Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Our client, a fast-growing organisation in the financial services space, is looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to help scale the business and drive its next phase of growth.

This is a hands-on leadership role suited for someone who thrives in a startup-like, fast-paced environment ,someone who has built, launched, and scaled products and operations from the ground up, not just managed steady-state businesses.

Key Responsibilities

Build, Scale & Transform

• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and execute business strategy in a high-growth environment
• Lead the organisation through rapid scaling, new market expansion, and continuous transformation
• Build operational frameworks, processes, and teams from the ground up

Product & Go-to-Market Execution

• Drive the launch of new products and services, working closely with product and technology teams
• Translate business ideas into executable operating models and scalable delivery frameworks
• Ensure speed-to-market while maintaining operational stability and compliance

Operations & Performance

• Oversee end-to-end operations including platform performance, transaction processing, and service delivery
• Continuously optimise for efficiency, reliability, and customer experience
• Define and track KPIs, SLAs, and operational metrics in a dynamic environment

Technology & Innovation

• Partner with technology leadership to enable agile delivery and rapid product iteration
• Champion innovation, automation, and adoption of emerging technologies
• Manage external partners and vendors to support scaling needs

Commercial & Financial Ownership

• Own operational P&L, balancing growth with cost discipline
• Identify new revenue streams, partnerships, and business opportunities
• Support fundraising, business cases, and investment decisions where required

Risk & Governance

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g. MAS, Payment Services Act)
• Build scalable risk, compliance, and governance structures aligned with growth
• Engage with regulators, partners, and stakeholders as the business evolves

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field; MBA preferred
• 15+ years of experience, with significant exposure to high-growth or startup environments
• Proven track record of building and scaling operations, teams, and products from 0 to 1 (and beyond)
• Strong experience in payments, fintech, banking, or tech-led businesses
• Hands-on experience launching new products or platforms in fast-paced environments
• Strong commercial acumen with P&L ownership
• Ability to operate both strategically and tactically , comfortable getting into the details when needed
• Excellent stakeholder management skills across founders, investors, regulators, and partners
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable navigating ambiguity and rapid change