Chief Operating Officer; COO

Position: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) based in Italy.
As Chief Operating Officer, you will play a pivotal role in building and leading the operational infrastructure of a new international crypto-fiat digital banking venture. You will oversee the development of the business's operating model, ensuring efficient financial operations, reliable payment processes, and scalable service delivery. Working closely with the CEO and senior leadership team, you will establish the systems, controls, and procedures required to support a successful market launch and sustainable growth.

Your responsibilities will span customer onboarding, payment processing, banking partnerships, operational risk management, and team development. Combining strategic oversight with hands‑on execution, you will build a lean, high‑performing organization while maintaining strong operational standards. This is a unique opportunity to shape a financial services business from the ground up, backed by experienced technology entrepreneurs and operating in the fast-evolving digital finance and cryptocurrency ecosystem.
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…