Our client is seeking a Chief Operating Officer who will be responsible for driving operational excellence, scaling the company’s financial technology infrastructure, and ensuring the efficient execution of strategic goals. As the second-in-command to the CEO, the COO oversees all operational, compliance, risk, and customer experience functions—ensuring the business delivers seamless, secure, and compliant cross-border payment services.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Collaborate with the CEO to refine and execute growth strategy across key business units.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable operational plans for product, tech, and compliance teams.
• Drive business expansion across Nigeria and diaspora markets.
• Identify strategic partnerships with banks, card networks, and payment providers.

Operations Management

• Oversee daily operations including transaction processing, onboarding, and customer service.
• Implement KPIs and operational dashboards to ensure efficiency and accuracy.
• Manage integrations with partner banks, switches, and regulators.
• Oversee vendor contracts, procurement, and service-level performance.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure full compliance with CBN, NDPR, and AML/CFT regulations.
• Design and enforce internal controls to mitigate financial and cybersecurity risks.
• Liaise with regulators and legal advisors for license renewals and audits.
• Maintain operational transparency and reporting to the board.

Financial & Performance Oversight

• Support budgeting, forecasting, and cost optimization strategies.
• Work with finance leadership to manage operational expenses and revenue efficiency.
• Monitor unit economics and performance by business line.
• Prepare periodic performance reports for the board and investors.

People & Culture

• Lead, mentor, and empower a cross-functional operations team.
• Build a culture of accountability, performance, and innovation.
• Oversee recruitment, leadership development, and succession planning.
• Foster collaboration across departments to enhance productivity.

Product & Customer Experience

• Collaborate with Product and Technology teams to optimize app and service performance.
• Ensure customer satisfaction through efficient onboarding and support systems.
• Drive rollout of new wallet, card, and payment features.
• Monitor customer feedback and data insights to refine services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, or a related field (MBA preferred).
• Minimum 10 years of experience, including at least 5 years in senior operations leadership within fintech, banking, or digital payments.
• Proven success managing large-scale fintech operations and regulatory relationships.
• Deep understanding of CBN fintech licensing, payment systems, and risk management frameworks.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset.

Key Competencies

• Strategic and operational leadership
• Financial and analytical acumen
• Regulatory and risk management expertise
• Process optimization and automation
• Stakeholder management and negotiation
• Customer-centric innovation
• Team building and change management