Chief Operating Officer
Overview
A single family office in Zurich, overseeing a substantial, multi-generational pool of wealth across investment holdings, operating businesses, real estate, and philanthropic vehicles, is appointing a Chief Operating Officer. This newly formalised, principal-facing role has been created as the family transitions from a founder-led structure to a formal governance framework ahead of the next generational transition. The successful candidate will run the operational backbone of the office while building its governance architecture — family council, investment committee, protocols, and succession framework.
Expectations
- Lead all operational, financial, and administrative functions, including budgeting, vendor management, HR, and technology
- Design and implement a family governance framework: council structure, charter, decision rights, and communication protocols
- Oversee regulatory and fiduciary compliance across Swiss and international entities
- Coordinate across investment, legal, tax, and philanthropic advisors, ensuring consistent reporting
- Support succession and next-generation education planning
- Manage risk, insurance, and security considerations across holdings and residences
- Build and lead a small, discreet operations team without diluting the family’s lean, trusted structure
- Prepare governance reporting and act as secretary to relevant bodies
Requirements
- 15+ years’ senior operational, governance, or advisory experience, ideally with single/multi-family office, private banking, trust, or professional services exposure to UHNW clients
- Demonstrable experience designing or running family governance structures for private, multi-generational families
- Strong command of Swiss regulatory, fiduciary, and cross-border considerations; existing Zurich advisor relationships an advantage
- Fluent English; German (ideally Swiss German) strongly preferred
- Exceptional discretion and emotional intelligence to navigate multi-generational family dynamics
- A calm, organised operator able to build process and structure from the ground up
Location
Zurich, Switzerland.
Job ref
Chief Operating Officer for a Single Family Office in Zurich, Switzerland.
