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Vira Smyshliaieva

Fractional COO | SaaS · EdTech · Multi-market Operations | 15+ Years Scaling Digital Businesses

About Me

I'm an operations executive with 15+ years building and scaling complex organisations across Europe and Southeast Asia. My track record spans multinational public-sector infrastructure (VFS Global — 30+ offices, 1,000+ staff, 2M+ annual clients), global EdTech platforms (Key.Study — 950+ FTE across 5 countries), and entrepreneurial ventures built from the ground up (Woof and Joy — $2.5M+ budget, 100+ team). As a fractional COO, I help founders and CEOs translate strategy into execution — building operational infrastructure, implementing OKR frameworks, aligning cross-functional teams, and driving P&L performance. I work best with scaling companies that need senior operational leadership without the full-time commitment. Based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Available for remote engagements globally.

Jurisdiction

Region: Europe

Notable Employer

  • Chief Operating Officer – Global at Key.Study
  • Chief Operating Officer at VFS Global

Experience

Seniority LevelExecutive
Years of Experience15-20 years
Current StatusActive
Chief Operating Officer – GlobalNotableKey.Study
2024 - 2025

Led global operations across a hybrid SaaS/EdTech portfolio company. Managed 950+ FTE across 5 countries, implemented OKR frameworks and P&L dashboards, united country managers into a cohesive leadership team, and championed operational excellence across all functions.

Chief Operating OfficerNotableVFS Global
2007 - 2020

Led regional operations across 30+ offices and 1,000+ staff in 4 countries. Grew revenue by 130%+, served 2M+ annual clients, managed $4.8M HR budget, and expanded into 3 new markets.

Chief Executive OfficerHedgefund Inc. (Woof and Joy / FabApp)
2020 - Present

Built and scaled a B2C early years e-learning platform (Woof and Joy / FabApp) from scratch. Managed $2.5M+ budget and 100+ team including in-house animation studio and game development. Co-developed digital growth strategy growing YouTube channel to 384K subscribers and 57M+ views across multiple markets.

Education

Masters of Executive MBAMIP Politecnico di Milano
2016 - 2018
Diploma of Professional CoachingErickson Coaching International
2012 - 2013
Masters of Management Institute of Tourism
2001 - 2006

Certification

Total Certifications1

Certified Professional Coach

Erickson Coaching International

2013

Skills

Core skills0
Languages3

Languages

English
Russian
Ukrainian