Head of Smart Middle Office- VP

Job Description:

Employer: DWS Group

Title: Head of Smart Middle Office- VP

Location: Madrid

Job Code: placeholder for LinkedIn job wrapping

About DWS:

Today, markets face a whole new set of pressures – but also a whole lot of opportunity too. Opportunity to innovate differently. Opportunity to invest responsibly. And opportunity to make change.

Join us at DWS, and you can be part of an industry-leading firm with a global presence. You can lead ambitious opportunities and shape the future of investing. You can support our clients, local communities, and the environment.

We’re looking for creative thinkers and innovators to join us as the world continues to transform. As whole markets change, one thing remains clear; our people always work together to capture the opportunities of tomorrow.

As investors on behalf of our clients, it is our role to find investment solutions. Ensuring the best possible foundation for our clients’ financial future. And in return, we’ll give you the support and platform to develop new skills, make an impact and work alongside some of the industry’s greatest thought leaders. This is your chance to achieve your goals and lead an extraordinary career.

This is your chance to invest in your future.

Read more about DWS and who we are here.

Team / division overview

The COO Division is a key enabler for DWS and is integral to the future success of the company by delivering world-class services across a set of key functions. It covers essential Technology and Operations capabilities to deliver a platform which is efficient, scalable, resilient and agile.

The Smart Middle Office team is positioned at the intersection of Front Office, Operations, Risk, Technology and other key functions. The team focuses on improving, managing and future-proofing Operations processes through data, technology, controls and operational excellence, ensuring efficient, scalable and high-quality support across the investment and operational value chain.

The role requires a forward-looking Smart Middle Office leader who can own and evolve the middle-office operating model, drive process simplification and digitalisation, strengthen controls, and embed data-driven ways of working. The successful candidate will combine strong operational expertise with a practical understanding of automation, AI-enabled process optimisation, workflow management and stakeholder partnership across both Run-the-Bank and Change-the-Bank activities.

Your responsibilities –

As our Head of Smart Middle Office- VP you will:

• Lead the Smart Middle Office team and act as the senior owner of the middle-office operating model across relevant Operations processes.
• Provide strong people leadership aligned to DWS values, conduct standards and regulatory expectations, building a high-performing, collaborative and future-ready team.
• Own, manage and continuously enhance middle-office processes, ensuring efficient support between Front Office, Operations, Risk, Technology and other functions.
• Drive operational excellence by identifying process inefficiencies, control gaps, manual workarounds and scalability constraints, and by delivering sustainable improvements.
• Lead digitalisation and automation initiatives across middle-office workflows, including intelligent workflow management, data-driven prioritisation, AI-enabled reconciliation and exception handling.
• Strengthen the operational control environment by ensuring clear ownership, robust process documentation, effective risk identification, KPI/KRI monitoring, control execution and audit readiness.
• Act as a senior escalation point for complex middle-office issues, leading root-cause analysis and driving timely, sustainable remediation in partnership with internal teams, Technology and external service providers where relevant.
• Partner closely with Front Office, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Audit, Technology and other stakeholders to ensure strong service quality, transparent communication and alignment with business priorities.
• Support strategic change initiatives by translating business and operational requirements into practical operating model enhancements, technology requirements and measurable delivery outcomes.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, data-led decision making and future-ready ways of working, including the adoption of automation, APIs, dashboards and AI-enabled capabilities.

We are looking for :

• Proven leadership capabilities in a global financial services organisation, with experience managing teams and senior stakeholders across regions and functions.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of experience in financial services Operations, Middle Office, Asset Management, Investment Operations or a related environment.
• Strong understanding of middle-office operating models, operational workflows, controls, service quality expectations and the interaction between Front Office, Operations, Risk and Technology.
• Demonstrated ability to identify process inefficiencies, perform root-cause analysis and deliver sustainable process, control and technology improvements.
• Strong understanding of risk, controls, governance, documentation standards and audit readiness in an operational environment.
• Practical exposure to digital transformation, automation, AI-enabled ways of working, workflow tooling, data analytics or technology-enabled operating model improvements.
• Comfortable operating in a global, matrix environment, with the ability to communicate clearly, influence stakeholders and build trusted partnerships.
• Strong analytical skillset with the ability to use data, KPIs and KRIs to monitor performance, identify trends and support decision making.
• Experience with investment operations platforms, workflow tools, data visualisation, process automation or similar technology capabilities is a plus.
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate independently, set direction and drive outcomes across a broad operational agenda.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and translate business, operational and technology requirements into practical delivery plans.
• Strong problem-solving, critical thinking and root-cause analysis skills in complex, time-sensitive operational environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities, including the ability to present complex topics clearly and concisely.
• Continuous improvement mindset with focus on automation, scalability, control effectiveness and measurable service quality improvements.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build trust across regions, cultures and functional boundaries.
• Proven ability to leverage AI tools to enhance productivity, optimise workflows to solve business problems, while applying critical judgment to ensure responsible and ethical use of data and AI outputs.
• Additional certifications or training in operations excellence, data analytics, automation, change management or AI are a plus.

What we’ll offer you:

At DWS we’re serious about diversity, equity and creating an inclusive culture where colleagues can be themselves and it’s important to us that you enjoy coming to work - feeling healthy, happy and rewarded. At DWS, you’ll have access to a range of benefits which you can choose from to create a personalised plan unique to your lifestyle. Whether you’re interested in healthcare, company perks, or are thinking about your retirement plan, there’s something for everyone.

DWS’ Hybrid Working model is designed to find the right balance between in-person collaboration and engagement in the office, which is core to our working culture, and working from home. Each business group varies on the split between time spent in the office and at home, but this will be discussed and made clear as part of your application and interview process. We will continue to review and evolve our working environments and methods to ensure that we are working in the best way possible for our people.

If you require any adjustments or changes to be made to the interview process for any reason including, or related to a disability or long-term health condition, then please contact your recruiter and let them know what assistance you may need. Examples of adjustments include providing a change to the format of the interview, or providing assistance when at the DWS office. This will not affect your application and your recruitment team will discuss options with you.

We at DWS are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, one that embraces dialogue and diverse views, and treats everyone fairly to drive a high-performance culture. The value we create for our clients and investors is based on our ability to bring together various perspectives from all over the world and from different backgrounds. It is our experience that teams perform better and deliver improved outcomes when they are able to incorporate a wide range of perspectives. We call this #ConnectingTheDots.