Head of Operations

Wallee Group is a leader in delivering advanced payment solutions, focusing on providing robust, scalable, and secure systems across multiple domains. We are dedicated to enhancing customer experiences by offering innovative payment and finance systems that support businesses in growing efficiently. Our operations span across multiple countries, and we thrive on collaboration and agility, using frameworks like Scrum to organize teams. At Wallee, we aim to stay at the forefront of market trends, continuously innovating to provide the best services to our customers. As our Head of Operations , you will be the operational backbone of our Luxembourg entity. In a lean, regulated payments environment that operates as part of a wider international group, this role requires a unique blend of strategic oversight and hands-on execution. You will design, manage, optimize, and scale our day-to-day payment operations while ensuring strict adherence to CSSF and EU regulatory frameworks. Collaborating closely with Group functions and local teams (Compliance, Finance, Product, and IT), you will ensure seamless execution across payment processing, Mastercard scheme operations, client support delivery, and transaction monitoring. Your Responsibilities Core Operations & Execution E nd-to-End Payment Oversight: Manage and optimize daily core payments, SWIFT, SEPA, and card scheme transactions, ensuring flawless execution and settlement cycles. Card Scheme Management: Oversee the operational lifecycle of our Mastercard card-issuing programs, including card production/personalization vendors, tokenization, authorization flows, and chargeback/dispute management. Reconciliation & Controls: Oversee internal and external account reconciliations, identifying and resolving discrepancies swiftly to protect liquidity and ensure regulatory compliance . Safeguarding Financial Integrity: Lead fraud detection and transaction monitoring efforts, ensuring robust daily and monthly operational reporting. Regulatory and scheme reporting : Own the production, quality assurance and timely submission of all recurring regulatory including (without limitation): CSSF prudential and statistical EMI returns, BCL statistical reporting, AML/CTF annual return inputs from a finance perspective, safeguarding attestations.Own the Mastercard reporting calendar: QMR (Quarterly Mastercard Report), scheme volume and fraud reporting, settlement reporting and any ad-hoc data requests from the scheme.Anticipate regulatory change (e.g., PSD3/PSR, MiCA spillover, instant payments, DORA operational resilience reporting) and adapt processes, controls and data structures accordingly. Client Support & Customer Operations Support Function Ownership: Build, scale, and lead the Client Support function, ensuring high-quality, timely resolution of B2B client inquiries, technical issues, and operational escalations. SLAs & Quality Assurance: Define, monitor, and optimize key performance indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for the support team. Regulatory, Risk & Group Alignment Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all operational workflows strictly comply with Luxembourg and EU regulations (PSD2/PSD3, AML/CFT, GDPR). Audit & Documentation: Act as a key contributor to internal, external, and CSSF audits. Own, update, and bulletproof Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and operational risk assessments . Group & Partner Liaison: Serve as the primary operational point of contact for banking partners, PSPs, external vendors, and Group-level counterparts. Vendor & Outsourcing Management: Manage critical operational relationships with banking partners, Mastercard, third-party processors, and external vendors, ensuring strict adherence to CSSF outsourcing requirements. Projects, Scaling & Leadership Process Automation: Identify operational bottlenecks and drive automation projects (using SQL, scripting, or internal tools) to scale operations efficiently. Project Delivery: Lead local implementations for system migrations, platform upgrades, and cross-functional product rollouts. Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and grow a multi-functional team spanning core operations, card management, and client support. Experience & Expertise Industry Background: 7+ years of operations experience within an EMI, PSP, Fintech, or specialized payment bank, with at least 2–3 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity.. Card Scheme Knowledge: Deep, hands-on understanding of the Mastercard ecosystem (issuing, settlement, chargebacks, and operational regulations) alongside SEPA and SWIFT. Relationship Management: Proven track record of managing or interfacing with customer support/operations teams in a financial services context. Regulatory Savvy: Strong familiarity with the Luxembourg regulatory landscape (CSSF requirements regarding safeguarding and outsourcing are highly preferred). Payment Knowledge: Deep understanding of SEPA, SWIFT, card schemes, and clearing/settlement mechanisms. Solid familiarity with the Luxembourg regulatory landscape . Technical Savvy: Experience with core banking systems or e-money platforms. Proficiency in data analysis tools (Advanced Excel is a must; SQL or Tableau is a strong plus). Skills & Attributes The "Lean Entity" Mindset: Ability to thrive in a lean team where you can seamlessly pivot from high-level project management to granular problem-solving in minutes. Education: University degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field (Master’s degree or relevant professional certifications a plus). Languages: Fluency in English is mandatory. Working proficiency in French or German is a distinct asset given our Luxembourg base. High Impact, Low Bureaucracy: A critical role in a fast-growing international group with flat hierarchies, short decision-making paths, and zero corporate politics. Growth & Autonomy: The opportunity to truly own the operational landscape of a regulated entity and scale it from the ground up. Flexibility: A competitive compensation package coupled with a hybrid work setup and flexible working hours. Modern Workspace: Continuous opportunities for professional development within a cross-functional, multicultural environment. We are looking for a hybrid leader, someone who understands the meticulous rigor of CSSF payments & Mastercard operations but possesses the agile, automation-first mindset of a Fintech innovator. If you are ready to own, optimize, and scale a regulated payments ecosystem, we want to hear from you.