Operations Manager

As we prepare to launch our licensed operations in Brazil, we're seeking a strategic yet hands-on Operations Manager to establish and lead all operational functions on the ground in São Paulo. Leveraging Ant International's core platforms for payments, compliance, reporting, and risk, your critical role is to operationalize these global capabilities in the Brazilian context: defining local workflows, adapting procedures to meet BACEN expectations across EMI, payments, and lending (SCD), managing internal partners, and ensuring flawless execution from day one. With a lean local team and key functions still centralized, you'll wear multiple hats: acting as builder, executor, regulator liaison as needed, and team leader—while contributing directly to how global practices evolve to serve Brazil's unique market. Key Responsibilities: 1. Local Operational Design & Regulatory Alignment Lead the design and implementation of Brazil-specific operational frameworks across two license types: Payment Institution (EMI and PISP) and SCD (lending)—ensuring full alignment with current and upcoming BACEN requirements; Translate regulatory expectations into actionable operational controls, feeding insights back to global teams to refine shared standards; Define end-to-end procedures for payment processing (PIX, TED/DOC), loan disbursement (for SCD), reconciliation, and incident management—mapped to Ant's global infrastructure; Support Compliance and Business teams on operational matters during licensing reviews, audits, and ongoing supervision. 2. Cross-Border Execution & Global Integration Partner closely with Ant International's headquarters in China, working with product, risk, compliance, and engineering teams to ensure Brazil's operational needs are reflected in global systems and policies; Validate that data flows, reporting logic, and control mechanisms support accurate, timely submissions to Brazilian authorities (e.g., SISBACEN, periodic EMI/SCD reports, RFB, Sisbajud/CNJ, Simba, STA, local authorities in general, etc.); Identify gaps between global processes and local regulatory or market realities—and drive pragmatic, compliant adaptations without compromising system integrity. 3. Hands-On Operational Leadership In this foundational phase, personally execute critical tasks: validate regulatory reports, investigate transaction failures, reconcile settlement accounts, and test live workflows; Manage relationships with local banks, payment scheme participants (e.g., PIX connectors), credit bureaus, and third-party vendors—ensuring seamless integration with Ant's ecosystem; Build and mentor the first wave of local operations talent as the team scales, instilling a culture of compliance, precision, and customer trust. 4. Risk, Controls & Scalability Implement robust operational risk frameworks tailored to Brazil's multi-product environment (payments + lending), leveraging Ant Group's global standards while addressing local threats; Maintain a dynamic risk register, lead incident reviews, and ensure all operational activities support BACEN's fit-and-proper, capital adequacy, and consumer protection expectations; Design scalable processes that can grow with volume—by optimizing configurations, automation, and human oversight within the existing global structure. Who You Are: Deep Expertise in Brazil's Regulated Financial Landscape 7+ years in operations, compliance, or risk within Brazilian banking, fintech, or financial services; Essential: Direct experience with BACEN-regulated entities, particularly EMIs, Payment Institutions, or SCDs—including licensing processes, ongoing reporting, AML/KYC, reserve rules, and consumer credit regulations; Basic knowledge of development/programming languages, APIs, and XML files is a plus; Fluency in Portuguese (native or fluent) and English (professional proficiency/advanced). Chinese is a plus, not mandatory. Must be based in São Paulo. Builder Mindset with Global Awareness Proven ability to launch or scale operations in early-stage, regulated environments—you've operated where structure meets scrappiness; Experience collaborating with international or offshore teams; you know how to influence without authority and translate local needs into global action, with a resilient and problem-solving-oriented approach; Understand that excellence lies not in rebuilding systems, but in making world-class infrastructure work and adapt itself flawlessly in Brazil. Operational Rigor & Accountability Obsessive about accuracy, audit readiness, and regulatory detail—but also pragmatic and solution-oriented; Equally comfortable presenting to regulators and debugging a reconciliation file at midnight; Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Law, Economics, or related field. Advanced degrees or certifications (e.g., CRC, CEA) are valued but not required.