What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operations Head position at Paul Murphy Associates?
Title: Operations HeadLocation: Chicago or New York Our client is seeking a high impact Operations Head to lead their core Operations team. This leader will have end-to-end oversight of business operations, ensuring operational excellence across the platform.Key ResponsibilitiesOperational Leadership ●Lead, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of operationsprofessionals responsible for daily business operations functions.●Develop and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to ensureconsistency, and operational resilience to meet high controlsstandards.●Maintain ultimate accountability for the operational stability andcoordinate with stakeholders to resolve operational issues promptly.●Oversee the team's technical support function, ensuring promptresolution of customer connectivity issues, trade breaks, and executiondiscrepancies.●Act as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on the FIX Protocol (4.x and 5.x),directing the team in troubleshooting complex order flow issues, APIcertifications, and network analysis.Cross-Functional Initiatives & Regulatory Compliance ●Drive continuous improvement initiatives across procedures and platform functionality to enhance efficiency and scalability.●Ensure all operations processes strictly adhere to internal control mandates.●Implement and monitor operational controls to mitigate risk, includingincident management and escalation protocols.●Partner with Product and Engineering teams to design and implementnew products, functionality and processes.People Management ●Lead, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of OperationsSpecialists responsible for daily business functions. Teach, coach anddevelop staff to build operational excellence and subject-matterexpertise.●Set clear goals, evaluate performance, and foster a culture ofaccountability, collaboration and professional development.●Ensure adequate staffing, training and coverage to support 24/7business operations.QualificationsRequired ●7 years of experience in an Operations leadership/management rolewithin a futures/options exchange and/or clearinghouse, FCM,broker-dealer, or trading firm.●Deep, hands-on understanding of the full lifecycle of derivativeproducts (futures, swaps, options).●In-depth, hands-on expertise with the FIX Protocol (4.x and 5.x) and a solid understanding of electronic trading workflows, order books, and market data streams.●Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, implement operational controls, manage multiple priorities, and execute complex projects under pressure.●Bachelor's degree in Finance, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a technical equivalent.Preferred ●Experience with API testing, certification, and low-latency network environments.●Proficiency in basic scripting languages (e.g., Python, SQL) for process automation and data analysis.Competencies●Excellent verbal and written skills to effectively engage with regulators, executive leadership, technical teams, and market participants.●Confidence in making critical operational decisions under tight timelines and high-stress scenarios.●Leads with a mindset of continuous improvement and operational excellence.