Chief Operating Officer

About the Opportunity

R77 Global is exclusively recruiting on behalf of a client operating within the Electronic Money Institution (EMI) sector in Malta.

We are looking for an exceptional Chief Operating Officer (COO) who can combine operational excellence with strong leadership, commercial awareness and a genuine passion for building high-performing teams.

This is an opportunity for a confident, charismatic and solutions-driven leader who enjoys being at the heart of a business, making decisions, overcoming challenges and turning strategies into results.

Our ideal candidate is someone who brings positive energy into the room, inspires those around them and approaches challenges with a "can-do, let's make it happen" mentality.

You will play a central role in managing and strengthening the company's operations, working closely with senior leadership to drive efficiency, sustainable growth and operational excellence within a regulated financial services environment.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Business Performance

• Take full ownership of day-to-day business operations, ensuring efficiency, accountability and operational excellence.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with the company's commercial objectives and long-term vision.
• Establish scalable processes, procedures and operational frameworks that support business growth.
• Identify operational challenges, remove bottlenecks and implement practical, results-driven solutions.
• Develop and monitor operational KPIs, performance metrics and service delivery standards.
• Drive continuous improvement across departments, ensuring operations remain efficient and commercially focused.

EMI & Payment Operations

• Oversee core operational activities, including payment processing, settlements, reconciliations, onboarding and customer service delivery.
• Ensure operational processes support the company's regulatory and compliance obligations.
• Work closely with Compliance, Risk, Finance and Technology to maintain effective controls and strong operational governance.
• Oversee relationships and operational performance involving banking partners, payment service providers and other third parties.
• Support safeguarding arrangements, business continuity and operational resilience.
• Ensure the business maintains effective oversight of its outsourced services and operational dependencies.

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, motivate and develop high-performing operational teams.
• Create a positive, accountable and collaborative working culture.
• Act as an approachable and influential leader who inspires confidence across all levels of the organisation.
• Empower managers to take ownership, make decisions and deliver results.
• Encourage open communication, teamwork and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Work closely with the executive leadership team to translate strategic objectives into measurable actions.

Strategy, Growth & Execution

• Partner with senior leadership to identify opportunities for business improvement, innovation and expansion.
• Translate business strategy into clear operational plans and achievable milestones.
• Balance commercial growth with effective risk management and regulatory requirements.
• Support the implementation of new products, services and operational initiatives.
• Provide executive leadership with clear insights into operational performance, challenges and opportunities.

What We're Looking For

Essential Experience & Qualifications

• Proven senior operational leadership experience, ideally as a COO, Operations Director, Head of Operations or in a comparable executive-level role.
• Strong professional background within an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) or regulated payments environment, with a practical understanding of payment operations.
• Solid understanding of operational governance and regulatory expectations relevant to Malta-based financial institutions.
• Experience overseeing multiple operational functions and managing cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated success in improving processes, managing operational performance and delivering business results.
• Strong commercial awareness, strategic thinking and financial understanding.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and decision-making skills.

Must currently reside in Malta. Candidates seeking relocation will not be considered for this opportunity.