Director of Operations

Lesha Capital is searching for the greatest talent and brightest minds to contribute to the current growth phase at our firm. We are looking for top-tier individuals who are passionate and hungry to add value from day one.Every day at Lesha is different, presenting a new challenge with the opportunity to contribute and grow. We are looking for Director of Operations.The Director will lead and oversee the effective, controlled and efficient delivery of Lesha Capital’s investment and asset management operations in Saudi Arabia.The role is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership across investment operations, core banking, account administration, trade settlements, cash and liquidity management, reconciliations, operational reporting and client servicing. The role will ensure that all operational activities are supported by robust controls, regulatory compliance, operational resilience and continuous process improvement.The role will work closely with Lesha Capital’s business units in Saudi Arabia, the Qatar Head Office and external counterparties to support the achievement of the organization’s strategic and operational objectives.Role AccountabilitiesOperational ManagementOwn the end-to-end daily operations of Lesha Capital in Saudi Arabia, ensuring that all operational activities are delivered accurately, efficiently and within the required control framework.Approve and oversee processing across the full range of products and services, including:Account opening and maintenance;Fund subscriptions, redemptions and distributions;Discretionary portfolio management operations;Equities;Bonds and sukuk;Structured investment products;Corporate actions;Treasury and foreign exchange transactions;Payments;Reconciliations; andOperational and client reporting.Ensure transactions are processed accurately and within agreed turnaround times, service-level agreements and market deadlines.Oversee the complete transaction lifecycle, including trade capture, validation, settlement, accounting, reconciliation and client notification.Manage the daily allocation of work across the Operations team and monitor the timely completion of assigned activities.Ensure operational activities comply with applicable Saudi regulatory and market requirements, as well as Lesha Capital’s policies and procedures.Core Banking and Operational PlatformsAct as the Operations function owner for the core banking system and other operational platforms used by Lesha Capital in Saudi Arabia.Ensure all investment products, client accounts, transactions, fees, cash movements and securities positions are accurately captured and maintained within the core banking system.Oversee the operational setup and implementation of new products, transaction types, workflows, approval authorities and accounting requirements in coordination with Technology, Finance, Risk, Compliance and the Qatar Head Office.Ensure core banking workflows incorporate appropriate maker-checker controls, segregation of duties, authorization limits and audit trails.Monitor daily interfaces and data flows between the core banking system and connected platforms, including portfolio management, custody, settlement, payments, general ledger, client reporting and regulatory reporting systems.Ensure system-generated positions, balances, transactions and accounting entries are reconciled against relevant internal and external records.Own the operational investigation, escalation and resolution of core banking exceptions, interface failures, processing errors and data-quality issues.Define and document Operations business requirements for core banking enhancements, upgrades and system integrations.Lead Operations participation in impact assessments, user acceptance testing, regression testing, implementation readiness and post-implementation validation.Ensure system changes are implemented through approved change-management procedures and do not compromise operational controls, data integrity or regulatory compliance.Maintain appropriate operational procedures and contingency arrangements for core banking disruptions and system unavailability.Monitor operational user-access requirements in coordination with Technology and Information Security and support periodic access reviews.Identify opportunities to improve straight-through processing, workflow automation, system utilization and operational scalability.Settlements, Cash and Liquidity ManagementOversee the timely and accurate settlement of securities and investment transactions.Ensure appropriate daily funding and liquidity arrangements are maintained to meet settlement obligations.Monitor cash balances held with correspondent banks and ensure adequate funding is available for daily operational requirements.Oversee profit and dividend distributions and all related client cash movements within the Saudi market.Identify and escalate potential settlement failures, funding shortfalls or operational delays and ensure their timely resolution.Ensure cash and securities movements are accurately recorded within the appropriate systems and books of record.Reconciliations and Break ManagementEnsure settlement-related cash, securities and position accounts are accurately reconciled across internal and external books and records.Ensure reconciliation breaks are investigated, escalated and resolved within agreed timelines.Ensure high-priority or material breaks receive immediate attention and appropriate management escalation.Monitor recurring reconciliation issues and implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence.Maintain appropriate evidence of reconciliation reviews, investigations, approvals and closure.Report material or aged breaks to the appropriate management and governance forums.Operational Risk and ControlsMaintain a strong operational control environment across all processes and activities.Identify, assess and mitigate operational risks, control weaknesses and processing vulnerabilities.Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, approval authorities, maker-checker controls and escalation procedures are maintained.Monitor operational performance and risk through defined key performance indicators, key risk indicators, service-level agreements and management information.Ensure operational incidents are recorded, investigated and resolved, with appropriate root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.Ensure errors and control failures are escalated promptly in accordance with established governance requirements.Policies, Procedures and GovernanceEnsure Operations policies, procedures, standard operating procedures and process documentation remain current, effective and aligned with organizational and regulatory requirements.Ensure changes to operational processes are appropriately documented, reviewed, approved and communicated.Maintain clear operational authorities, responsibilities, escalation protocols and control ownership.Prepare and disseminate operational management information and reports to Saudi Arabia management and the Qatar Head Office.Provide management with timely reporting on operational performance, risks, incidents, control weaknesses and remediation progress.Stakeholder and Counterparty ManagementMaintain effective working relationships with the Qatar Head Office, correspondent banks, brokers, custodians, fund managers, fund administrators and other counterparties.Coordinate the timely resolution of operational issues to minimize transaction failures, delays and client impact.Work closely with the CEO, Head of Operations and Group Chief Operating Officer to develop and execute the Operations strategy for Saudi Arabia.Partner with business, investment, compliance, risk, finance and technology teams to ensure effective operational support and control.Maintain clear communication and escalation channels between the Saudi Arabia Operations function and the Qatar Head Office.Support the establishment and ongoing management of service-level agreements with internal and external service providers.Experience, Qualifications and SkillsEight to ten years of relevant professional experience, including at least three years in a comparable managerial or leadership role.Demonstrated experience in asset management, wealth management, private banking or investment operations is essential.Strong end-to-end knowledge of the securities trade lifecycle and securities settlement cycles.Practical experience in fund subscriptions and redemptions, equities, bonds or sukuk, structured investment products and corporate actions.Knowledge of treasury operations, foreign exchange and payments is desirable.Knowledge of the regulatory and market requirements applicable to securities settlement and investment operations in Saudi Arabia.Hands-on experience using a core banking or investment operations platform, preferably Temenos Transact/T24 or an equivalent system.Experience in core banking transaction processing, operational controls, reconciliations, product setup and issue resolution.Experience participating in or leading system implementations, upgrades, enhancements, integrations and user acceptance testing.Experience managing operational controls, reconciliations, audits and business continuity arrangements.Knowledge of Sharia-compliant products and Islamic finance is desirable.Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related discipline.A master’s degree in Business Administration, Banking, Finance or a related discipline is desirable.Relevant professional qualifications in operations, securities, risk, compliance or process improvement are advantageous.