Director of Strategy and Operation, Lending

Who Are We?

At Finastra, we are a dynamic global provider of open finance software solutions, dedicated to expanding access to financial services. Our innovative applications span Lending, Payments, Treasury and Capital Markets, and Universal Banking. Proudly serving over 8,000 customers, including 45 of the world's top 50 banks, we aim to boost financial inclusion for all. Join us and be part of a vibrant company that embraces diverse perspectives, and is committed to doing well by doing good.

Reports to: COO, Lending

About The Role

We are seeking a highly strategic and execution-oriented Director of Strategy and Operation to partner with the COO of our Lending business. This role acts as a force multiplier for the COO, driving operational excellence, aligning cross-functional teams, and ensuring strategic initiatives translate into measurable impact. The Director of Strategy and Operations will serve as a trusted advisor, connecting strategy with execution while managing critical operating rhythms, risk frameworks, partner relationships, and value-added services development.

This is a highly visible role, ideal for a strong operator and problem solver who thrives in a fast-paced, scaling fintech environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. 1. Strategic Alignment & Execution
2. 2. Risk & Compliance Management
3. 3. Partner Ecosystem & Services Delivery
4. 4. COO Office Operations & Business Management
5. 5. Value-Added Services & Product Roadmap Support

• Partner with the COO to define and refine the customer journey strategy, ensuring scalability, efficiency, and consistent customer experience.
• Drive strategic initiative planning by prioritizing key objectives, managing execution, and tracking outcomes.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment between EVP, COO, CRO, CTO, and CPO organizations.
• Maintain metrics, KPIs, dashbaords and reporting to track performance against company objectives.
• Oversee the risk management framework for Lending, ensuring proactive identification, mitigation, and escalation of operational, financial, and compliance risks.
• Collaborate with Legal, Security, and Finance to maintain adherence to SaaS compliance and regulatory standards.
• Establish governance models to support consistent risk review and escalation practices.
• Support leadership in managing strategic service delivery partners, ensuring SLA adherence, scalability, and customer satisfaction.
• Develop partner governance frameworks, performance scorecards, and regular business reviews.
• Act as an escalation point for service delivery issues, driving resolution and continuous improvement.
• Lead the operating cadence of the COO organization, including leadership team meetings, quarterly business reviews, and board reporting.
• Streamline decision-making by optimizing organizational processes, tools, and communication flows.
• Partner with Finance and Human Resouces to ensure budgets are aligned with strategic goals and resource planning.
• Collaborate closely with CTO and CPO to align the product roadmap with business strategy and customer needs.
• Track and manage cross-departmental dependencies across engineering, go-to-market, and services.
• Ensure clear communication of roadmap priorities to internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading strategic initiatives and cross-functional programs, ideally in fintech or SaaS environments.
• Deep understanding of SaaS business models, partner ecosystems, and risk/compliance frameworks.
• Exceptional executive presence, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical mindset with experience creating KPIs, dashboards, and performance measurement systems.
• Thrives in fast-paced, scaling organizations, with a bias toward action and results.

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Strategic priorities are delivered on time with clear, measurable business outcomes.
• Risks are proactively identified, mitigated, and escalated, reducing exposure across the business.
• The partner ecosystem operates with high efficiency, accountability, and scalability.
• The COO and leadership team are empowered with timely insights for effective decision-making.
• The product roadmap is fully aligned with business strategy and growth objectives.

We are proud to offer a range of incentives to our employees worldwide. These benefits are available to everyone, regardless of grade, and reflect the values we uphold:

• Flexibility: Enjoy unlimited vacation, based on your location and business priorities. Hybrid working arrangements, and inclusive policies such as paid time off for voting, bereavement, and sick leave.
• Well-being: Access confidential one-on-one therapy through our Employee Assistance Program, unlimited personalized coaching via our coaching app, and access to our Gather Groups for emotional and mental support.
• Medical, life & disability insurance, retirement plan, lifestyle and other benefits*
• ESG: Benefit from paid time off for volunteering and donation matching.
• DEI: Participate in multiple DE&I groups for open involvement (e.g., Count Me In, Culture@Finastra, Proud@Finastra, Disabilities@Finastra, Women@Finastra).
• Career Development: Access online learning and accredited courses through our Skills & Career Navigator tool.
• Recognition: Be part of our global recognition program, Finastra Celebrates, and contribute to regular employee surveys to help shape Finastra and foster a culture where everyone is engaged and empowered to perform at their best.

*Specific benefits may vary by location.

At Finastra, each individual is unique, bringing their own ideas, thoughts, cultural beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences together. We learn from one another, embrace and celebrate our differences, and create an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves.

Be unique, be exceptional, and help us make a difference at Finastra!