Chief Operating Officer

American Century Investments; United States; Hybrid; USD 350,000 - 650,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation package with–

Bonus plan

Generous PTO

401k with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Mentorship program

Job summary

American Century Investments in Kansas City is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to drive operational excellence and enterprise scalability across the organization. The COO will oversee back office, business management, and analytics, reporting to the CEO, with a focus on process improvement and AI-driven transformation.

We seek a leader with 15+ years in asset management operations, a track record of large-scale change, and the ability to build a high-performing team and partner with executives

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive operational leadership experience within asset management, investment management, wealth management, or financial services.
• Demonstrated success leading operations, business management, or enterprise-wide initiatives in a complex organization.
• Strong understanding of asset management operations, governance, risk management, and regulatory environments.
• Experience leading large-scale change, business transformation, or growth initiatives, including AI-enabled transformation.
• High degree of integrity, business judgment, and ability to influence across all levels of an organization.
• Exceptional leadership, influencing, communication, stakeholder management, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrates the American Century Investments Winning Behaviors: Client Focused, Courageous and Accountable, Collaborative, Curious and Adaptable, Competitively Driven.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day global operating platform, including back office, facilities, administrative operations, and business analysis.
• Serve as enterprise integrator, aligning investments, products, distribution, and operations to support growth.
• Drive enterprise AI and data transformation, including automation and real-time performance management.
• Modernize operating and technology infrastructure with cloud-based platforms.
• Oversee back office and administrative functions, ensuring efficiency and strong controls.
• Translate strategy into execution, establishing operating metrics and governance.
• Support strategic initiatives, including M&A, partnerships, and new business launches.
• Build and lead a high-performing leadership team and govern cross-functional collaboration.
• Interface with Board, regulators, and strategic partners on performance and operations.

Skills

Operational leadership

Asset management expertise

Change management

AI transformation

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/Economics

MBA or advanced degree

Job description

About Us

American Century Investments® is a leading global asset manager with over 65 years of experience helping a broad base of clients achieve their financial goals. Our expertise spans global equities and fixed income, multi-asset strategies, ETFs, and private investments. Privately owned and independent, we focus solely on investment management. But there’s an unexpected side to us, too. We direct 40% of our dividends every year—over $2 billion since 2000 to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Our ongoing financial support drives the Institute’s breakthrough work and mission of defeating life‑threatening diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. So, the better we do for our clients, the more we can do for everyone. All who work here around the globe are inspired every day by the unique difference our hard work can make in so many lives. It shows in the curiosity we bring to every initiative, the deep relationships we build with our clients, and the way we treat each other in the hallway. If you’re excited to learn more about us, we can’t wait to learn more about you.

Role Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a core member of the executive leadership team, responsible for driving operational excellence, enterprise scalability, and commercial execution across the organization. The COO will oversee the firm’s broader business management, back office, administrative operations, and business analysis functions, ensuring seamless coordination between strategy, execution and growth. We are seeking a COO who brings deep leadership capability, an enterprise mindset, and a long‑term commitment (7+ years) to this role. The COO works with the CEO, CIO, and executive team to turn strategic goals into effective operating models. The role focuses on boosting productivity through process improvement, AI transformation, smarter decision making, and delivering top‑tier client and employee experiences across a global asset management platform managing~$350B. This role reports to the CEO and will serve as a member of the Management Committee. This hybrid position will be based out of our Kansas City office.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Lead the firm’s day‑to‑day global operating platform, including broader business management, back office, facilities, administrative operations, and business analysis functions.
• Serve as the enterprise integrator, aligning investments, products, distribution, and operations to support growth, scale and client outcomes.
• Drive enterprise AI and data transformation, including automation of operating processes, AI enabled analytics, personalization and real‑time performance management.
• Modernize operating and technology infrastructure, partnering with technology leadership to implement scalable, cloud based and AI driven platforms across functions.
• Oversee back office and administrative functions, ensuring efficiency, resiliency, strong controls, and effective vendor and service provider management.
• Translate strategy into execution, establishing operating metrics, KPIs, and governance to ensure accountability and delivery against firm objectives.
• Support strategic initiatives, including M&A, partnerships, and new business launches, with responsibility for operational due diligence, integration and execution.
• Build and lead a high‑performing leadership team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across functions.
• Function as a key interface with internal and external stakeholders, including the Board, regulators, and strategic partners, on operation and business performance.

What You Bring to the Team (Required)

• 15+ years of progressive operational leadership experience within asset management, investment management, wealth management, or financial services.
• Demonstrated success leading operations, business management, or enterprise‑wide initiatives in a complex organization.
• Strong understanding of asset management operations, governance, risk management, and regulatory environments.
• Experience leading large‑scale change, business transformation, or growth initiatives, including AI‑enabled transformation.
• High degree of integrity, business judgment, and ability to influence across all levels of an organization.
• Exceptional leadership, influencing, communication, stakeholder management, and decision‑making skills.
• Demonstrates the American Century Investments Winning Behaviors: Client Focused, Courageous and Accountable, Collaborative, Curious and Adaptable, Competitively Driven.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.

Additional Assets (Preferred)

• Experience supporting multi‑asset, global investment platforms.
• Direct involvement in enterprise‑wide AI, data, or digital transformation programs.
• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience partnering with technology leadership, data architecture, and AI‑driven reporting solutions.
• Exposure to M&A, strategic investments, or business integrations within asset or wealth management.
• Strong executive presence and Board‑level communication skills.
• Global mindset, with experience operating across multiple geographies and regulatory regimes.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation package with bonus plan.
• Generous PTO and competitive benefits.
• 401k with 5% company match plus annual performance‑based discretionary contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement, formal mentorship program, live and online learning.
• Learn more about our benefits and perks.

Employees are required to be in the office on a scheduled frequency. Adherence to this schedule is essential to fulfilling the expectations of the role.

Equal Employment Opportunity

American Century Investments is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all other applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. As such, American Century strives to provide a reasonable accommodation to any qualified individual under the ADA to perform essential job functions. We encourage people of all backgrounds to join us on our mission. If you require reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the recruitment process, please send a request to HR‑[e-mail]. All requests for accommodation will be addressed as confidentially as practicable. American Century Investments believes all individuals are entitled to equal employment opportunity and advancement opportunities without regard to race, religious creed, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age for individuals forty years of age and older, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws. ACI does not discriminate or adopt any policy that discriminates against an individual or any group of individuals on any of these bases.

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American Century Proprietary Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. American Century Investments® is a leading asset manager focused on delivering investment results and building long‑term client relationships while supporting research that can improve human health and save lives. It's how we manage money and make an impact.