Head of Strategy & Operations, UK

At Ant International, our mission is to become the world’s most trusted digital services connector, enabling businesses everywhere to participate and thrive in the global economy. By building technology that simplifies cross-border commerce, we help organisations of all sizes grow beyond borders and unlock sustainable global opportunities.

This role sits within WorldFirst, our international payments platform dedicated to helping businesses move money around the world quickly, securely and transparently. Since joining Ant International in 2019, WorldFirst has accelerated its ambition to build one of the world’s most powerful platforms for international trade, combining WorldFirst’s trusted cross-border payment expertise with Ant’s global technology and digital solutions.

Today, WorldFirst brings together the energy and pace of a scaling fintech with the strength and backing of a global technology leader. With ambitious growth plans and continued investment in innovation, we are building the platform that will power the next generation of global commerce.

About the role:

As we enter our next phase of growth in the UK, this role will be instrumental in shaping and accelerating our trajectory. Operating at the centre of the business, you’ll identify where the biggest opportunities lie, align teams around them, and drive execution at pace.

This is a role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves quickly from insight to action, and is motivated by building and scaling in a high-growth environment by combining strategic thinking with a hands-on approach to deliver measurable impact.

What you will be doing:

• Define and drive the UK growth strategy - translating ambition into clear commercial priorities across product, pricing, and go-to-market.
• Lead high-impact, cross-functional initiatives that unlock revenue growth and customer value.
• Partner closely with UK and global leadership to shape strategy, influence roadmap decisions, and align execution.
• Act as business owner for key products - setting direction, defining KPIs, and holding accountability for performance.
• Turn strategy into execution - translating business needs into product requirements and working hands-on with product and engineering teams.
• Own performance visibility - using data to identify opportunities, optimise levers, and continuously improve outcomes
• Operate as the central connector across teams - aligning stakeholders, driving clarity, and accelerating delivery across markets.

What we are looking for:

• 8+ years of relevant experience, with a proven ability to bridge strategy and execution - not just defining direction, but delivering results.
• Deep understanding of the UK market, including regulatory landscape and SMB segment dynamics.
• Strong commercial and product instinct across Payments, Lending preferred – not essential.
• Experience working closely with product teams - from shaping requirements to influencing delivery.
• Highly data-driven - comfortable with SQL, financial modelling, and performance analysis.
• Exceptional stakeholder operator - able to influence at all levels, across geographies and functions.
• Thrives in ambiguity and pace, with a track record of building alignment in complex environments.