Operations Manager

FairMoney is a pioneering mobile banking institution specializing in extending credit to emerging markets. Established in 2017, the company currently operates primarily within Nigeria, and it has secured nearly €50 million in funding from renowned global investors, including Tiger Global, DST, and Flourish Ventures. FairMoney thrives on its diverse workforce, bringing together talent from over 27 nationalities. This multicultural team drives the company’s mission of reshaping financial services for underserved communities.

In alignment with its vision, FairMoney is actively constructing the foremost mobile banking platform and point-of-sale (POS) solution tailored for emerging markets. The journey began with the introduction of a digital microcredit application exclusively available on Android and iOS devices. Today, FairMoney has significantly expanded its range of services, encompassing a comprehensive suite of financial products, such as current accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, and state-of-the-art POS solutions designed to meet the needs of both merchants and agents. To gain deeper insights into FairMoney’s pivotal role in reshaping Africa’s financial landscape, we invite you to watch an informative video.

The Opportunity

As Operations Manager, you will provide senior operational leadership across Nigeria, strengthening execution, governance, scalability, financial discipline, customer experience, and cross-functional performance. The role requires an operator who can translate strategy into scalable operating models and lead complex teams through growth and change.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and continuously improve end-to-end operational performance across GPS, back office, finance, field operations, service delivery, and related support teams.
• Provide strategic and hands-on leadership for multi-functional and, where applicable, multi-regional operations, establishing accountability, operating rhythms, and performance standards.
• Own operational KPIs, dashboards, service levels, productivity, cost efficiency, customer outcomes, and corrective-action plans; use data to drive decisions and sustainable performance.
• Partner with senior leadership to translate company strategy into operating plans, resource allocation, growth priorities, and scalable processes.
• Lead process transformation, standardization, and continuous-improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, quality, scalability, and customer satisfaction.
• Maintain operational and financial discipline, including budget oversight, cost management, performance forecasting, and commercial awareness.
• Ensure robust risk, compliance, controls, and regulatory adherence across operational activities.
• Build high-performing teams through coaching, succession planning, leadership development, performance management, and a culture of ownership and collaboration.
• Lead operational change and expansion initiatives, including new-market, product, channel, or service rollouts where required.
• Resolve complex operational issues and escalated customer or stakeholder complaints, identifying root causes and implementing preventative solutions.
• Develop strong relationships with senior internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure operational alignment and effective execution.

Requirements

• 7+ years of progressive experience in operations, commercial management, business management, financial services, fintech, banking, FMCG, or a similarly complex high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing large, distributed, or multi-regional operations with significant workforce or partner-network responsibility.
• Proven experience with P&L, budgets, cost management, commercial performance, or financially accountable operational decisions.
• Strong track record scaling operations, building distribution or service networks, entering new markets, and designing operating models that can be replicated across locations.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver measurable growth and operational outcomes through data-driven territory planning, KPI management, resource allocation, and performance optimization.
• Deep understanding of operational risk, controls, compliance, customer protection, and sustainable growth within financial services or another highly regulated environment.
• Exceptional people-leadership capability, including managing managers, developing leadership pipelines, coaching high performers, and building accountable cultures.
• Strong change-management and transformation skills, with evidence of introducing new ways of working, improving processes, and driving adoption across teams.
• Excellent executive communication, stakeholder management, negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Advanced analytical and business-intelligence capability, with strong proficiency in KPI dashboards, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and operational reporting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, Risk Management, Economics, or a related discipline; relevant postgraduate or executive-management training is an advantage.
• Experience working with international or cross-cultural teams is highly desirable.

Leadership Profile:

The ideal candidate is a commercially minded operator who combines strategic thinking with strong execution. They should be comfortable managing complexity, leading through ambiguity, using data to improve decisions, and building systems that scale. Experience developing managers, expanding operations, and balancing growth with risk and profitability will be highly valued.

Benefits

• Private Health Insurance
• Pension Plan
• Training & Development
• Hybrid work
• Paid Time Off

Recruitment Process

• A screening interview with one of the members of the Talent Acquisition team for 30 minutes.
• Assignment (Takeaway)
• Assignment review and a technical interview with Risk Managers for 45-60 minutes.
• Final Interview 45 minutes.