Strategic Operations Manager
dLocal
Apply to this job Costa Rica remote Until 10/7/2026 5+ years exp First posted August 8, 2026 Last posted August 8, 2026
Job description
Why should you join dLocal?
dLocal enables the biggest companies in the world to collect payments in 40 countries in emerging markets. Global brands rely on us to increase conversion rates and simplify payment expansion effortlessly. As both a payments processor and a merchant of record where we operate, we make it possible for our merchants to make inroads into the world’s fastest-growing, emerging markets.
By joining us you will be a part of an amazing global team that makes it all happen. Being a part of dLocal means working with 1000+ teammates from 30+ different nationalities and developing an international career that impacts millions of people’s daily lives. We are builders, we never run from a challenge, we are customer-centric, and if this sounds like you, we know you will thrive in our team.
What's the opportunity?
As our Strategic Operations Manager, you will play a pivotal role in driving operational efficiency, scaling processes, and supporting strategic initiatives across the organization. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, detail-oriented executor, and skilled collaborator passionate about delivering impactful outcomes.
What will I be doing?
- Act as the right-hand person to the regional manager, supporting daily operations, decision-making, and strategic initiatives across the region.
- Lead and manage high-impact, cross-functional strategic projects that drive growth, efficiency, and scalability in the region.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key external partners, including acquirers, banks, regulators, and other stakeholders.
- Analyze market dynamics, identify growth opportunities, and collaborate with internal teams (Product, Operations, Finance, Legal) to execute country strategies.
- Support the regional manager in managing relationships with key merchants, identifying expansion opportunities, and ensuring exceptional service delivery.
- Proactively identify, prioritize, and lead initiatives to improve the overall merchant onboarding experience and reduce time-to-revenue.
- Drive the onboarding process for new merchants, ensuring all regulatory, compliance, and operational requirements are met efficiently and in accordance with local laws.
- Collaborate closely with the Legal and Compliance teams to ensure adherence to local regulatory frameworks, including licenses, tax requirements, AML, and KYC obligations.
- Work alongside the Compliance team to develop and implement robust frameworks for transaction monitoring and fraud prevention.
- Monitor tax regulations and coordinate with internal and external tax advisors to ensure compliance and identify opportunities for optimization.
- Analyze country performance metrics, including Total Payment Volume (TPV), revenue targets, budget execution, and growth pipelines and translate insights into actionable business recommendations.
- Collaborate with Finance and FP&A teams to ensure budget accuracy and alignment with regional growth targets.
- Identify underperforming segments or countries and design turnaround strategies.
- Identify bottlenecks in merchant activation and processing go-lives; proactively work with relevant teams to resolve issues and accelerate time-to-market.
- Be the regional owner for internal audit preparation and follow-ups.
- Develop and refine operational playbooks, frameworks, and best practices for country operations, with a focus on scalability and standardization.
- Prepare business cases and recommendations to support strategic decisions, including market entries, partnership opportunities, and product launches.
- Actively participate in regulatory meetings and industry forums, representing dLocal and strengthening our presence in the country.
- Act as an ambassador of dLocal’s culture and values, both internally and externally.
What skills do I need?
- Minimum of 5 years in operations management, strategy, or a related role
- Experience in the Payments Industry, Fintechs, and Digital Banks
- Familiarity with all business functions, including Legal, Finance, Product, and IT
- Proven ability to manage large-scale projects and deliver results in a fast-paced environment, with a track record of top performance.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
- Proficiency in operational tools such as Excel, project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello), and data visualization platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
- Open to constant change in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment, a self-starter, open to working across time zones with teams all over the world
- Fluent in written and verbal English
- Availability to travel
- Ability to establish a relevant business network
What do we offer?
Besides the tailored benefits we have for each country, dLocal will help you thrive and go that extra mile by offering you:
- Flexibility: we have flexible schedules and we are driven by performance.
- Fintech industry: work in a dynamic and ever-evolving environment, with plenty to build and boost your creativity.
- Referral bonus program: our internal talents are the best recruiters - refer someone ideal for a role and get rewarded.
- Social budget: you'll get a monthly budget to chill out with your team (in person or remotely) and deepen your connections!
- dLocal Houses: want to rent a house to spend one week anywhere in the world coworking with your team? We’ve got your back!
Flexibility in how you work: We focus on impact and productivity over fixed hours. This means our teams have flexible schedules and, depending on your role and location, you will combine self‑managed focus time with moments of in‑person connection in our collaboration hubs.
What happens after you apply?
Our Talent Acquisition team is invested in creating the best candidate experience possible, so don’t worry, you will definitely hear from us. We will review your CV and keep you posted by email at every step of the process!
About this role
Summary
Manage regional operations, lead projects, optimize processes, ensure compliance, and drive growth strategies.
Job title
Strategic Operations Manager
Experience level
5+ years
Minimum experience
5+ years exp
Industry
fintech
Location requirements
Costa Rica, remote work allowed
Salary
Not specified
Management role
No
Skills & keywords
Required skills
operations managementproject managementdata analysisExcelregulatory compliance
Preferred skills
financial modelingstakeholder managementregulatory frameworksbusiness development
Specializations
payments industryfintechdigital banks
Locations
Structured locations inferred from the posting.
Costa Rica
Remote Country