solid grasp of financial services regulatory environments more broadly, with the ability to translate compliance requirements into practical product and operational controls.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Exceptional organisational, prioritisation, and execution skills — able to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and deliver results in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance user needs, business objectives, and regulatory constraints in product and operational decision-making.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present clearly to senior leadership, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• High degree of intellectual curiosity and adaptability — comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving clarity in a scaling organisation.

Technical Skills

Project Management & Tracking

• Jira — backlog management, sprint tracking, issue and release management
• Confluence — product documentation, SOPs, and knowledge base management
• Trello or equivalent Kanban tools for task and workflow visibility

Design & Prototyping

• Figma — wireframing, high-fidelity prototyping, design collaboration, and stakeholder review
• Miro or FigJam — user journey mapping, process flows, ideation workshops, and crossfunctional whiteboarding

Analytics & Reporting

• Power BI — executive dashboards, product performance reporting, and operational metrics
• Google Analytics or Mixpanel — user behaviour tracking, funnel analysis, and feature adoption monitoring
• Microsoft Excel — data analysis, pivot tables, and financial modelling

Methodologies & Frameworks

• Agile and Scrum — sprint ceremonies, backlog refinement, velocity tracking
• Kanban and Waterfall methodologies where appropriate
• Product discovery methodologies including Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) and double diamond design process
• Microsoft Office Suite — Word, Excel, PowerPoint for business reporting and stakeholder presentations
• Slack and Microsoft Teams for cross-functional communication and team coordination

Regulatory & Compliance Familiarity

• Working knowledge of compliance documentation tools, audit lifecycle management, and regulatory reporting frameworks applicable to SC Malaysia-regulated digital asset operators
• Familiarity with AML/CFT frameworks for VASPs, including Travel Rule implementation tools and suspicious transaction reporting systems

API & Technical Literacy

• Ability to read and interpret API documentation, work closely with engineering teams on integration requirements, and translate technical constraints into product decisions — hands-on coding not required
• Familiarity with blockchain explorers, on-chain analytics tools, and exchange infrastructure