Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Accountabilities:: Design, establish, and implement the overall operating model for a new crypto-fiat digital banking and financial services business. Oversee daily operations, including customer onboarding, payment processing, transaction workflows, and end-to-end service delivery for both B2B and B2C customers. Develop and implement robust operational procedures covering settlements, financial reconciliation, exception handling, dispute resolution, and operational reporting. Coordinate with compliance and risk management specialists to establish effective KYC/AML processes, internal controls, transaction monitoring procedures, and regulatory compliance frameworks. Build and manage strategic relationships with banking institutions, payment providers, card issuers, and other financial services partners, ensuring reliable operational arrangements. Establish operational KPIs, service-level standards, escalation procedures, and management reporting systems to monitor performance and identify improvement opportunities. Recruit, lead, and develop a lean operations team, establishing clear responsibilities, efficient workflows, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Manage operational budgets, monitor expenditure, and optimize costs while maintaining service quality and operational resilience. Identify process inefficiencies, implement practical solutions, and continuously improve operational performance as transaction volumes and customer requirements evolve. Collaborate with commercial, product, and executive leadership to support business launches, new product developments, customer acquisition initiatives, and international market expansion. Ensure the organization has the operational capabilities, resources, and processes required to scale efficiently and responsibly. Requirements: Proven senior-level leadership experience in operations within crypto banking, crypto-fiat financial services, or crypto-enabled neobanking. Demonstrated success establishing, managing, or scaling financial operations, ideally within an early-stage business, startup, or rapidly growing financial services organization. Strong practical understanding of payment operations, transaction processing, settlement procedures, financial reconciliation, card services, and customer onboarding. Experience managing relationships and operational arrangements with banking partners, payment providers, card issuers, and other financial institutions. Working knowledge of KYC/AML operational processes, transaction monitoring, internal controls, and regulatory requirements applicable to financial services, with experience collaborating closely with compliance and risk specialists. Strong operational judgment and risk awareness, with the ability to establish effective procedures and controls without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy. Experience defining and monitoring operational KPIs, service levels, budgets, and performance management frameworks. Proven ability to manage cross-functional stakeholders and align operational priorities with broader commercial and business objectives. Entrepreneurial mindset and hands-on leadership style, with the ability to move between strategic decision-making and practical day-to-day execution. Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, particularly in fast-moving and evolving business environments. Demonstrated experience recruiting, developing, and motivating compact, high-performing teams. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with executives, external partners, and international stakeholders. Benefits: Competitive and flexible compensation: Attractive, individually tailored remuneration package, negotiable according to experience, expertise, and profile. Performance-based incentives: Opportunity to participate in performance-related compensation arrangements. Equity and profit participation: Potential profit-sharing or equity participation, to be discussed as part of an individualized compensation package. Entrepreneurial opportunity: Take ownership of building the operational foundations of a new international crypto-fiat financial services business from the ground up. Experienced investment backing: Join a venture supported by established technology entrepreneurs with a proven track record of building and scaling international businesses. Autonomy and ownership: Shape operational strategy, establish processes, recruit your team, and directly influence the company's development from its earliest stages. Remote-first flexibility: Work remotely from Europe. International exposure: Collaborate with international stakeholders and financial services partners, with business travel required when necessary. Professional impact: Play a central leadership role in launching and scaling an innovative digital banking business operating at the intersection of traditional finance and cryptocurrency.