Head of Operations

About Us 
At Davy, it's the unique talents of all our people that have been the foundations of our success for almost 100 years. As we continue to grow, so do you. Because you are not just part of our team - you are a key player in shaping our future. 
 
At Davy, you are the difference.  
Established in 1926, the Davy Group sits at the heart of wealth and capital in Ireland, providing a broad range of services to high-net-worth individuals, self-directed investors, small-to-medium enterprises, credit unions, corporations, and domestic & international institutional investors. 
 
Our culture is shaped around three values, which are at the heart of everything we do: client success, one Davy, and building a proud legacy. Sharing the same goals, we work together to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients. As part of a team of over 900, you will be encouraged to learn and to grow, both professionally and personally. 

Closing date for applications: 

7th June 2026 

About The Role  

An exciting role has opened up for a Head of Operations to lead the successful delivery of Davy’s end-to-end operational model, ensuring efficient, scalable, and client-centric service delivery which will support Davy’s strategy.  

The Head of Operations will have responsibility for all core operational activities, creating a Centre of Excellence in Operations. Working in partnership with Digital, Technology and other senior leaders, this role holder will play an instrumental role in leveraging digital, data and technology capabilities to ensure delivery of a scalable operating model which supports best in class client journeys and operational excellence.   

Key Responsibilities include: 

• Own end-to-end operational delivery across the full client lifecycle, including onboarding and KYC, trading and settlements, asset servicing, portfolio administration, reporting and client communications 

• Lead and integrate our core operational activities into a single, cohesive operating model and centre of excellence  

• Embed data, digital and technology capabilities within operational teams, ensuring tools, automation, and data-driven solutions are effectively adopted and owned within the business to enhance efficiency, scalability, and client outcomes 

• Drive operational excellence through standardisation, process optimisation, automation, and continuous improvement 

• Provide strong leadership, including coaching and developing senior leaders, building robust succession pipelines, and delivering sustained high performance. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement, while ensuring clear alignment with business strategy and client outcomes. 

• Ensure best in class service delivery aligned to client outcomes, regulatory requirements, and agreed service levels 

• Define and oversee operational performance management, including KPIs, SLAs, quality, volumes, and turnaround times 

• Lead operational capacity planning, workforce management, and productivity optimisation 

• Partner with Digital & Data and IT to improve operational processes and enable digitised client journeys 

• Ensure operational readiness and effective adoption of transformation and change initiatives 

• Own operational cost efficiency and performance optimisation outcomes 

• Partner with the Head of 1LOD Risk to embed operational risk management, controls, and resilience into day-to-day operations 

• Provide transparent reporting and escalation on operational performance, risks, and issues 

• Ensure full compliance with Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) requirements and other applicable regulatory frameworks (e.g., MiFID II, AIFMD, UCITS as relevant). 

• Act as a key contact for internal and external audits, regulatory inspections, and due diligence processes. 

Requirements

About you  
We are looking for somebody who has the following background and skills: 

• Proven senior leadership experience in operations within regulated financial services, ideally spanning wealth, capital markets, and/or client servicing environments 

• Strong track record of leading end-to-end operational delivery across the client lifecycle (e.g. onboarding/KYC, servicing, trading, reporting) 

• Provide strong leadership, including coaching and developing senior leaders, building robust succession pipelines, and delivering sustained high performance across teams. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement, while ensuring clear alignment with business strategy. 

• Demonstrated ability to design and implement scalable operating models, driving integration across multiple operational functions 

• Extensive experience in operational performance management, including KPIs, SLAs, quality metrics, and turnaround times 

• Strong capability in capacity planning, workforce management, and productivity optimisation within high-volume environments 

• Proven experience driving operational excellence and continuous improvement, including process standardisation and automation. 

• Deep understanding of operational risk, controls, and regulatory requirements, with experience embedding resilience and governance into day-to-day operations 

• Strong collaboration skills, with experience partnering with Digital, Data, and Technology teams to modernise processes and deliver digitised client journeys 

• Delivery-focused and pragmatic leader, with a strong emphasis on service quality, client outcomes, and execution discipline at scale 

• Track record of delivering significant operational change programmes on time, within scope and with measurables outcomes 

• Strong commercial acumen, understands how operational decisions connect to financial performance and client outcomes 

• Ability to build consensus across a complex stakeholder landscape 

• Data driven decision maker and strong knowledge of digital workflow platforms and automation solutions  

F&P 

The position set out above is defined in the Fitness & Probity Standards issued by the Central Bank of Ireland as a “Controlled Function (CF)”. In compliance with the Fitness and Probity Standards applicable to your position, any offer of employment is conditional upon you demonstrating that you meet the Fitness & Probity Standards. 

Benefits

What we offer 

At Davy, our people are our biggest investment. In today’s fast-moving world, we know it’s important to feel secure and empowered. That’s why Davy benefits support you through all of life’s stages, offering health and wellness, flexible working options, flexible benefits allowance, learning and development opportunities, through to assisted retirement planning.   

Health and Wellbeing  

Psychological safety, emotional wellbeing and support are a priority at Davy. We offer a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and mental health first aid. Our Sports & Social teams promote physical wellbeing and social connection.  

Reward and Recognition  

We offer a competitive remuneration package to include salary, bonus, pension and a host of additional benefits to protect you and your family when it matters most.  

Growth and Development  

Our award-winning L&D function supports you and your growth at Davy. We offer a comprehensive range of professional and personal development opportunities. Our culture supports learning, and we encourage you to explore more at Davy.  

Positive Workplace  

Our workplace is inclusive, diverse, and offers everyone a sense of belonging. We are flexible and continue to support a hybrid working model. You will get to be your best at Davy.  

Values and Culture  

Exceptional client outcomes delivered by a world class team, underpinned by our core Davy values – One Team, Client Success, and Proud Legacy.   

Important Information 

Davy is an equal opportunities employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We value diversity in both background and experience, and even if you don’t meet all of the requirements outlined in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. We review all applications received. As part of our commitment to creating an accessible environment, we want to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in the interview process.