Chief Operating Officer - COO

About Freedom 

Freedom Digital Bank France will form part of Freedom Holding Corp., a diversified international financial services group publicly listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker FRHC. The Group operates across Europe, the United States and Central Asia, with activities spanning banking, brokerage, investment services, insurance, payments and digital consumer services. 

About the role 

We are looking for a strategic and hands-on Chief Operating Officer to establish, lead and scale the operations of Freedom Digital Bank France. 

The COO will develop the bank’s operating model and ensure operational excellence across Operations, Customer Service, Risk, Technology, Product and Business. The role will focus on scalable processes, automation, service quality, operational resilience and a seamless digital customer experience. 

As a member of the founding executive team, the COO will contribute to the bank’s regulatory authorisation, establishment and launch in France. The successful candidate will ensure that the operating model meets applicable French and EU requirements and the expectations of the relevant supervisory authorities. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute the operational strategy for Freedom Digital Bank France.
• Design and implement the bank’s target operating model.
• Build scalable, efficient and customer-focused banking processes.
• Oversee day-to-day banking operations and customer-service delivery.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and establish effective decision-making and escalation processes.
• Improve operational efficiency, service quality and digital customer experience.
• Establish operational KPIs, service levels and performance-reporting frameworks.
• Support the launch and scaling of digital banking products and services.
• Develop operational controls, procedures and governance arrangements.
• Establish compliant processes for customer onboarding, complaints handling, payments, customer servicing and operational incident management.
• Oversee business continuity, crisis management and operational resilience arrangements.
• Manage outsourcing arrangements and operational relationships with critical third-party providers.
• Work closely with Risk, Compliance, Product and Technology.
• Lead operational transformation, automation and continuous process improvement.
• Support the preparation of operational documentation required for the regulatory authorisation process.

Requirements

• 10+ years of operations experience within digital banking, banking, fintech or another regulated financial institution.
• Previous experience as a COO, Head of Operations or in an equivalent senior leadership position.
• Proven experience establishing, transforming or scaling regulated operations.
• Strong understanding of French and EU operational requirements applicable to banks and digital financial institutions.
• Knowledge of applicable ACPR and EBA expectations, including requirements covering governance, outsourcing, complaints handling, customer protection and business continuity.
• Understanding of DORA, ICT incident management, operational resilience and third-party risk requirements.
• Experience implementing digital onboarding, customer servicing and operational automation.
• Experience managing outsourced services and critical third-party providers in a regulated environment.
• Experience supporting a banking authorisation, market entry, bank launch or major transformation in France or another EU jurisdiction is strongly preferred.
• Strong stakeholder management and people leadership skills.
• Excellent strategic, analytical and execution capabilities.
• Full professional fluency in French and English is mandatory.

Benefits

• Employment contract in accordance with French labor law;
• Relocation package for the employee and family members;
• 50% coverage of the annual health insurance cost for the employee and eligible family members;
• 25 days of annual leave, public holidays, and all statutory leave entitlements;
• On-site work in a modern, well-located office.