Director, Strategy & Execution – ETF & Index Investments

Softcard (acquired by Google)

. Translate global ETF strategy into executable operating plans across regions and functions.

Posted 4/24/2026full-timeDowners Grove • Illinois • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $180,000 - $250,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Translate global ETF strategy into executable operating plans across regions and functions.
Connect and lead a high‑performing global ETF operating organization with clear role clarity, accountability, project and resource planning.
Enable commercial execution by ensuring operational and primary market readiness for: Product launches, conversions, strategy and index transitions, Market and regional expansion, Internal and external partnership alignment to drive results.
Drive operating and commercial rhythm for key external partnerships, including index providers, support vendors, exchanges, custodians, and service providers.
Represent the ETF business in commercial and enterprise forums focused on strategy, risk, and scalability.
Own and continuously evolve the global ETF operating model, including: Clear decision rights and accountability, Scalable, standardized processes, End‑to‑end ownership from ideation through lifecycle management.
Drive alignment between ETF business priorities and enterprise architecture to ensure platform support, growth, scale, and regulatory requirements.
Lead delivery of critical ETF platform capabilities spanning trading, portfolio management, capital markets, data, onboarding, and launch readiness inclusive of performance and market quality monitoring of key teams and providers.
Create governance framework and cadence to establish co-actioning on issues, decisions and project logs and translate constraints into actions across product and distribution partnerships.
Own the ETF execution risk & control framework through engagement with investment support, risk, compliance, audit, ETF operations, and fund administration touchpoints.
Lead incident response and playbooks for material operational events.

Requirements

What you’ll need

College graduate in related field, or related work experience
10+ years relevant work experience in technical and leadership roles
MBA and/or CFA/CIMA preferred
Senior leadership experience in ETFs, asset management, or complex regulated financial services
Track record of leading global strategy execution in both commercial and operational growth
Experience partnering closely with Technology and Enterprise Architecture teams
Strong understanding of ETF operating lifecycles, from product development through ongoing management and end client.
Experience operating in global, multi‑region environments
Highly execution‑oriented leader with strong strategic judgment
Proven change leader and communicator who aligns complex, matrixed organizations
Commercially aware and operationally rigorous
Strong influencer without reliance on direct authority
Deep understanding of how technology, operating models, and people enable commercial outcomes
Adept at incident triage, cross-functional coordination and risk management.
Calm under complexity; decisive under pressure
Trusted partner to senior leadership, Boards, and regulators
Builder of clarity, accountability, and momentum
Direct experience with investment ETF platforms, capital markets, or quantitative/index‑based investing preferred
Leadership of large‑scale technology, data, or infrastructure programs preferred
Comfort working across Investments, Distribution, and Technology organizations preferred
Familiarity with global ETF regulatory and market structures preferred.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible paid time off
Hybrid work schedule
401(K) matching of 100% up to the first 6% with a discretionary supplemental contribution
Health & wellbeing benefits
Parental Leave benefits
Employee stock purchase plan

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

ETF strategyoperational executionproject planningrisk managementincident responseportfolio managementcapital marketsdata managementproduct developmentlifecycle management

Soft Skills

strategic judgmentchange leadershipcommunicationinfluencingdecisiveness under pressurebuilding accountabilitycross-functional coordinationexecution orientationtrusted partnershipcalm under complexity

Certifications

MBACFACIMA