Head of Business Operations and Controls

Overview

The Head of Business Operations & Controls reports directly to the Chief Product & Operations Officer and is a senior leadership role accountable for first line risk and operational governance framework across the Product & Operations organization. The team plays a critical role in protecting market trust and enabling scale, ensuring that strong governance, risk management, and internal controls are embedded into day-to-day operations—while also driving targeted automation and disciplined delivery of strategic and regulatory initiatives.

Operating with an enterprise mindset, the function is responsible for S&P DJI’s first line of defense partnering closely with Product, Operations, Technology, Risk, Compliance, and Audit to balance innovation and speed within the bounds of S&P DJI robust control framework.

Responsibilities and Impact

• Operational Risk, Governance & Controls (First Line of Defense)
  • Own and continuously evolve the first line operational risk and control framework across Product & Operations, ensuring alignment with enterprise risk management standards.
  • Accountable for the design, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of key controls, including process controls, preventative and detective controls.
  • Act as the primary first line partner to Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Internal Audit, supporting audits, regulatory reviews, and issue management (MAPs).
  • Responsible for engagement with external auditors involved in assessing S&P DJI’s first line of defense.
  • Ensure governance frameworks enable scalability and innovation while safeguarding regulatory compliance and the integrity of S&P DJI’s index production process.
  • Advance our technology-forward approach to risk, governance and controls, including autonomous monitoring and surveillance, software-based, repeatable solutions and process automation.
  • Upskill first line team members’ application of technology to their work.
• Business Operations & Execution Excellence
  • Lead cross-functional initiatives to streamline operational processes, reduce friction, and improve end-to-end execution across Product & Operations.
  • Establish and track operational KPIs and risk indicators (KRIs) to enable data-driven decision-making and proactive risk management.
  • Drive consistency in operational standards, documentation, and ways of working across global teams.
  • Own business continuity, risk tabletop and all protocols to prepare and pressure test the business’ response to catastrophic events.
• Automation & Project Delivery Enablement
  • Lead a team tasked with identifying and prioritizing automation opportunities that enhance control effectiveness, promote efficiency, reduce risk, and deliver customer outcomes.
  • Oversee structured delivery of operational initiatives using agile project and change management disciplines, ensuring timely execution, transparent documentation and measurable outcomes.
  • Partner with Technology to ensure automation solutions are fit-for-purpose, production-ready, and sustainable.
• Leadership & Influence
  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, providing clear insight on operational risk, control health, execution trade-offs and automation/AI potential.
  • Build and lead high-performing teams with strong accountability, continuous improvement mindsets, and enterprise perspective.
  • Grow an organization rooted in business partnership, accountability, transparency, and outcome orientation.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 8-10+ years of experience in business operations, operational risk, controls, governance, or transformation roles within regulated or complex environments.
• Data information services and technology industry experience, particularly operating under regulatory oversight.
• Demonstrated expertise operating as or alongside a First Line of Defense function, with hands-on ownership of controls, issue management, and audit engagement.
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional initiatives that balance risk, cost, upside, efficiency, and speed.
• Strong analytical capability with experience defining and applying KPIs, KRIs, and control metrics to inform decisions and keep stakeholders abreast of progress.
• Executive-level communication and influencing skills, with the ability to challenge and partner effectively with senior stakeholders.
• Practical experience with process improvement and automation approaches (e.g., Lean, Agile, continuous improvement, workflow automation).

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Business, Operations, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as Lean Six Sigma, PMP, Agile, or risk-related credentials (e.g., ORM, CRISC) are advantageous.
• Experience partnering with Product and Technology teams to embed controls into automated and digital workflows.
• Demonstrated success scaling governance and controls in periods of organizational growth or transformation.