Remote Protocol Officer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Job Description: About zerohash national trust bank zerohash national trust bank (zntb) is proposing to establish a nation trust bank with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and its application is currently in progress. If approved, zntb would operate as a proposed national trust bank and wholly owned subsidiary of zerohash, a Chicago-based digital asset infrastructure platform that provides regulated API infrastructure for crypto trading, stablecoin payments, tokenized assets, and cross-border settlement to banks, fintechs, brokerages, and payment companies. zntb is being organized to exercise fiduciary powers and conduct trust company operations in accordance with the National Bank Act and 12 CFR Part 9. The bank's core activities will include digital asset custody, safekeeping, and related fiduciary services for its clients. Candidates must be located within a 1-hour driving radius of one of our main office hubs (Chicago, NYC, UK/Amsterdam for EMEA).About the Job zerohash national trust bank is seeking a foundational Chief Trust Officer to help build, launch, and operate the bank from the ground up. Reporting directly to the CEO of zntb, the Chief Trust Officer will be the bank's senior-most fiduciary executive, responsible for, trust administration, fiduciary controls, and organizational performance. This individual will play a pivotal role in completing pre-opening requirements for OCC charter approval, establishing the operational and governance infrastructure required to commence business, and running a safe and sound banking operation thereafter. The Chief Trust Officer will serve as the lead Fiduciary Officer of the bank, leading all fiduciary and trust staff in fulfilling fiduciary obligations under 12 CFR Part 9, and will be the primary executive accountable for reporting to the zntb Board of Directors on fiduciary activities and compliance with Part 9, in additional to other, compliance, operational KPIs across the organization. This is a rare opportunity to build a federally chartered trust bank from inception ideal for a proven operator with fiduciary experience who combines deep trust and custody expertise with the entrepreneurial drive to stand up a new institution. This fully remote role is open to candidates in the U.S.Key ResponsibilitiesBank Operations LeadershipLead all day-to-day fiduciary functions of zntb, including custody operations, settlement flows, reconciliation, reserve operations, and account administration.Design, implement, and maintain operational playbooks, standard operating procedures, and business continuity frameworks aligned with OCC safety and soundness expectations.Build and manage the bank's operational infrastructure from pre-opening through steady-state operations, coordinating with engineering, product, finance, and legal teams.Oversee operational readiness for new products, new asset types, new partner integrations, and changes to the bank's operational scope.Establish and monitor SLAs, exception-handling protocols, and operational uptime standards across all bank functions.Fiduciary Operations & Trust Administration (12 CFR Part 9)Serve as the senior Fiduciary Officer of zntb, leading the trust and fiduciary staff in the administration of all fiduciary and custodial accounts.Oversee fiduciary recordkeeping, including account setup, asset segregation, ledger accuracy, periodic account reviews, and documentation required under 12 CFR 9.6.Ensure trust operations comply with OCC fiduciary standards, including annual review requirements, internal fiduciary audit protocols, and applicable state trust law.Maintain adequate safeguards and controls over fiduciary assets, including collateral requirements for uninsured fiduciary funds in accordance with 12 CFR Part 9.Implement and enforce policies and procedures governing self-dealing, conflicts of interest, and co-mingling of fiduciary and non-fiduciary assets.Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer to build and monitor controls, reporting and visibility of fiduciary responsibilities.Board Reporting & GovernanceServe as the primary executive responsible for reporting to the zntb Board of Directors on fiduciary activities, controls, and institutional KPIs.Prepare and present regular Board and committee reports covering all fiduciary account activity, reconciliation integrity, vendor performance, operational incidents, and risk metrics.Support the Board in discharging its fiduciary governance obligations under 12 CFR 9.7, including participation in the bank's audit and risk committees.Maintain the governance calendar and ensure timely production of all required Board materials, reports, and approvals.Regulatory Compliance & OCC Examination ReadinessMaintain audit-ready documentation, operational logs, and evidence repositories in preparation for OCC examinations, fiduciary audits, and supervisory reviews.Implement and maintain OCC-aligned internal control systems across operations, custody, reconciliation, and settlement workflows.Support pre-opening examination requirements and preopening deliverables required to achieve final OCC charter approval.Partner with the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, CRO, and Legal team on operational risk testing, issue remediation, and supervisory responses.Monitor and operationalize evolving regulatory requirements, including GENIUS Act requirements related to issuance, reserve management, and redemption operations where applicable.Third-Party & Vendor ManagementOversee relationships with banking partners, sub-custodians, reserve custodians, technology vendors, and other critical service providers related to fiduciary and trust activities.Ensure intercompany and third-party relationships satisfy OCC third-party risk management expectations, including due diligence, SLA monitoring, and ongoing oversight.Maintain relevant vendor performance dashboards, due diligence packages, and documentation required for OCC third-party risk review.Operational Resilience & Incident ManagementFor fiduciary and trust functions, own the bank's operational continuity, incident response, and crisis management programs.Lead triage and resolution for any fiduciary and trust incidents across custody, settlement, reconciliation, and technology functions.Conduct post-incident reviews and ensure timely remediation of control gaps and operational failures.People & Organizational LeadershipFoster a culture of operational excellence, fiduciary accountability, and regulatory integrity across the organization.Serve as a key member of the zntb executive leadership team, contributing to strategy, culture, and organizational development.Requirements10+ years of progressive experience in banking operations, trust operations, custody operations, or payments at a federally regulated financial institution.Direct experience at a national bank, federally chartered trust company, or equivalent regulated depository institution operating under OCC supervision.Deep working knowledge of 12 CFR Part 9 (Fiduciary Activities of National Banks), OCC safety and soundness expectations, and fiduciary examination standards.Demonstrated experience managing trust or custodial account administration, including account setup, asset segregation, periodic review, and fiduciary recordkeeping.Proven track record of building or managing high-volume, control-intensive operational environments in a regulated banking context.Experience reporting to or working directly with a bank Board of Directors, including preparation of board materials, operational KPIs, and governance reporting.Strong understanding of bank operational controls, internal audit, and OCC examination processes.Experience managing third-party and vendor relationships in a manner consistent with OCC third-party risk expectations.Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing teams in a regulated banking environment.Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to boards, regulators, and senior institutional stakeholders.Willingness and ability to travel for regulatory meetings, partner engagements, and bank business as required.PreferredExperience as a designated Fiduciary Officer, Trust Officer, or equivalent under OCC or state trust bank supervision.Experience at a de novo bank or trust company during the chartering, pre-opening, or early-stage operational period; familiarity with OCC pre-opening requirements under 12 CFR 5.20.Experience with digital asset custody, stablecoin operations, or blockchain-based transaction workflows.Familiarity with GENIUS Act requirements or other federal stablecoin regulatory frameworks.Prior experience at a fintech-sponsored or tech-forward national trust bank.Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) or equivalent professional credential.Background in payments, cross-border settlement, or institutional custody operations.BenefitsHealthcare Insurance: zerohash covers roughly 100% of employee premiums as well as a portion of spouse/children (U.S. only)Vision & Dental Insurance (U.S. only)Chance to earn equityMaternity & Paternity leave (after 6 months)WeWork All Access MembershipWFH Yearly StipendL&D Yearly Stipend (after 6 months)About zerohash zerohash is the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure platform and the operating system for digital money, powering the next generation of financial services. Founded in 2017, zerohash enables banks, brokerages, fintechs, and payment companies to offer crypto trading, stablecoin payments, and tokenized assets without having to build or manage complex blockchain infrastructure on their own.The zerohash platform supports three core pillars: Trade, Transact, and Tokenize. Through a single integration, customers can launch regulated crypto buy, sell, and custody services; enable 24/7 stablecoin-based funding, payouts, and settlement; and issue and manage tokenized assets with built-in compliance, risk controls, and reporting. By abstracting away technical, regulatory, and operational complexity, zerohash allows partners to treat digital assets as just another financial primitive: fast, programmable, and global.zerohash is trusted by some of the world's most recognized financial and consumer brands, including Interactive Brokers, Morgan Stanley, Stripe, Franklin Templeton, BlackRock, DraftKings, Gusto, Worldpay, Kalshi, One Pay, among others. Today, zerohash infrastructure supports millions of end users across brokerage, wealth, payments, and marketplace platforms globally.The company is deeply regulated and compliance-first, operating across the U.S. and internationally with licenses and approvals that allow partners to enter crypto and stablecoins with confidence. zerohash has become a trusted partner for enterprises seeking to modernize financial products while meeting the highest standards for security, risk management, and regulatory oversight.To date, zerohash has raised over $280 million in funding from a mix of leading venture firms and strategic investors, including Morgan Stanley, Interactive Brokers, SoFi, Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Crypto, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and more.zerohash has been featured in top-tier media outlets such as Bloomberg, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Reuters, Forbes, and CoinDesk, and its leadership team regularly contributes to global conversations on the future of payments, investing, and financial infrastructure.At zerohash, we're building the infrastructure that makes digital money work securely, compliantly, and at global scale.The zerohash Culture All zerohash employees are guided by the following characteristics and core principles:Independence/Ownership - An ability to work autonomously. Join zerohash, pitch ideas, and shape the work you do.Passion - We are innovating quickly and challenging the status quo. We want you to think big, be creative and make a difference every day.Collaborative - A good attitude and respect for others. We're teammates, not co-workers. Everything we do is a shared success and equally a shared failure - we talk in terms of we not me.Initiative - An ability and passion for learning and asking questions. We will champion you, challenge you and push you to achieve your best - and we expect you to do the same.Empathy - An ability to listen, respect, and understand your co-workers, customers, and everyone you interact with no matter how different they are to you.Adaptability - An ability to respond quickly. We are in a fast-paced industry and so we expect you to be creative when solving a new problem and comfortable under pressure.Transparency - We believe that transparency is critical to empowering everyone to make the best decisions, both the company to its people and vice versa.Integrity - Integrity creates trust. As both an organization collectively and as individuals, it is our most valuable asset. Follow us Twitter LinkedIn Youtube For candidates based in Colorado, please contact colorado-wages @zerohash.com to request compensation and benefits information regarding a particular role(s). Please include with your email the city you reside (or intend to reside in Colorado) and the title/link to the roles you're interested in. **We've recently seen an increase in individuals impersonating zerohash recruiters to target job seekers. Please stay vigilant and keep the following in mind to ensure you are communicating with the real zerohash team:Verified Emails Only: Official outreach will only come from a @zerohash.com email address.No Messaging Apps: We will never contact you via unsolicited text messages, WhatsApp, or Telegram.Official Applications: Only apply directly through our careers webpage (zerohash.com/careers) or zero-hash.breezy.hr. See something suspicious?If you want to verify an interview request or report a fake job posting or suspicious communication, please contact us immediately at talent @zerohash.com. This email is for fraud reports only. Candidate application inquiries will not be responded to.