Strategy & Operations

About Us

YouLend is the preferred global embedded financing platform for many of the world’s leading e-commerce sites, tech companies and payment services providers such as Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Mollie, Dojo, Paysafe, Just Eat Takeaway and Takepayments. Our software platform and APIs enable our partners to offer flexible financing products, in their desired branding, to their merchant base. With YouLend's AI-driven credit risk assessment solutions, more merchants and SMEs than ever can receive fast, flexible and affordable funding. We operate in 9+ geographies across the UK, EU and the US.

We believe that the future of financial services will be delivered by customer-oriented tech companies that embed financing in their customer journeys, and we are building the solutions that will power that future.

The Role
We are looking for a sharp, execution-focused Strategy & Operations Associate to own and improve the way our end-to-end funnel delivers financing to SMEs. This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-paced fintech scale-up and make a measurable impact on growth, efficiency, and merchant experience. You will work across departments to identify bottlenecks, design experiments, drive strategic initiatives, and champion operational innovation.

What You’ll Do

• Own funnel performance end-to-end: From application to funding, analyse key drop-offs, bottlenecks, and points of friction — and deliver targeted strategies to improve conversion and throughput.
• Drive conversion optimisation by piloting initiatives, running A/B experiments, iterating on funnel logic, and influencing how we balance risk, speed, and customer experience.
• Define and track core operational KPIs and translate insights into clear action plans that deliver measurable improvements.
• Act as a change leader , implementing and embedding improvements quickly and effectively across teams with minimal disruption and strong adoption.
• Collaborate with Product, Credit, Risk, and Partner Success teams to implement strategic initiatives and test new approaches to scale operations more efficiently.
• Identify automation and tooling opportunities to reduce manual effort, improve compliance, and support rapid growth — all while maintaining quality standards.
• Act with urgency and ownership , prioritising high-impact opportunities and ensuring progress is made fast and visibly.

Requirements

Who You Are

• 2+ years of experience in consulting, fintech, high growth ops teams, or highly analytical business roles.
• Exceptional communication skills — both written and verbal — with the ability to influence stakeholders and drive change across teams.
• A natural change agent who can navigate ambiguity, lead cross-functional implementations, and manage operational transformation with minimal oversight.
• Highly analytical and data-driven; comfortable using SQL, Excel, or equivalent to turn data into strategy.
• You’re hands-on, proactive, and act with urgency — you push projects forward, remove blockers, and get things done.
• Passionate about process design, optimisation, and using technology to solve operational challenges.
• Experience in fintech, credit, underwriting, or operations strategy is a plus.

Benefits

Why join YouLend?

• Award-Winning Workplace: YouLend has been recognised as one of the “Best Places to Work 2024 and 2025” by the Sunday Times for being a supportive, diverse, and rewarding workplace.
• Award-Winning Fintech : YouLend has been recognised as a “Top 250 Fintech Worldwide” company by CNBC.

We offer comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Stock Options
• Private Medical insurance via Vitality and Dental with BUPA
• EAP with Health Assured
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave
• Modern and sophisticated office space in Central London
• Free Gym in office building in Holborn
• Subsidised Lunch via Feedr
• Deliveroo Allowance if working late in office
• Monthly in office Masseuse
• Team and Company Socials
• Football Power League / Paddle Club

At YouLend, we champion diversity and embrace equal opportunity employment practices. Our hiring, transfer, and promotion decisions are exclusively based on qualifications, merit, and business requirements, free from any discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, nationality, or any other protected basis under applicable law.

Salary Range: £50,000 - £70,000 + up to 25% annual bonus.