The Chief Operating Officer serves as the strategic advisor, execution partner and Office of the CIO operating lead for Technology Risk, Governance, Transformation & Client Office. The role is accountable for translating CIO strategy into a disciplined operating model, integrated governance framework and measurable execution outcomes across strategic transformation, risk and controls, regulatory readiness, client engagement, workforce strategy, financial management, executive communications and employee engagement.

The COO acts as the strategic integrator across the leadership team, ensuring effective information flow, executive decision support, operating rhythm, governance discipline and cross-functional alignment. The role provides the CIO and senior leadership with clear visibility of priorities, risks, dependencies, resourcing, decisions and outcomes, ensuring the organization operates with clarity, pace, accountability and measurable business impact.

Key Responsibilities

Office of the CIO & Chief of Staff Leadership

• Own the operating rhythm for the CIO office, including leadership meetings, executive governance forums, business reviews, decision logs, action tracking and follow-up discipline.
• Act as the central coordination point across the leadership team, ensuring priorities, risks, dependencies, decisions and escalations are surfaced clearly and actioned effectively.
• Manage CIO-level information flow across global, regional, business, risk, finance, HR, communications, control and client-facing stakeholders.
• Provide strategic decision support to the CIO, synthesizing complex information, data, risks and enterprise priorities into clear executive recommendations.
• Lead preparation for senior leadership, Board, regulatory, employee and stakeholder engagements, ensuring consistent messaging and clear linkage to business outcomes.
• Oversee governance and administrative effectiveness of the CIO office

Strategy & Operating Model Leadership

• Define and evolve the target operating model for Technology Risk, Governance, Transformation and Client functions
• Lead strategic planning and execution of the annual operating plan
• Drive organizational design, role clarity and accountability frameworks across global and regional teams
• Ensure the operating model supports enterprise priorities, legal entity obligations, regional requirements and long-term organisational sustainability

Workforce Strategy & Organizational Effectiveness

• Define and execute global workforce strategies aligned to future skills, location strategy, leadership density and business growth objectives.
• Lead talent reviews, succession planning, leadership development, performance management and organizational effectiveness initiatives across the organization
• Drive adoption of AI-native and skills-first workforce models.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding and development of senior leaders and critical talent
• Ensure talent investments directly support strategic priorities, transformation objectives and long term workforce sustainability

Financial, Resource & Business Management

• Own divisional financial, workforce, headcount and resource governance, ensuring investment decisions align to strategic priorities, regulatory commitments and approved financial targets
• Lead budget planning, expense management, productivity tracking, hiring prioritization and capacity alignment across the organization
• Maintain transparency over open positions, hiring approvals, insourcing plans, role prioritization and workforce investment decisions
• Oversee vendor, contractor and managed resource optimization in partnership with Finance, Procurement, HR and business management teams
• Ensure resources are allocated to the highest-value business, regulatory, risk and transformation outcomes
• Lead executive reporting, business reviews, performance management and analytical insight generation for the CIO and senior leadership team
• Drive management discipline across risks, issues and opportunities to financial, workforce and productivity target

Employee Engagement & Culture

• Lead the employee engagement, communications and talent action agenda for the organization, ensuring employees understand priorities, feel connected to the strategy and have clear development pathways
• Translate employee listening insights, survey feedback and organizational health indicators into measurable action plans that improve engagement, inclusion, retention and organizational effectiveness
• Own leadership communications, town halls, engagement campaigns, recognition routines and change communications for major transformation initiatives
• Partner with HR, Talent and senior leaders to execute talent reviews, succession plans, onboarding, leadership development, mobility and critical-role retention strategies

Executive Communications & Stakeholder Engagement

• Own the strategic communications agenda for the organization, ensuring consistent, timely and effective messaging across employees, leadership and key stakeholders
• Develop executive-level communications, Board and ExCo materials, strategic narratives and leadership presentations that articulate organizational priorities, risks, outcomes and achievements
• Establish communication governance, content management and stakeholder engagement frameworks that improve transparency and support informed decision-making
• Translate complex technology, risk, financial, regulatory and transformation topics into clear messages for senior executive, employee and stakeholder audiences

Education and Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of executive management experience, including experience as a people leader
• Executive-level leadership experience within global technology, operations, risk, governance, transformation or business management organizations
• Proven ability to operate as a trusted advisor to CIO / senior executive leadership in a complex global organization
• Demonstrated experience leading operating model design, organizational transformation, strategic planning and execution governance
• Strong background in financial services, regulatory environments, technology risk, controls, governance or large-scale transformation
• Experience managing financial, workforce, resource, vendor and business management disciplines
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, build relationships and drive outcomes across a global matrix organization
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear executive, Board and employee-level messaging.
• Strong analytical capability, with experience using data, metrics and insights to support prioritization, governance and decision-making
• High level of resilience, judgement, energy and execution discipline, with a strong focus on quality, accountability and delivery
• Advanced degree or MBA in business administration, finance, technology, risk management or a related discipline
• Experience in a COO, Chief of Staff, business management, transformation, governance or portfolio leadership role

About State Street

Across the globe, institutional investors rely on us to help them manage risk, respond to challenges, and drive performance and profitability. We keep our clients at the heart of everything we do, and smart, engaged employees are essential to our continued success.

We are committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. As an essential partner in our shared success, you’ll benefit from inclusive development opportunities, flexible work-life support, paid volunteer days, and vibrant employee networks that keep you connected to what matters most. Join us in shaping the future.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we consider all qualified applicants for all positions without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, military and veteran status, and other characteristics protected by applicable law.

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