Location: Kuwait

Employment Type: Full-time

Reports To: Deputy CEO

Department: Operations

Job Summary

The Director of Operations is a senior leadership position responsible for the strategic direction, operational integrity, and continuous evolution of the organisation’s operations function across all markets.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Operations Leadership

·         Define and execute the operations strategy across all markets, aligned with business growth objectives and regulatory requirements.

·         Establish an operating model capable of supporting the launch of new markets, products, and client segments.

·         Ensure operational readiness across platforms, processes, systems, and teams.

·         Serve as the operational authority within the executive leadership team.

·         Provide the Deputy CEO and senior management with clear, data-driven visibility into operational performance, risks, issues, and priorities.

2. Trading Operations & Trade Lifecycle Management

• Own and oversee the end-to-end trade lifecycle, including order execution, settlement, reconciliation, corporate actions, and fund movements across relevant markets.

• Establish and maintain operational standards for accuracy, timeliness, control, and reliability.

• Define and monitor operational SLAs and ensure consistent adherence across the function.

• Identify and resolve trade processing, settlement, reconciliation, and counterparty issues.

3. Back-Office, Onboarding & Client Operations

• Oversee all back-office activities, including KYC, client onboarding, deposits and withdrawals, transaction processing, settlement, reconciliations, and dispute resolution.

• Ensure client-facing operational processes are efficient, compliant, controlled, and consistently delivered.

• Establish clear ownership and escalation mechanisms for operational issues affecting clients.

• Continuously improve the client operational experience while maintaining appropriate regulatory and risk controls.

4. Process Architecture & Continuous Improvement

• Design, implement, and maintain robust operational workflows, SOPs, controls, and reconciliation frameworks.

• Establish scalable processes that support business growth while reducing operational dependency on manual intervention.

• Identify process inefficiencies and lead automation, standardisation, and optimisation initiatives.

• Maintain comprehensive process documentation and ensure appropriate governance over operational procedures.

• Establish measurable productivity and efficiency targets across the operations function.

5. Regulatory Compliance & Governance

• Maintain executive accountability for the operational compliance framework and ensure processes comply with applicable CMA requirements and relevant market infrastructure obligations.

• Ensure operational policies, procedures, and controls remain aligned with applicable regulatory requirements.

• Maintain audit-ready documentation, evidence, and control frameworks.

• Lead the operations function’s response to regulatory reviews, audits, findings, and remediation requirements.

• Partner closely with Compliance and other control functions to identify and address regulatory risks.

6. Operational Risk & Business Continuity

• Own the operational risk framework, including risk identification, assessment, mitigation, incident management, and escalation.

• Establish appropriate controls to proactively identify and mitigate operational risks.

• Lead the management and resolution of significant operational incidents.

• Maintain incident logs, root-cause analyses, remediation plans, and lessons-learned processes.

• Develop, maintain, and regularly test business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

• Ensure operational resilience across critical processes, systems, vendors, and counterparties.

7. Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build, structure, and lead a high-performing operations organization.

• Define roles, responsibilities, reporting lines, and accountability across the function.

• Establish team KPIs and performance management frameworks.

• Develop training and capability-building programs for operations staff.

• Coach and develop high-potential employees and establish succession plans for critical positions.

• Foster a culture of accountability, operational discipline, continuous improvement, and service excellence.

8. Cross-Functional & External Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary operational interface with Technology, Compliance, Finance, Product, Risk, and Client Relations.

• Drive effective cross-functional execution of operational initiatives and business priorities.

• Manage relationships with brokers, custodians, banks, exchanges, clearing organisations, and other market infrastructure providers.

• Establish and monitor service-level expectations for external counterparties.

• Escalate and resolve material service, operational, or contractual issues.

9. Technology, Automation & Innovation

• Identify technology gaps and opportunities to strengthen operational efficiency, scalability, control, and resilience.

• Lead the evaluation and implementation of technology solutions supporting the operations function.

• Partner with Technology and Product teams on systems integrations, enhancements, and operational requirements.

• Lead operational participation in UAT, ensuring systems meet business, control, and regulatory requirements.

• Drive automation initiatives that reduce manual processing, improve accuracy, and minimise operational risk.

10. Executive Reporting & Operational Intelligence

• Establish and maintain comprehensive operational KPI dashboards and management information.

• Maintain operational risk registers, incident logs, SLA reports, and performance dashboards.

• Provide executive management with timely reporting on operational performance, key risks, incidents, and improvement initiatives.

• Present operational performance, material risks, strategic initiatives, and recommendations to the Deputy CEO and Board as required.

• Develop forward-looking operational insights to support executive decision-making and business growth.

Candidate Profile: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Operations, or a related discipline.
• Requirement open to all nationals
• 10+ years of progressive experience in financial operations, capital markets, brokerage, or fintech.
• Minimum 5 years of senior leadership experience within a regulated brokerage, capital markets, financial services, or fintech environment.
• Proven experience building and scaling operations functions, including team structures, process architecture, controls, and regulatory compliance.
• Deep understanding of the full trade lifecycle, settlement, reconciliation, corporate actions, fund movements, and back-office operations.
• Experience managing operations across multiple markets and/or asset classes.
• Strong understanding of operational risk management and regulatory frameworks applicable to capital markets.