VP Strategy & Operations - Fintech Lender

Harnham
Dallas, TX

VP Strategy & Operations (Fintech, Consumer Credit)

📍 Hybrid in Dallas

💰 $180k–$200k + bonus + equity


A fast‑scaling consumer fintech is looking for a hands‑on Strategy & Operations leader — someone who thrives in ambiguity, builds structure from scratch, and solves operational scaling problems with data, product thinking, and relentless ownership.


This is NOT a role for big-bank executives, large‑team managers, or people looking for a traditional “VP of Ops” empire.


This is for the person who wants to be in the weeds, fix broken systems, design new ones, and partner with Product/Engineering to scale efficiently — not by adding 30 headcount, but by building smarter workflows, automation, and cross‑functional processes.


If you’ve spent 8–12 years in fintech, consumer lending, credit cards, or digital banking — and have personally delivered operational improvements, customer experience uplift, or efficiency wins — this is for you.


Why this role exists

The company is scaling fast and needs a COO‑level problem solver who can:

  • dissect operational data
  • identify bottlenecks
  • design solutions
  • coordinate across multiple teams
  • drive implementation and execution end‑to‑end


You’ll work directly with the COO as their right hand — a senior IC operator (leadership will come later) who owns problems, not meetings.


What you’ll work on

You’ll be at the centre of fixing and scaling:

Customer servicing

– contact flows, queues, SLAs, workflows

– IVR / chat / messaging optimisation

– tooling + automation opportunities

Credit & lending operations

– disputes, chargebacks, fraud workflows

– collections strategies for non‑prime customers

– payment operations, errors, reconciliation

Cross-functional scaling

– designing playbooks & decision frameworks

– operationalising new product experiences

– partnering with Product & Engineering to automate manual processes

– reducing reliance on headcount as volume grows


If you like fixing operational chaos at the source — this role is your playground.


Who will succeed here

This role fits one type of person:

A builder, not a manager

You don’t need 10 direct reports to have impact — you create leverage through systems, not org charts.

An operator with analytical teeth

You dive into data, build models, map processes, quantify friction, and prioritise ruthlessly.

A fintech‑minded problem solver

Experience in consumer fintech, lending, cards, non‑prime, credit‑builder, or digital banking.

A cross‑functional athlete

You’ve worked closely with Product, Engineering, Risk, Servicing, Fraud, Collections, CX, etc.

A “just let me run” personality

You own the problem, define the plan, operationalise it, and don’t wait for someone to hand you a scope.


You may have come from roles like…

  • BizOps / Strategy & Operations / Chief of Staff in a fintech
  • Product Operations or Product Strategy in lending/credit
  • Credit Ops / Servicing Ops / Fraud Ops scaling roles
  • Ops Strategy / COO Office / Emerging Ops Leadership
  • Capital One (Risk, Ops Strategy, Card Ops, Process Engineering, Product, BizOps)
  • Fintechs like Chime, MoneyLion, OppFi, Oportun, Enova, Avant, Upgrade, etc.


Titles we love:

Senior Manager, Director, VP, “Lead”, “Head of”, Staff-level ICs

(…probably not SVPs, EVPs, or lifetime people managers)


What this role is NOT

❌ Not a call‑centre ops leader

❌ Not a big‑bank executive role

❌ Not a traditional VP running 300+ people

❌ Not a process‑only or compliance‑only job

❌ Not a “strategy deck maker”


This is hands-on strategic operations and execution — a blend of BizOps, Ops Excellence, Product‑Ops, and COO Office.


Requirements

  • ~8–12 years in fintech, consumer lending, credit cards, banking, or credit-related businesses
  • Strong analytical background (Excel required; SQL a plus)
  • Proven ability to diagnose complex operational issues
  • Track record of delivering improvements without hiring sprees
  • Ability to move from high‑level strategy to hands‑on execution
  • Excellent communication & cross‑functional leadership


Compensation & Details

  • Base: $180k–$200k
  • Bonus + equity
  • Dallas hybrid preferred
  • No visa sponsorship


If you want a role where you’re the force multiplier for a scaling fintech — and where your fingerprints will be on the operating system of the entire company — let’s talk.

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