Head of Digital Assets Operations Enablement

Citigroup Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 170,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Citigroup Inc. in New York seeks a senior leader for Digital Assets Operations Enablement to coordinate Citi's Digital Assets portfolio across Services and to design a scalable operating model for emerging capabilities.

The role bridges product, technology, risk, compliance, and legal teams to ensure scalable, controlled, and commercially viable delivery of digital asset initiatives.

Qualifications

• 15 years of relevant experience.
• 12+ years in Financial Services Operations, Payments, or Digital Assets.
• Exceptional communication skills.
• Influence and negotiation to align priorities with risk.
• Strong understanding of digital assets and blockchain.
• Experience developing operating models or governance frameworks.
• Knowledge of payments, securities, or treasury services.
• Experience managing strategic portfolios or cross-functional programs.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Experience with Risk, Compliance, Legal, Technology, and Operations in regulated environments.
• Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving.
• Proven ability to coordinate large-scale initiatives.
• Lean/Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification.
• Process re-engineering expertise and principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of a consistent Digital Assets operating model across Services.
• Coordinate the Services Digital Assets portfolio across initiatives and stakeholders.
• Support transition of initiatives from concept to scalable operations.
• Define operating principles, governance standards, and readiness requirements.
• Drive alignment across Services, Product, Technology, and Operations.
• Collaborate with Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Financial Crimes teams.
• Leverage industry insights to influence operating model design.
• Partner with Product and Technology to commercialize digital asset capabilities.
• Provide strategic operational expertise throughout the product lifecycle.
• Define target operating models for tokenized assets and blockchain services.
• Coordinate cross-functional implementation and remove delivery barriers.
• Engage Markets, Banking, and Wealth to maximize Citi capabilities.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Portfolio Management

Digital Assets Knowledge

Stakeholder Management

Regulatory & Compliance awareness

Transformational Programs

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

The Head of Digital Assets Operations Enablement is a senior leadership role within Services Operations responsible for coordinating Citi's Digital Assets portfolio across the Services franchise and supporting the development of a scalable, consistent, and commercially viable operating model for emerging digital asset capabilities.

As Citi expands its digital asset, tokenization, and blockchain-based capabilities, this role will help bridge innovation and commercialization by ensuring new solutions can be implemented in a scalable, controlled, and operationally sustainable manner. Working across Product, Technology, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Legal, and business teams, the role will drive alignment, operating model development, and operational readiness for strategic digital asset initiatives.

This position serves as a senior Digital Assets subject matter expert and strategic advisor within Services Operations. The role is focused on transformation, portfolio coordination, and operations strategy rather than day-to-day operational delivery, helping connect initiatives across Services and the broader franchise while ensuring Citi develops an efficient, effective, and consistent approach as digital asset capabilities evolve.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Operating Model

• Lead the development of a consistent Digital Assets operating model across Services.

• Manage and coordinate the Services Digital Assets portfolio, ensuring alignment across strategic initiatives, priorities, and stakeholders.

• Support the transition of digital asset initiatives from concept and pilot phases to scalable operational capabilities.

• Define operating principles, governance standards, and operational readiness requirements for new digital asset solutions.

• Drive alignment and consistency across Services, Product, Technology, and Operations teams.

• Coordinate with wider Citi functions, including Financial Crimes, AML, Finance, Risk, Compliance, and Legal, to support the safe and effective deployment of digital asset capabilities.

• Leverage industry expertise and market insights to influence operating model design and future-state strategy.

Business Enablement

• Partner with Product and Technology teams to support the commercialization of digital asset capabilities.

• Provide strategic operational expertise throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Help define target operating models for tokenized assets, digital money, and blockchain-enabled services.

• Coordinate cross-functional implementation efforts and remove barriers to delivery.

• Drive alignment across cross-Services initiatives, including Payments, Trade, Securities Services, Issuer Services, and other emerging digital asset use cases.

• Connect digital asset initiatives across Services and the broader organization, including Markets, Banking, and Wealth, to maximize leverage of Citi's capabilities and infrastructure.

Governance & Risk

• Ensure digital asset initiatives are supported by appropriate operational controls, governance, and risk management frameworks.

• Partner with Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Financial Crimes teams to address regulatory and control requirements.

• Support regulatory reviews, audits, governance forums, and risk assessments as required.

• Promote a disciplined, controlled, and compliant approach to scaling digital asset capabilities across Services.

Industry & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a senior Operations SME for Services Digital Assets, including blockchain, tokenization, digital money, and emerging market infrastructure.

• Engage with internal stakeholders, clients, financial market infrastructures, industry groups, and strategic partners.

• Monitor market developments and assess impacts on Citi's operating model, commercialization strategy, and operational priorities.

• Represent Services Operations in digital asset working groups, governance forums, and strategic initiatives.

Leadership

• Influence and coordinate stakeholders across multiple businesses, functions, and geographies.

• Provide strategic guidance to senior management on digital asset operating model evolution and commercialization priorities.

• Partner closely with Product Heads, Operations Heads, Technology leaders, and control functions to drive alignment and execution.

• Foster innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organization.

• Drive outcomes through influence, coordination, and subject matter expertise rather than direct ownership of operational delivery teams.

Qualifications

• 15 years of relevant experience.

• 12+ years of experience in Financial Services Operations, Payments, Securities Services, Markets Operations, Digital Assets, or related disciplines.

• Exceptional communication skills

• Influence and negotiation skills to bring together complex and competing priorities and overlay a risk mindset to prioritize

• Strong understanding of digital assets, tokenization, blockchain technology, distributed ledger technology, and digital money.

• Demonstrated industry expertise and understanding of emerging digital asset market infrastructure and operating models.

• Experience developing operating models, governance frameworks, or operational strategies for new products, platforms, or business initiatives.

• Knowledge of payments, securities, custody, settlement, treasury services, transaction banking, or related operational disciplines.

• Experience managing strategic portfolios, transformation initiatives, or cross-functional programs in complex organizations.

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the ability to engage effectively with Managing Directors and senior executives.

• Experience working with Risk, Compliance, Legal, Technology, and Operations partners in regulated environments.

• Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Proven ability to coordinate large-scale initiatives and drive alignment across highly matrixed organizations.

• Lean/Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification

• Traditional Process Re-engineering Expertise & Principles

Education

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required. Advanced degree preferred.

This job description provides a high-level review of the types of work performed. Other job-related duties may be assigned as required.

Job Family Group:

Business Strategy, Management & Administration

Job Family:

Business Process Re-Engineering

Time Type:

Full time

Primary Location:

New York New York United States

Primary Location Full Time Salary Range:

$170,000.00 - $300,000.00

In addition to salary, Citi’s offerings may also include, for eligible employees, discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards. Citi offers competitive employee benefits, including: medical, dental & vision coverage; 401(k); life, accident, and disability insurance; and wellness programs. Citi also offers paid time off packages, including planned time off (vacation), unplanned time off (sick leave), and paid holidays. For additional information regarding Citi employee benefits, please visit citibenefits.com. Available offerings may vary by jurisdiction, job level, and date of hire.

Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

Automated Processing and AI

We use automated processing, including artificial intelligence, for our legitimate business interests (or our reasonable and appropriate business purposes) to identify and align the candidate's skills and abilities with a specific job opening. Additionally, if you so choose, or consent, we can match your skills and abilities to other suitable roles at Citi.

Importantly, all our hiring processes and decisions, including determining your suitability for a role, are conducted, checked, and decided by individuals. Our automated processing and AI do not involve relying on automatic or autonomous decision-making. Please refer to any Jurisdictional Considerations, with specific provisions for your country (where relevant) for further details.

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