Africans Who Design ยท 6 hours ago
Chief Operating Officer
United States
Part-time
Remote
Director/Executive
10+ years expAfricans Who Design is a fast-growing crypto-financial services company operating at the intersection of digital assets, blockchain technology, and institutional-grade financial infrastructure. They are seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer (COO) to oversee day-to-day operations, drive execution of strategic initiatives, and ensure operational excellence across the organization.
Human Resources
Responsibilities
Lead and oversee all operational functions, including operations, compliance support, risk management, customer operations, and internal processes
Design and implement scalable operational frameworks to support rapid growth and new product launches
Partner with the CEO and executive team to execute corporate strategy and business objectives
Establish and optimize cross-functional workflows across finance, technology, legal, compliance, and customer-facing teams
Ensure operational alignment with regulatory, AML/KYC, and internal control requirements in crypto and financial services
Develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting structures to monitor performance and operational health
Identify operational risks and implement controls, policies, and mitigation strategies
Lead vendor management, outsourcing strategies, and third-party operational relationships
Build, mentor, and manage high-performing operations teams across distributed and remote environments
Drive continuous improvement, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives
Qualification
Required
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, with at least 5 years in a senior executive role (COO, Head of Operations, VP Operations, or equivalent)
Strong background in crypto, fintech, financial services, trading, payments, or regulated technology environments
Demonstrated experience scaling operations in high-growth or complex organizations
Solid understanding of financial controls, risk management, and regulatory frameworks (AML, KYC, SOC, internal controls)
Exceptional strategic thinking combined with hands-on execution capability
Proven ability to lead cross-functional, globally distributed teams
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and decision-making skills
Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
Preferred
Experience working with crypto exchanges, digital asset platforms, DeFi infrastructure, or blockchain-based products
Familiarity with U.S. and international regulatory expectations for digital assets
Data-driven mindset with strong operational analytics capabilities
Comfortable operating in ambiguity and rapidly evolving regulatory landscapes
Benefits
Executive-level compensation package (base salary + performance incentives)
Fully remote role within the United States
Opportunity to shape and scale a high-impact crypto-financial organization
Direct influence on company strategy and long-term growth
Collaborative, innovative, and mission-driven leadership culture
Company
Africans Who Design
The Africans Who Design is a platform that celebrates the incredible talent and diversity of African design professionals.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase