Operations Manager- (Investment Platform Operations) - Financial Services

This is Valerine, a lead recruiter from StrategyConnect.

Our client based in Abu Dhabi, UAE is looking for

for 3 to 6 month project.

This is an on-site opportunity in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Below are the details:

Duration : 3 to 6 month possible extension

Work - model : On-site

Our client is a well-established investment platform operating within a sophisticated institutional environment, characterised by a collaborative, fast-paced culture and a strong emphasis on operational excellence and disciplined execution. The platform relies on an outsourced service model spanning fund administrators, custodians and other third-party providers, and needs a senior operations professional to act as the single operational point of contact between investment teams, internal corporate functions and external service providers. This 6-month on-site engagement places an experienced Operations Manager (Investments) in the business to oversee day-to-day coordination with administrators and custodians, own vendor relationships and onboarding, maintain operational controls and documentation standards, track deliverables and operational budgets, and identify inefficiencies in existing workflows. The role operates in a lean environment where multiple priorities must be managed simultaneously with strong follow-through and clear stakeholder communication.

• Serve as the key operational contact for investment teams, ensuring operational requests are handled efficiently and closed out with clear follow-through
• Ensure disciplined coordination with fund administrators, custodians and third-party service providers across the investment platform
• Strengthen vendor management, including service quality monitoring, issue resolution and structured onboarding with due diligence and documentation
• Maintain and uphold operational controls, procedures and documentation standards across the platform
• Provide visibility and control over operational budgets, costs, invoicing and payment processes
• Identify inefficiencies in operational workflows and recommend improvements that enhance operational performance

Scope of Work

• Oversee coordination with fund administrators, custodians and third-party service providers on day-to-day operational matters
• Act as the key operational contact for investment teams, triaging and resolving operational requests
• Coordinate with internal corporate functions, including IT and corporate services, on operational matters affecting the investment platform
• Monitor operational workflows, track deliverables and ensure timely execution against agreed timelines
• Manage vendor relationships, monitoring service quality against expectations and driving issue resolution to closure
• Lead vendor onboarding processes, including due diligence reviews and completion of supporting documentation
• Maintain operational controls, procedures and documentation standards, keeping records current and accessible
• Track operational budgets, monitor costs and support invoice review and payment processes
• Review existing operational processes to identify inefficiencies and recommend practical improvements

• 10-13 years' experience in operations, fund operations, or investment platform support within financial services
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations, Finance, or a related field
• Strong understanding of fund administration, custody operations and outsourced service models
• Proven experience managing third-party vendors and cross-functional stakeholders
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, lean environment
• Strong operational coordination, execution and follow-through capabilities
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills