Associate Operations Manager

Reserved role — Italian Law ⁶⁸ ⁄₁₉₉₉ (art. 1), targeted employment lists

Milan, Italy · Hybrid · Full-time · Reports to the VP of Operations

This role is open exclusively to candidates belonging to the protected categories under Italian Law ⁶⁸ ⁄₁₉₉₉ and registered with the collocamento mirato lists.

Since 2018, Cardo AI has been building the technology that makes Private Credit and Asset-Based Finance (ABF) markets more accessible and efficient. More than \(40 billion in assets now run on our platform, helping banks, trustees, and investors move faster, make better decisions, and get more from their portfolios.

Our ambition is to help the ABF market grow beyond \)40 trillion, and we’re pursuing it as one international team spread across Milan, London, New York, Tirana, and Prishtina.

Learn more at .

Every growing company depends on two things working quietly in the background: people being hired, paid, and supported properly, and money being spent carefully and accounted for accurately. In this role, you’ll own both.

As Operations Manager for Talent & Finance, you’ll be based in our Milan office and report directly to our VP of Operations. You’ll make sure new colleagues have a smooth start, that payroll is right every single month, and that leadership always has a clear picture of where our money goes. Just as importantly, you’ll have the freedom to improve how things work as we continue to scale across five cities.

This role is a great fit for someone who takes pride in getting the details right, enjoys being the person others rely on, and wants genuine ownership rather than a narrow list of tasks.

• Own the operational side of the employee journey, from onboarding and contract changes through to offboarding

• Prepare offer letters and employment documentation, and keep personnel files complete and up to date

• Collect and verify monthly payroll inputs, working with our external payroll consultants so everyone is paid accurately and on time

• Manage leave and absences, benefits, meal vouchers, and welfare programmes

• Coordinate recruiting logistics, including interview scheduling and candidate travel

• Manage visa, work permit, and invitation letter processes together with our immigration partners

• Keep us compliant with Italian labour regulations, including occupational health and safety documentation

• Track, categorise, and reconcile operational spend across our entities

• Manage company cards, employee reimbursements, refunds, and vendor invoices and payments

• Serve as the day-to-day contact for our external accountants and auditors

• Support month-end close by preparing documentation and resolving discrepancies

• Help build and monitor operational budgets, giving leadership clear and reliable visibility on spend

• Oversee SaaS subscriptions and vendor contracts, and actively look for savings

• Maintain and improve the HR, finance, and internal tools the team relies on

• Spot bottlenecks early and design simple, practical processes that scale with the company

• Write clear documentation and playbooks so things run consistently across all our offices

• Membership in the protected categories under Law 68⁄99 (required)

• At least 3 years of experience in operations, HR administration, finance administration, or a similar role, ideally in a growing or international company

• Practical knowledge of Italian employment administration, including contracts, CCNL, and payroll processes, along with a solid grasp of basic accounting

• Experience working with external payroll consultants, accountants, or immigration advisors

• Fluency in Italian and English, both written and spoken

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to juggle several priorities without losing accuracy

• Discretion with confidential information and confidence working alongside senior leadership

• A proactive, ownership mindset: when something lands on your desk, you see it through to the end, even when there’s no playbook to follow

• Strong skills in Google Workspace, Slack, and spreadsheets

• Experience with HRIS, expense management, or Employer of Record (EOR) platforms <