Chief Operating Officer, zerohash National Trust Bank

About the Job

zerohash national trust bank is seeking a foundational Chief Operating Officer to help build, launch, and operate the bank from the ground up. Reporting directly to the CEO of zntb, the COO will be the bank’s senior‑most operational executive, responsible for all aspects of bank operations, trust administration, fiduciary controls, and organizational performance. This individual will play a pivotal role in completing pre‑opening requirements for OCC charter approval, establishing the operational and governance infrastructure required to commence business, and running a safe and sound banking operation thereafter.

The COO will also serve as a designated Fiduciary Officer of the bank, supporting the Trust Officer in fulfilling fiduciary obligations under 12 CFR Part 9, and will be the primary executive accountable for reporting to the zntb Board of Directors on trustee activities, operational KPIs, and institutional performance across the organization.

This is a rare opportunity to build a federally chartered trust bank from inception — ideal for a proven banking operator who combines deep trust and custody expertise with the entrepreneurial drive to stand up a new institution.

This fully remote role is open to candidates in the U.S.

• Lead all day‑to‑day operational functions of zntb, including custody operations, settlement flows, reconciliation, reserve operations, and account administration.
• Design, implement, and maintain operational playbooks, standard operating procedures, and business continuity frameworks aligned with OCC safety and soundness expectations.
• Build and manage the bank’s operational infrastructure from pre‑opening through steady‑state operations, coordinating with engineering, product, finance, and legal teams.
• Oversee operational readiness for new products, new asset types, new partner integrations, and changes to the bank’s operational scope.
• Establish and monitor SLAs, exception‑handling protocols, and operational uptime standards across all bank functions.

• Serve as a designated Fiduciary Officer of zntb, supporting the Trust Officer in the administration of all fiduciary and custodial accounts.
• Oversee fiduciary record‑keeping, including account setup, asset segregation, ledger accuracy, periodic account reviews, and documentation required under 12 CFR §9.6.
• Ensure trust operations comply with OCC fiduciary standards, including annual review requirements, internal fiduciary audit protocols, and applicable state trust law.
• Maintain adequate safeguards and controls over fiduciary assets, including collateral requirements for uninsured fiduciary funds in accordance with 12 CFR Part 9.
• Implement and enforce policies and procedures governing self‑dealing, conflicts of interest, and co‑mingling of fiduciary and non‑fiduciary assets.
• Act as acting Chief Trust Officer when designated by the CEO or Board.

• Serve as the primary executive responsible for reporting to the zntb Board of Directors on trustee activities, operational performance, and institutional KPIs.
• Prepare and present regular Board and committee reports covering custody operations, fiduciary account activity, reconciliation integrity, vendor performance, operational incidents, and risk metrics.
• Support the Board in discharging its fiduciary governance obligations under 12 CFR §9.7, including participation in the bank’s audit and risk committees.
• Maintain the governance calendar and ensure timely production of all required Board materials, reports, and approvals.

• Maintain audit‑ready documentation, operational logs, and evidence repositories in preparation for OCC examinations, fiduciary audits, and supervisory reviews.
• Implement and maintain OCC‑aligned internal control systems across operations, custody, reconciliation, and settlement workflows.
• Support pre‑opening examination requirements and preopening deliverables required to achieve final OCC charter approval.
• Partner with the Chief Compliance Officer, CRO, and Legal team on operational…