Senior Securities Finance Trader

LGBT Great; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Trust in London seeks an Equity Securities Finance Trader to join the Global Securities Finance Trading team. The role manages and optimises institutional client lending portfolios and executes equity securities lending transactions across a diverse client base.

The successful candidate collaborates with borrowers, brokers and internal partners to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns, strengthen relationships and contribute to ongoing capability development in equity financing.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of securities lending and equity finance markets.
• Commercial mindset to identify revenue opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills across trading and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills for pricing, borrow demand and revenue attribution.
• Proficient Excel; data analysis and portfolio analytics.
• Familiarity with Python, SQL and Power BI is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day trading activity across institutional equity securities lending portfolios.
• Build and maintain relationships with borrowers, prime brokers, banks and intermediaries.
• Identify and monetise lending opportunities across collateral, specials, corporate actions and market events.
• Monitor utilization, fees, borrower demand, liquidity and revenue performance.
• Collaborate with sales, product and client executives to grow opportunities.
• Prepare market commentary, performance attribution and internal reporting.
• Ensure best execution, fiduciary standards and client guidelines.

Skills

Securities lending

Commercial acumen

Interpersonal leadership

Analytical & quantitative

Excel

Python/SQL/Power BI

Tools

Trading systems

Job description

About Northern Trust

As a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services, Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) is proud to guide the world’s most successful individuals, families, corporations and institutions.

Since 1889, we have aligned our efforts with our three guiding Principles That Endure: Service, Expertise, and Integrity. Together, they reflect the three cornerstones of business conduct which we strive to instill in our employees, whom we call partners, and to provide to our clients and the communities we serve worldwide.

With more than 135 years of financial experience and over 24,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Role/ Department:

We are seeking an Equity Securities Finance Trader to join Northern Trust’s London-based Global Securities Finance Trading team. The role will be responsible for managing and optimising institutional client lending portfolios, executing equity securities lending transactions across a diverse global beneficial owner base, and contributing to the continued development of Northern Trust’s broader equity financing capabilities.

The successful candidate will work closely with borrowers, broker-dealers, clients and internal partners across sales, product, operations, technology, legal, risk and compliance. The role requires a good understanding of equity markets, securities lending, collateral, corporate actions and the risk and control framework required to support a client-focused securities finance programme.

As part of a globally integrated trading team, the individual will be expected to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns for clients, identify new lending and financing opportunities, strengthen borrower relationships, provide market intelligence and contribute to the ongoing growth and innovation of Northern Trust’s Securities Finance business.

The successful candidate will combine commercial acumen with a fiduciary mindset, ensuring client outcomes, risk management, regulatory compliance and operational excellence remain central to trading and portfolio management decisions.

Equity Securities Lending Trading

• Manage day-to-day trading activity across institutional equity securities lending portfolios, with responsibility for maximising client revenue while operating within approved risk, collateral, liquidity and counterparty guidelines.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with borrowers, including prime brokers, banks and market intermediaries, to optimise lending demand and portfolio performance.
• Identify and monetise lending opportunities across general collateral, specials, corporate actions, index events, rights issues, tender offers and other market-driven opportunities.
• Monitor utilisation, fee levels, borrower demand, short interest, market liquidity, collateral usage and revenue performance to ensure portfolios are optimised on a risk-adjusted basis.
• Partner with sales, client executives and product teams to identify and develop incremental lending and financing opportunities, support client reviews and contribute to new business opportunities.
• Prepare market commentary, trading colour, performance attribution and management reporting for internal stakeholders, beneficial owners and prospective clients.
• Ensure trading activity meets best execution, fiduciary, counterparty credit and client guideline requirements.

Broader Equity Financing

• Support the development and delivery of Northern Trust’s broader equity financing capabilities, including synthetic financing solutions.
• Work with trading, product and sales teams to identify opportunities where different financing structures can improve client outcomes, market access or portfolio efficiency.
• Support the pricing, execution and ongoing management of financing transactions in line with client guidelines, internal risk limits and applicable regulations.
• Develop an understanding of the risks associated with different financing structures, including market, financing, dividend, corporate action, liquidity and counterparty risks.
• Coordinate with sales and relationship managers to support client onboarding, transaction execution and ongoing lifecycle requirements.
• Contribute to product development initiatives, including new market access, financing structures, pricing frameworks, client reporting and operating model enhancements.

Risk, Control and Governance

• Operate within a robust control framework covering client guidelines, counterparty credit limits, collateral eligibility, margin requirements, best execution, fiduciary standards and regulatory obligations.
• Partner with risk management to monitor portfolio exposures, trading concentrations, borrower limits, collateral quality and capital usage.
• Ensure accurate trade booking, settlement, billing, reconciliation, lifecycle event processing and exception management across securities finance activity.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Knowledge of securities lending, equity finance, prime brokerage and/or related financing markets, including synthetic financing.
• A commercial mindset with the ability to identify revenue opportunities and improve portfolio performance within a controlled trading environment.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to influence, motivate and align colleagues across trading and wider stakeholder groups to drive initiatives through to successful delivery.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to assess portfolio opportunities, pricing, borrow demand, financing spreads, collateral usage and revenue attribution.
• Good Excel skills and confidence working with datasets, portfolio analytics, trading dashboards and performance reporting.
• Data skills such as Python, SQL and Power BI would be advantageous but are not essential.

Work Authorization

Applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom at the time of application and for the duration of employment.

Please note that Northern Trust is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. This includes Skilled Worker visas, Global Business Mobility routes, Graduate visas, Youth Mobility Scheme, High Potential Individual visas, Scale-up Worker visas, Temporary Worker visas, and other employer-sponsored visa categories.

Working with Us

As a Northern Trust partner, you will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture, which has a strong history of financial strength and stability. Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to an inclusive workplace and assisting the communities we serve.

Philanthropy is deeply rooted in Northern Trust’s history and is an essential element of our culture.

Employees around the world give their time and talent to work for the greater good of their communities.

Reasonable Accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing adjustments to individuals with health conditions and disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [e-mail], or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with.