Strategy and Execution Lead – Financial Operations (67FD2A8)

Referment; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Referment seeks a Strategy and Execution Lead for its financial operations function. The role sits at the intersection of operating-model design, technology, vendor strategy and programme delivery across middle- and back-office operations.

You will turn senior leadership priorities into structured, multi-year change programmes, redesign workflows, align stakeholders, hold providers accountable and move automation and AI-enabled improvements into production.

Qualifications

• Ten years of experience leading multi-year operations or technology programmes with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to diagnose operational problems and drive implementation.
• Experience building governance models and translating data into actions.
• Strong strategic judgement and ability to progress amid ambiguity.

Responsibilities

• 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 within the team and mentor junior colleagues.
• Partner with technology and data teams to identify and deliver workflow automation, systems integration and generative-AI opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Governance models

Program management

Operating-model design

Workflow optimization

Technology program mgmt

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.

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 within the team and mentor junior colleagues.
• 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; around ten years is preferred.
• A track record of diagnosing operational problems with business and technology leaders, designing solutions and overseeing implementation.
• 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, or at a provider serving them.

Experience governing a complex strategic vendor relationship is highly preferred. Exposure to reporting and analytics tools, workflow automation, platform data or systems integration would also be valuable.

This could suit a financial-services transformation leader, operations strategy director, senior programme lead or management consultant who has moved beyond recommendations to own implementation.

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