Chief Operations Officer (Remote First)

Placements24; Bloemfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 2,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive salary package

Equity options

Health benefits

Remote work flexibility

Generous vacation policy

Professional development allowance

Executive coaching

Bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Chief Operations Officer to lead our global FinTech operations in a remote-first setup. The role emphasizes scalable strategy, efficiency, and a robust compliance framework with a distributed team including Bloemfontein, Free State.

You will oversee onboarding, support, internal processes, and automation, while defining KPIs with executives and managing budgets and P&L. A senior leadership track record and strong financial acumen are essential.

Qualifications

• MBA or Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in operations leadership with at least 7 years in a senior executive role in a high-growth tech/FinTech company.
• Proven track record scaling operations, preferably in remote or hybrid settings.
• Extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, and P&L responsibility.
• Deep understanding of regulatory compliance and risk management in financial services.
• Strong strategic thinking, leadership, and communication skills.
• Experience building and leading diverse, remote teams.
• Experience with data analysis and using metrics to drive improvements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the company’s operational strategy to support rapid scaling and long-term growth objectives.
• Oversee and optimize core business operations, including onboarding, support, and internal processes.
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing, geographically distributed operations team.
• Drive efficiency through process improvement, automation, and best-in-class technologies.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and compliance standards in FinTech.
• Manage operational budgets, P&L responsibilities, and resource allocation.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Remote team leadership

Regulatory compliance

Education

MBA or Master’s degree in Business Administration/Finance

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a rapidly expanding FinTech startup, is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Chief Operations Officer (COO) to lead their global operations. This role is designed as a remote-first position, enabling us to build a world-class team without geographical constraints, drawing talent from areas like Bloemfontein, Free State . As COO, you will be responsible for designing, implementing, and scaling operational strategies that support rapid growth, ensure efficiency, and maintain a robust compliance framework. You will oversee critical functions including customer support, onboarding, internal operations, and process automation. This executive role requires a proven leader with a deep understanding of operational excellence, financial management, and building high-performing remote teams in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the company's operational strategy to support rapid scaling and long-term growth objectives.
• Oversee and optimize all core business operations, including customer onboarding, support, and internal processes.
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing, geographically distributed operations team.
• Drive efficiency through process improvement, automation, and the implementation of best-in-class technologies.
• Ensure the company adheres to all regulatory requirements and compliance standards relevant to the FinTech industry.
• Manage operational budgets, P&L responsibilities, and resource allocation effectively.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to define key performance indicators (KPIs) and ensure operational alignment with business goals.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across all operational functions.

Requirements

• MBA or Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in operations leadership, with at least 7 years in a senior executive role (e.g., COO, VP of Operations) within a high-growth technology or FinTech company.
• Demonstrated success in scaling operations for a rapidly growing organization, preferably in a remote or hybrid setting.
• Extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, and P&L responsibility.
• Deep understanding of regulatory compliance and risk management in the financial services sector.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, leadership, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing, diverse, and remote teams.
• Experience with data analysis and using metrics to drive operational improvements.

Benefits

• Highly competitive executive salary package of ZAR.
• Significant equity options in a high-growth startup.
• Comprehensive executive health and wellness benefits.
• Flexible remote work schedule and generous vacation policy.
• Annual professional development allowance and executive coaching.
• Opportunity to shape the operational future of a disruptive FinTech company.
• Performance-driven bonuses.