Strategy and Execution Lead – Financial Operations (308C978)

Referment; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Referment seeks a Strategy and Execution Lead to drive operating-model design and programme delivery across middle- and back-office financial operations. This senior individual contributor role translates leadership priorities into structured, multi-year change programs with accountability across stakeholders.

You’ll shape workflows, govern strategic vendors, and partner with technology and data teams to implement automation and AI-enabled improvements.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience leading complex, multi-year programmes with senior stakeholders.
• Deep domain knowledge of trade lifecycle or financial operations workstreams.
• Hands-on IC who diagnoses problems, designs solutions and drives implementation.
• Experience building governance models and turning data into action.
• Strong strategic judgment and ability to push momentum in ambiguity.

Responsibilities

• Shape and lead operating-model projects across workflow design and implementation.
• Develop rigorous recommendations for senior leaders and translate decisions into change.
• Run structured engagements with front-, middle-, and back-office teams and maintain accountability.
• Lead governance for strategic service providers through forums and KPI reviews.
• Build programme-management capability and mentor colleagues as a senior practitioner.
• Partner with technology/data teams to enable workflow automation and AI opportunities.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Strategy development

Programme delivery

Operating-model design

Automation & AI

Vendor governance

Job description

Referment is working with a global investment and technology firm seeking a Strategy and Execution Lead for its financial operations function. This role sits at the intersection of operating-model design, technology, vendor strategy and programme delivery across middle- and back-office operations. This is a senior individual contributor role designed for a hands-on practitioner who excels at direct execution and project ownership.

You’ll turn senior leadership priorities into structured, multi-year change programmes. The remit combines analytical problem solving with practical execution: redesigning workflows, aligning front-, middle- and back-office stakeholders, holding strategic service providers accountable, and helping technology and data teams move automation and AI-enabled improvements into production.

The Role

• Shape and lead operating-model projects spanning workflow design, stakeholder alignment and implementation across the trade lifecycle.
• Develop rigorous recommendations for senior leaders and translate decisions into scalable operational change.
• Run structured engagement with front-, middle- and back-office teams to surface issues, agree priorities and maintain accountability.
• Lead governance for strategic service providers through executive forums, working groups, KPI reviews and escalation management.
• Build programme-management capability and provide mentorship to colleagues as a senior practitioner within the function.
• Partner with technology and data teams to identify and deliver workflow automation, systems integration and generative-AI opportunities.

What We're Looking For

• Substantial experience leading complex, multi-year operations or technology programmes involving senior stakeholders; between 10 and 15 years of experience is preferred.
• Direct experience and deep domain knowledge of the core Trade Lifecycle, including Front, Middle, and Back Office operations.
• A proven track record as a hands-on individual contributor who can diagnose operational problems, design solutions, and oversee implementation through to completion.
• Experience building stakeholder-engagement and governance models and converting service and performance data into clear action.
• Strong strategic judgement and the independence to create momentum through ambiguity and organisational constraints.
• Relevant knowledge of operating-model design, workflow optimisation or technology programme management in middle- or back-office environments.

Experience governing a complex strategic vendor relationship is highly preferred. Hands-on experience as a practitioner with Generative AI tools and a track record of using them to drive measurable efficiency improvements would be highly valuable. Exposure to reporting and analytics tools, workflow automation, platform data or systems integration is also beneficial.

This role is ideal for a financial-services transformation leader, operations strategy director, or senior programme lead who thrives in an individual contributor capacity. We are particularly interested in management consultants who have successfully moved beyond recommendations to own internal implementation and delivery.

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