Head - Engineering & Operations

About the company:

Our client is a US-based payments technology company serving merchants across the United States. As it grows, it is building a dedicated India team in Bengaluru and is looking for a senior leader to set up and lead that team from day one.

This is a rare opportunity to be the founding leader of a US company's India operation, setting the foundation, culture and team that everything else is built on.

About the role:

As Head of India Operations, you will be the company's most senior leader in India. You will own building the India team, from hiring the first engineers to establishing processes, delivery standards and a strong engineering culture. You will work closely with US leadership to align the India team with business priorities and ensure high-quality delivery at scale.

Key responsibilities:

Build the India team:

• Plan and build the India engineering and operations team from the ground up
• Lead hiring end to end: define roles, run interviews and close strong talent
• Onboard new team members and get them productive quickly

Set up how the team works:

• Establish engineering processes, delivery standards and quality benchmarks
• Set up the operating rhythm with US teams: planning, reviews, reporting and communication across time zones
• Put the right tools, practices and governance in place for a growing team

Lead and grow people:

• Build a culture of ownership, accountability and engineering excellence
• Mentor and develop managers and engineers, and build a strong leadership bench in India
• Drive engagement and retention as the team scales

Partner with US leadership:

• Act as the main point of contact between India and US leadership
• Translate business priorities into clear goals and roadmaps for the India team
• Report on progress, risks and team health to senior stakeholders

Own India operations:

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the India setup, working with HR, finance and administration partners
• Represent the company in India, internally and externally

Requirements:

• 12+ years of experience with a strong engineering background, having grown from hands-on engineering into leadership
• At least 4 - 5 years leading engineering teams, including managing managers
• A proven record of building teams (hiring, onboarding and scaling), not only managing an existing team
• Strong communication skills and comfort working with senior US stakeholders
• Willingness to work on-site in Bengaluru

Preferred:

• Experience setting up or scaling an India center or office for a global, especially US, company
• Experience in fintech, payments, banking technology or lending
• Exposure to US product development practices and the US tech ecosystem
• Experience building process and delivery frameworks in a fast-growing environment

Why join:

• Be the founding leader of the India operation, with real ownership from day one
• Work directly with the company's US leadership
• Shape the team, culture and ways of working for the India setup
• Senior leadership role with compensation to match

This is a confidential search. The company's details will be shared with shortlisted candidates.