About Bright Money

Bright Money is a consumer fintech built for middle-income consumers. Our platform helps consumers build credit, manage debt, and access suitable loans and credit cards—addressing the key financial needs of people living paycheck to paycheck.

Bright is a profitable, India-built fintech serving the U.S. market, with a clear trajectory toward $100 million in revenue. Our business model combines subscription revenue with a financial-services marketplace across loans, credit cards, and credit-building solutions.

We have launched an AI-powered money assistant and agentic AI experiences that simplify access to credit. Our ambition is to build the first AI-driven consumer-fintech platform for middle-income consumers.

Founded in 2019, Bright's founding team includes leaders from McKinsey's Banking Practice—Petko Plachkov and Avi Patchava—and data science leaders from InMobi. Bright is backed by leading global venture capital firms and technology investors across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

With a data-driven, high-ownership, and fast-paced culture, we are building a global consumer-fintech company from India.

What is the role about

We are looking for a Chief of Staff (with a path to Chief Operating Officer) to work directly with Bright's CEO and leadership team as a strategic partner and force multiplier. You will drive the company's operating rhythm, translate strategy into execution across functions, and lead the high-priority initiatives that shape Bright's next phase of growth.

This role is designed as a path to Chief Operating Officer. You will begin by driving strategy and execution alongside the CEO, and progressively take direct ownership of functions, teams, and P&L as you build the operating track record to step into the COO seat.

We are looking for a seasoned operator who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, influences senior stakeholders without formal authority, and is ready to carry line accountability.

What will you do

Strategic partnership: Act as a thought partner to the CEO on company strategy, priorities, and key decisions—framing problems, analyzing options, and driving decisions to closure.
Operating cadence: Own the company's planning and review rhythm, including annual and quarterly goal-setting, OKRs, business reviews, and leadership meetings, with clear accountability and follow-through.
Cross-functional execution: Lead high-priority initiatives from scoping through delivery, aligning Product, Engineering, Data Science, Growth, Finance, and Human Potential teams.
Board & investor readiness: Prepare board decks, investor updates, and leadership communications with Board-level rigor and clarity.
Performance insight: Track key business metrics and surface risks, bottlenecks, and opportunities early, with data-backed recommendations.
Special projects: Own strategic projects such as new product or market evaluations, organizational design, and process improvements.
Leadership leverage: Manage the CEO's priorities and time, serve as a point of escalation, and represent the CEO in internal and external forums as needed.
Path to COO: Progressively take direct ownership of functions, operating teams, and P&L, stepping into the Chief Operating Officer mandate as the business scales.

Ideal candidate profile

Experience & Background:

Experience: 12+ years of professional experience, with a strong foundation in management consulting, investment banking, or strategy and operations roles at high-growth technology companies.
Leadership exposure: A proven track record of working closely with founders or CXOs; prior experience as a Chief of Staff or in Strategy or BizOps leadership is strongly preferred.
Domain: Experience in fintech, consumer internet, or financial services is a strong plus; exposure to the U.S. market is an advantage.
Analytical depth: Strong quantitative and problem-solving skills; comfortable with financial models, business metrics, and data-driven decision-making.
Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication, including Board-level presentations and executive storytelling.
Education: Degree from a leading institution; an MBA is preferred.
Operating scope: Experience owning a function, business line, or P&L, and building and leading teams; the ambition and readiness to step into a COO mandate.

Mindset & Operating DNA:

Ownership: Treats company outcomes as their own and closes loops without being asked.
Structured thinking: Brings clarity to ambiguous problems and turns them into actionable plans.
Bias for action: Moves quickly, prioritizes ruthlessly, and balances speed with rigor.
Influence without authority: Builds trust across teams and aligns senior stakeholders through credibility rather than hierarchy.
Discretion & judgment: Handles sensitive information with integrity and makes sound calls under pressure.
Leadership scale: Ready to move from influence to direct accountability—setting standards, building teams, and owning outcomes end to end.

Non-Fit Profiles

Profiles focused mainly on executive assistance, scheduling, or administrative support.
Candidates who prefer advisory work without hands-on ownership of execution and outcomes.
Those uncomfortable with ambiguity, shifting priorities, or a fast-paced, high-cadence environment.
Candidates seeking a long-term staff or advisory seat, with no appetite for line ownership or P&L accountability.

What Bright Offers

A profitable sub-unicorn with U.S. market scale – liquidity potential at $1–3B valuations.
Real ownership: You grow into running your own BU with an independent P&L.
Wealth creation: Equity at an inflection stage of scale.
A data-driven, high-cadence culture that combines consulting rigor with FinTech speed.
Benefits: Excellent benefits package in line with sector best practice.