Deborah Esposito
NJ
Summary
Strategic Head of Operations | Fintech & Enterprise Governance
Dynamic Head of Operations with over 15 years of expertise in Business Technology Operations and Strategic Planning for high-growth, regulated organizations. Proven track record of aligning executive vision with rigorous organizational execution by building scalable, audit-ready infrastructure and optimizing cross-functional workflows.
Expertise spans Change Management, Data Modeling, and AI Governance (RAI), with a specialized focus on transforming raw data into actionable risk intelligence. Expert in operationalizing Jira and Service Now ecosystems to enhance service delivery while ensuring 100% alignment with complex regulatory KPIs and organizational objectives. Committed to driving operational excellence and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within high-stakes, fast-paced environments.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Consulting
QualiSphere Consulting LLC
New York, NY
09.2025 - Current
- Lead operational transformations for venture-backed and growth-stage fintechs, engineering robust compliance and audit infrastructures to satisfy rigorous examiner, investor, and customer due-diligence requirements.
- Architect and deploy comprehensive control frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001) for New York-based fintech leaders, encompassing policy design, evidence automation, and vendor risk management to ensure third-party assessment readiness.
- Design integrated operating models that synchronize finance, engineering, product, and compliance, replacing siloed workflows with a unified, audit-defensible system of record (CMDB- single source of truth).
- Advise Founders and CEOs on regulatory posture and licensing strategies, maturing corporate governance to facilitate successful fundraising, bank partner onboarding, and multi-state jurisdictional expansion.
Director of Operations - Global Executive Director
JPMorgan Chase
New York, NY - Jersey City, New Jersey
01.2016 - 09.2025
- Direct fintech operations and compliance initiatives for a global managed service portfolio, overseeing a $600M budget and a cross-functional team of 400 professionals within a Tier-1 U.S. regulatory environment.
- Architected and operationalized a premier enterprise audit framework, featuring a Pre-Audit Checklist that improved audit outcomes by 61% and significantly mitigated repeat findings across regulatory and internal audit cycles.
- Institutionalized a cross-functional Quarterly Business Review (QBR) cadence for risk, controls, and incident posture, reducing operational risk by 43% while providing board-level transparency into compliance health.
- Engineered audit-readiness and regulatory strategies aligned with BSA/AML, information security, and operational resilience standards (SR 11-7 / OCC-equivalent) for large-scale financial institutions.
- Transformed the Vendor Management Office (VMO) framework within 60 days, driving a 67% increase in oversight efficiency and strengthening due diligence and contract governance across critical AML and InfoSec control surfaces.
- Spearheaded an enterprise analytics practice to launch 26 strategic "analytic storybooks," embedding KPI-driven decision-making and automated early-warning signals for control breakdowns and operational volatility.
Director of Operations
Proskauer Rose LLP
New York, NY
09.2012 - 12.2015
- Partnered with key stakeholders to refine customer engagement strategies within the operational service model, driving a 34% increase in satisfaction ratings.
- Scaled People Operations by directing a team of 10 managers and 56 staff members, optimizing resource planning, KPIs, and performance management across 13 global offices.
- Orchestrated support and operations for incident remediation regarding high-profile meetings and events; provided dedicated executive support and modernized help desk functions to elevate service delivery standards.
- Directed internal and external audit workstreams, architecting a comprehensive pre-audit framework that proactively identified and mitigated institutional risk.
Managing Director
IPM
New York, NY
02.2010 - 09.2012
- Optimized global service delivery models by spearheading cross-functional teams tasked with enhancing customer engagement and building scalable operational infrastructure.
- Engineered advanced CSAT analysis frameworks, utilizing data modeling and comparative analytics to drive a 31% improvement in client satisfaction scores.
- Orchestrated liquidation strategies and asset management during complex firm wind-downs, serving as the primary liaison between banking institutions and executive leadership.
- Appointed as Acting CIO for a global law firm, directing the enterprise technology strategy and ensuring operational continuity during a critical organizational transition.
Education
Bachelor of Science Degree - Business Administration
OSWEGO UNIVERSITY
Oswego, New YorkSkills
- Financial Crimes: AML/BSA, KYC, CIP, SAR/CTR Filing, OFAC Sanctions
- Regulatory Operations: EWA License Implementation, Multi-State Jurisdictional Strategy
- Frameworks: Integrated Risk Management, Policy Architecture, Audit Readiness
- AI Strategy & RAI Frameworks: Expert in designing and implementing Responsible AI (RAI) frameworks to ensure ethical deployment and regulatory alignment
- AI-Certified Leadership: Certified practitioner in AI-driven operational strategy and technology integration
- Enterprise Analytics: Advanced proficiency in data modeling and KPI-driven decision-making to surface operational risk and control breakthroughs
- Strategic & Transformation Leadership: Proven success in directing large-scale organizational change and operational maturity within global regulated environments
- Operational Efficiency Enhancement: Expertise in re-engineering workflows and implementing automated systems of record (CMDB) to drive scalable growth
- Financial & Capital Budget Planning
- Client Relations & Discovery: Expert in executive-level engagement and needs discovery to improve service models and customer satisfaction (CSAT)
- High-Stakes Problem Solving
Accomplishments
- Built and spearheaded an enterprise analytics practice, transforming organizational decision-making and strategic planning by operationalizing standardized KPIs and delivering measurable business impact.
- Launched 26 high-impact analytic storybooks across diverse Lines of Business (LOBs), including Finance, HR, Resource Management, and Incident/Program Management, to drive data-centric storytelling.
- Architected and deployed a comprehensive PMO Framework that increased operational efficiency by 84%; integrated ServiceNow for financial management and Jira for streamlined project intake and tracking.
- Established and chaired an executive cross-functional Quarterly Business Review (QBR) process, effectively reducing organizational risk by 43%.
- Engineered a Pre-Audit Framework and Checklist, resulting in a 61% improvement in audit outcomes and regulatory compliance.
- Restructured the VMO framework within a two-month accelerated timeline, achieving a 67% surge in vendor productivity and departmental efficiency.
- Pioneered a Customer Experience quarterly roundtable, driving a 42% increase in client satisfaction scores and stakeholder confidence.
Timeline
Consulting
QualiSphere Consulting LLC
09.2025 - Current
Director of Operations - Global Executive Director
JPMorgan Chase
01.2016 - 09.2025
Director of Operations
Proskauer Rose LLP
09.2012 - 12.2015
Managing Director
IPM
02.2010 - 09.2012
Bachelor of Science Degree - Business Administration
OSWEGO UNIVERSITY