Head of Operations in London

Head of Operations in London

London Full-Time 72000 - 108000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Venture Up

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead trading operations and ensure smooth execution in a fast-paced sports betting startup.
  • Company: Dynamic sports betting startup in London with a focus on innovation.
  • Benefits: Profit-share bonuses, KPI-based incentives, and comprehensive health insurance.
  • Why this job: Be at the heart of a trading business and make a real impact on operations.
  • Qualifications: Experience in trading operations or leadership roles in high-performance environments.
  • Other info: Join a growing team and shape the future of sports trading.

The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.

Head of Operations/COO is required for a successful proprietary trading firm and alternative investment manager startup focused on quantitative and fundamental sports trading. This role is designed for a hands-on operator who wants to work close to the engine room of a trading business. The successful candidate will take ownership of day-to-day operational execution across trading operations, risk processes, capital flows, and cross-team coordination. The focus is not on corporate overhead, but on ensuring the machine runs cleanly, predictably, and safely as trading activity scales. This is a build-and-own position, not simply a maintenance role. Sitting close to the CEO, the role acts as the operational backbone of the business. It requires strong judgment in high-pressure environments, the ability to translate strategy into execution, and comfort operating across trading operations, process design, risk coordination, and cross-functional delivery. You need to be a hands-on operator who can bring clarity, cadence, and accountability to a performance-driven organisation without imposing unnecessary bureaucracy. This position is suited to someone with experience building operational infrastructure in live, high-stakes environments, who is motivated by ownership, impact, and long term platform quality rather than the maintenance of legacy systems.

The ideal candidate will have held operational or leadership responsibility within a performance-driven, trading-focused environment. Relevant backgrounds may include:

  • Sports betting syndicates or professional betting operations
  • Proprietary trading firms or hedge funds
  • Quantitative or systematic trading businesses
  • Execution-focused trading or risk management roles
  • Senior operations, desk management, or COO roles in data-driven organisations

Responsibilities and Duties:

  • Oversee trading operations across all strategies, ensuring consistent execution standards, effective monitoring, and timely intervention when performance deviates from expectations
  • Partner closely with traders and researchers to ensure operational processes actively support strategy performance
  • Maintain operational oversight of capital allocation, execution workflows, and performance reporting
  • Implement and maintain frameworks for operational risk controls, exposure management, and decision-making during periods of drawdown or elevated volatility
  • Act as a central coordination point between trading, research, engineering, and external service providers
  • Ensure operational dependencies are managed effectively and issues are identified and resolved promptly
  • Oversee operational infrastructure, including data flows, tooling, reporting processes, and relationships with platforms, counterparties, and vendors
  • Contribute to hiring, team structure, and organisational scaling as the business grows

Benefits:

  • Profit-share bonus
  • KPI-based bonus scheme
  • Private health, dental, and vision insurance

Head of Operations in London employer: Venture Up

As a Head of Operations at our innovative sports betting startup in London, you will thrive in a dynamic and performance-driven environment that prioritises operational excellence and employee empowerment. We offer competitive profit-share bonuses, comprehensive health benefits, and a culture that fosters collaboration and growth, ensuring you have the tools and support to make a significant impact on our trading operations. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team where your contributions directly shape the future of our business.
Venture Up

Contact Detail:

Venture Up Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Operations in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the sports betting and trading world. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for those interviews by practising your pitch. Be ready to discuss how your hands-on experience aligns with the operational needs of a trading firm. Use specific examples from your past roles to showcase your ability to drive performance and manage risk effectively.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your problem-solving skills! In high-pressure environments, it’s all about making quick, informed decisions. Be prepared to discuss scenarios where you’ve successfully navigated challenges in trading operations or risk management.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for passionate individuals who want to make an impact. Tailor your application to highlight your operational expertise and how you can contribute to our mission of building a top-notch trading operation.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Operations in London

Operational Execution
Risk Management
Cross-Functional Coordination
Performance Monitoring
Process Design
Capital Allocation
Decision-Making Under Pressure
Team Leadership
Data Flow Management
Stakeholder Engagement
Problem-Solving in High-Stakes Environments
Operational Risk Controls
Performance Reporting
Adaptability to Change

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Hands-On Experience: Make sure to highlight your hands-on operational experience in high-pressure environments. We want to see how you've taken ownership and made an impact in previous roles, especially in trading or performance-driven settings.

Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter! Tailor your application to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with our Head of Operations role. We love seeing candidates who understand our business and can articulate how they fit into our vision.

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key. We appreciate straightforward communication, so keep your language simple and to the point. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role, and make sure your achievements stand out!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in joining our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Venture Up

✨Know Your Operations Inside Out

Make sure you have a solid understanding of trading operations and risk management processes. Brush up on your knowledge of capital flows and how they impact performance. This will help you demonstrate your hands-on approach and ability to translate strategy into execution.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Be prepared to discuss your previous experience in operational leadership roles, especially in high-pressure environments. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully built operational infrastructure or improved processes, as this aligns perfectly with the expectations for the Head of Operations role.

✨Emphasise Cross-Functional Collaboration

Since this role requires coordination between various teams, be ready to talk about how you've effectively partnered with different departments in the past. Share instances where your collaboration led to improved outcomes, showcasing your ability to bring clarity and accountability without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.

✨Prepare for High-Stakes Scenarios

Expect questions that assess your judgment in high-pressure situations. Think of examples where you've had to make quick decisions during periods of volatility or drawdown. This will demonstrate your comfort operating in a fast-paced trading environment and your capability to maintain operational oversight.

Head of Operations in London
Venture Up
Location: London

Land your dream job quicker with Premium

You’re marked as a top applicant with our partner companies
Individual CV and cover letter feedback including tailoring to specific job roles
Be among the first applications for new jobs with our AI application
1:1 support and career advice from our career coaches
Go Premium

Money-back if you don't land a job in 6-months

>