Operations Manager - English Speaker - Hybrid

Title: Operations Specialist- Operations Vendor Oversight, AVP
Join us at DWS, and you can be part of an industry-leading firm with a global presence. You can support our clients, local communities, and the environment.

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.

Operations Vendor Oversight is part of the COO Division and is responsible for the governance and oversight of strategic service providers across retirement savings accounts, Riester pensions, Transfer Agent and Registrar services, and Fund Administration. Retained Organization MorgenFund, which oversees MorgenFund across Riester, retirement savings accounts, and Transfer Agent and Registrar services; Combining deep operational and regulatory expertise with strong vendor governance, the team promotes stable, transparent, and resilient outsourced services through clear ownership, close collaboration, and continuous improvement.

As part of this agenda, the successful candidate will be expected to actively contribute to automation, AI-enabled process improvement, data-driven controls and smart workflow design, while ensuring that operational risk, auditability and sound governance remain embedded in everything the team delivers.

As our Operations Specialist- Operations Vendor Oversight, AVP you will:

• Oversee outsourced services through a robust governance framework aligned with internal policies, service standards and German regulatory outsourcing requirements, including recurring due diligence throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain service catalogues, Service Level Agreements, management information and Key Performance Indicators, and monitor performance through risk-based controls and regular service reviews.
• Prepare, lead and document service review, due diligence and management escalation meetings, and contribute to annual outsourcing reports for the relevant DWS entities.
• Act as the key interface between DWS Business Owners and service providers, coordinating enquiries, complaints and escalations while ensuring incidents are resolved promptly and outsourcing risks are identified and communicated.
• Support the joint project book of work, including regulatory and strategic initiatives, and continuously analyse outsourced processes to recommend and drive service and control improvements.
• Contribute to annual budget planning, actuals, forecasts and project cost oversight; validate and approve vendor invoices, monitor service credits and maintain a reliable data basis for management reporting.
• Help build and shape the vendor oversight model for DWS’s new retirement savings account platform, applying strong communication, organisation and ownership to establish effective processes and trusted partnerships.
• Contribute to the Smart Middle Office agenda by identifying opportunities to apply AI, machine learning, workflow automation and data analytics to reduce manual intervention, improve exception management, strengthen predictive controls and enhance operational transparency.
• Translate operational pain points into clear automation or AI use cases, working with Technology, transformation partners and operational SMEs to shape practical solutions that are controlled, scalable and aligned to business priorities.

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience).

• Solid industry knowledge of wealth management, asset management or retirement savings.
• Experience in service provider management, procurement or finance would be an advantage.
• Good knowledge of German outsourcing regulations would be an advantage.
• Confident written and verbal communication in both German and English would be preferable
• Practical understanding of AI, automation and data analytics concepts, with the ability to identify meaningful use cases in an Operations environment and partner with Technology to deliver them responsibly.
• Experience with process automation, workflow design, digital tooling, Python, Power Automate, SQL, data visualisation tools or similar technologies would be highly beneficial.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive outcomes across a matrix, global organization.
• Proactive approach to identifying control gaps and improving data quality frameworks.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• 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.
• 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. Examples of adjustments include providing a change to the format of the interview, or providing assistance when at the DWS office. We build talented and diverse teams to drive business results and encourage our people to develop to their full potential. Talk to us about flexible work arrangements and other initiatives we offer.
We promote good working relationships and encourage high standards of conduct and work performance. We strive for a culture in which we are empowered to excel together every day.