Head of Operations, EU

Head of Operations, EU Department: Operations Employment Type: Full Time Location: Netherlands Description ZBD powers real economies in virtual worlds by enabling game studios, creators, and platforms to embed seamless payments and virtual currencies into their experiences. Whether players are purchasing in-game currency, creators are monetizing their communities, or developers are building new types of digital commerce, ZBD provides the infrastructure to make it happen. ZBD is in search of a Head of Operations, EU to join the team and support our efforts in scaling our EU business. This individual will be pivotal in driving efficiency, compliance, and continuous improvement throughout the wider business. An ideal candidate will have experience working within a regulated institution (ideally Fintech) and startup environment as a management board member. We are looking for someone interested in wearing many different hats, taking ownership to drive results on a daily basis, and who will be resilient enough to work through the ambiguity and varied problems with which they will be tasked. ZBD is a fully remote company. We hire, retain and develop the best talent from around the world, wherever s/he/they may choose to live. As a result, every member of the ZBD team must demonstrate an ability to work independently and thrive in a remote environment. Despite that, given ZBD’s regulated status in the Netherlands, this role must be resident in the Netherlands. Come join us Key Responsibilities Outsourcing Management & Reporting: Oversee the outsourcing relationship between ZBD’s European and group entities, monitor compliance with agreed SLAs and KPIs, identify gaps and deficiencies in delivery and elevate to internal parties when needed. Operational Strategy & Execution: Support with operational activities related to Finance, HR, and organizational efficiency. Regulatory Compliance: Maintain regulatory awareness and help to drive adherence to policies and procedures throughout ZBD’s operations and first line of defense functions while working closely with ZBD's second line of defense. Process Improvement: Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in operational processes and develop process enhancements for better productivity and user experience. Vendor & Partner Management: Support in managing existing vendor relationships and securing new ones as they relate to the core operating functions of the business while ensuring compliance with outsourcing, DORA and internal third party requirements. Automation: Collaborate with cross-functional partners to automate redundant tasks and streamline operations where possible. Performance Monitoring: Track key operational metrics of the EU business to help fuel data-driven decision‑making. Management Board Experience & Accountability: Experience as a sitting Management Board member being the responsible individual for business functions - i.e. complaints, HR, Finance, etc. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Operations, or a related field. 10+ years of experience in an operations focused role, ideally within an early‑stage venture or regulated institution. 2+ years experience as an acting Management Board member for a regulated financial institution in the EU. Understanding of EU regulatory frameworks particularly as they relate to governance controls, prudent operational processes, safeguarding and movement of customer assets, outsourcing requirements, etc. Analytical mindset with the ability to ascertain insights from large, complex data sets. Biased towards action with the ability to lean into a fast‑paced environment. Experience driving process improvements and implementing scaled solutions within an organization. Effective communicator with the ability to manage stakeholders across the business. #J-18808-Ljbffr