Markets & Securities Services - Trade Support Associate

SMBC Group; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension provision

Private medical insurance

Life and disability insurance

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

SMBC Group, a leading financial services provider in London, seeks a Securities Operations Analyst to support post-trade activities within the settlements function. You will help ensure accurate trade lifecycle processing, settlements across global markets, and effective issue resolution.

The role requires close collaboration with front office, risk, compliance and technology teams to maintain operational integrity.

Job description

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SMBC: A trusted partner for the long term

Here at SMBC Group, we want to help you find the next step in your career so read on to discover if this opportunity is the one for you. We like to recognise potential in our people, so we welcome your application even when your experience doesn’t perfectly align with the job description. Whilst we’ll always strive to be better, we’re proud of our inclusive culture, and encourage our applicants and colleagues to be their authentic, unique selves.

Who we are

United by a sense of purpose towards our customers – to be a trusted partner for the long-term – and our universal banking platform in EMEA, SMBC Group has an international growth agenda and award-winning products, meaning we provide exciting opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects and initiatives. We deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers as well as investment banking and advisory services, and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets. Read on to find out how you could enhance your skills and gain valuable experience, by joining us to support our clients transition to a sustainable future.

Role Summary

The purpose of this role is to provide operational support within Securities Operations Settlements.

As the scope and volume of activity expands, a dedicated resource is required to ensure seamless execution of business-as-usual (BAU) processes and to manage the increased complexity across trade lifecycle functions. This includes:

• Supporting higher trade volumes and ensuring accurate and timely reconciliation of projected vs. actual transactions.
• Managing funding requirements and addressing trade fails with enhanced oversight and resolution capabilities.
• Strengthening liquidity management and monitoring credit line usage to support growing operational demands.
• Investigating and resolving Client Money discrepancies with greater frequency and precision.
• Enhancing SWIFT Tracker monitoring to ensure timely and accurate message flow across counterparties.
• Managing increased bank reconciliations and break resolution activities.
• Addressing a higher volume of inbox queries, ensuring prompt and effective query resolution across internal and external stakeholders.

This role is essential to maintaining operational integrity, mitigating risk, and ensuring regulatory compliance in a rapidly evolving environment.

The anticipated salary range for this role is£36,000 - £54,000, with the final offer determined based on the candidate’s skills, experience, role scope, location, and relevant market factors. In addition to base salary, the role may be eligible for a discretionary incentive award and a competitive benefits package, including core benefits such as pension provision

Business Area

The Securities Operations Analyst plays a critical role in the post-trade lifecycle of financial instruments, ensuring that transactions are accurately confirmed, settled, and recorded. This function sits within the middle or back office of financial institutions such as investment banks, asset managers, or custodians, and acts as a bridge between the front office (trading) and other support functions (risk, compliance, finance).

Position Description

To perform below activities:

Trade Lifecycle Management:

• Execute and monitor end-to-end trade processing for Repo, Credit Bonds, and other fixed income instruments.
• Ensure timely and accurate trade confirmation with counterparties via platforms such as SWIFT, or email.
• Oversee settlement processes across global markets, ensuring alignment with market cut-offs and regulatory requirements.
• Ensuring compliance with internal and external guidelines.

BAU Operations & Controls:

• Maintain daily BAU processes including reconciliations, exception management, and reporting.
• Investigate and resolve trade breaks, unmatched trades, and settlement fails.
• Ensure adherence to internal controls and escalation procedures.

Product & Market Expertise:

• Apply deep understanding of fixed income instruments, including credit bonds, sovereign debt, and structured products.
• Stay current with market practices, regulatory changes (e.g., CSDR, SFTR), and industry developments.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborate with front office, risk, compliance, and technology teams to resolve operational issues.
• Build strong relationships with custodians, counterparties, and clearing agents.

Process Improvement & Projects:

• Identify and implement process enhancements to improve efficiency and reduce operational risk.

Participate in system upgrades, UAT testing, and strategic initiatives.

Customer Focus

Driving Change

Driving Results

Judgement and Decision Making

Strategic and Visionary

Trust and Integrity

What we offer

For all the expertise and experience you bring to help us make a difference, it’s only sustainable if we support you to build your career and be your best self so we offer competitive company benefits, centred around promoting positive well-bring and work-life balance. We also believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all team members perspectives and contributions are valued. Initiatives in place which promote a diverse and inclusive culture and healthy work life balance include hybrid working, Sport & Social Clubs and Diversity and Inclusion networks.

As an employee of SMBC you have access to a host of both useful and exciting benefit offerings. See below some of the benefits on offer to you:

• Hybrid and flexible working
• Competitive paid leave days
• Benefits to support your physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life and invalidity insurance
• Various policies to support your mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services
• Access a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression opportunities

We recognise our role as a bank to support social change and welcome all applications, including those from groups often under-represented in financial services. We value the uniqueness of professional and personal, backgrounds and perspectives as they play a vital role in continuing the sustainable growth of our organisation. We’ll ensure reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process are offered due to a disability or long-term condition whenever requested.

We are committed to transparent and equitable pay practices. Compensation is determined using objective criteria, including skills, experience, and role responsibilities, and applied consistently throughout our recruitment processes. We do not request candidates' pay history and are committed to preventing unjustified pay disparities.

About SMBC

A trusted partner for the long term
United by a sense of purpose towards our customers - to be a trusted partner for the long-term - and our universal banking platform in EMEA, we deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers, including corporate, structured and trade finance, leveraged finance, loan market and treasury products. We can also provide investment banking and advisory services and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets.
Find out more about what we do and who we are at https://www.smbcgroup.com/emea/careers