Head of Operations (PCF-42), Payward Ireland Ltd

Kraken • Full-time • Remote (Ireland) • 15h ago

Building the Future of Open Finance

Payward - the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services and CF Benchmarks - has spent the last 15 years building one of the most modern and globally accessible financial infrastructure platforms in the industry, built to advance an open, global financial system.

Before you apply, we encourage you to explore our culture page to understand what drives us and how we work.

The team

Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions across the globe. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, with products built for both individual investors and institutional clients.

You will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations, ensuring operational efficiency, and managing the strategic implementation of Kraken’s European E-money Institution (“EMI’) goals. This role plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with the E-money and Payment Services Regulations, and works closely with other senior executives to achieve Kraken EMI’s objectives.

The ideal candidate should have experience working in an EMI or Payments Services Regulations (“PSRs” business, with a deep understanding of global business operating models and crypto exchanges.

This role is based in Ireland and is subject to approval by the Central Bank of Ireland as PCF-42 (COO).

The opportunity

Oversee all outsourcing to Kraken group service providers
Collaborate with the regional compliance officer to prepare for regulatory audits, and to ensure accurate reporting
Oversee crisis and incident management plans and procedures, ensuring that Kraken EMI is prepared for potential disruptions
Report on outsourcing risk, concentration, and performance to the CEO, Board, and relevant risk/outsourcing committees.
Escalate material fraud incidents, thematic trends, and control gaps to the CEO, Board, and relevant risk committees on a timely basis.
Promote technological innovation to enhance Kraken EMI’s operations and user experience
Ensure that the EMI has operational processes in place that ensure compliance with Consumer Protection Code 2025
Monitor progress towards achieving strategic goals and make adjustments as needed
Build and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
Have relevant skills, experience, and knowledge such as accounting, auditing, and risk management.

What you bring

Eligible to work in Ireland, or be willing to relocate to Ireland
Extensive experience (15+ years) in operational leadership roles, preferably in the financial services or crypto-asset industry
Strong understanding EMI, PSRs and wider European Regulatory Frameworks
Strong leadership, strategic thinking, financial acumen, and excellent communication skills
Dedication to providing a superior customer experience
Relevant professional certifications in finance, compliance, or operations management are desirable

Unless a specific application deadline is stated in the job posting, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Please note, applicants are permitted to redact or remove information on their resume that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Our commitment

Payward is powered by people from around the world and we celebrate the diverse talents, backgrounds, contributions, and unique perspectives that everyone brings to the table. We hire based on merit, seeking out people with the right abilities, knowledge, and skills for the job. We encourage you to apply for roles where you don't fully meet the listed requirements, especially if you're passionate or knowledgeable about crypto.

We may ask candidates to complete job-related skills or work-style assessments as part of our hiring process. These assessments evaluate competencies relevant to the role and are applied consistently across candidates for similar positions. Results are considered alongside experience and interviews, and are not the sole basis for any employment decision.

As an equal opportunity employer, we don't tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, whether based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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