Trading & Settlements

RCQ Associates - Financial Markets Specialists; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

RCQ Associates - Financial Markets Specialists in London seeks a Trading & Settlements Director to lead end-to-end trade lifecycle across multi-asset classes, blending front-office trading with operations. The role requires oversight of execution, risk interpretation, settlements, and prime brokerage relationships, with systems like Broadridge OMS, Bloomberg EMSX, and VCon in scope.

Buy-side background, derivatives risk expertise, and hands-on ops experience are essential; CFA/IMC desirable;

Qualifications

• Experience in buy-side asset management, hedge funds, or discretionary fund management.
• Strong practical knowledge of options Greeks and portfolio risk.

Responsibilities

• Oversee execution across multi-asset classes and manage broker relationships for best execution.
• Monitor daily risk and challenge PMs on positions introducing disproportionate risk.
• Own end-to-end trade lifecycle: booking, confirm, reconcile, corporate actions, and custody reporting.
• Oversee prime broker relationships, validate margin calculations, manage collateral movements, monitor counterparty risk.
• Maintain Broadridge OMS, Bloomberg EMSX, and VCon systems to enforce limits and onboard new products.
• Lead and mentor a junior operations specialist in a fast-paced setting.

Skills

Derivatives risk

Risk interpretation

Team leadership

Front-office collaboration

Stakeholder management

Education

CFA/IMC desirable

Tools

Broadridge OMS

Bloomberg EMSX

VCon

OMS/Trading infrastructure

Job description

Our client is seeking a Trading & Settlements Director to join a lean, high-performing operational team. This senior, hands-on role sits directly at the intersection of front-office trading and trade operations, requiring a rare blend of full trade lifecycle expertise and robust risk interpretation capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Execution Oversight & TCA: Oversee and execute trades across multi-asset classes (equities, fixed income, FX, listed/OTC derivatives, swaps, repo, structured products); manage TCA and broker relationships to ensure best execution.
• Risk Interpretation & Trader Challenge: Monitor daily risk reports, independently evaluate derivative exposures—specifically options Greeks (delta, gamma, theta, vega)—and actively challenge portfolio managers on positions introducing disproportionate or unintended risk.
• Trade Lifecycle & Settlements: Take end-to-end ownership of trade instruction, booking, confirmation, reconciliation, corporate actions, and custodian reporting; resolve failed trades and settlement breaks.
• Prime Brokerage & Collateral: Oversee prime broker relationships, independently verify margin calculations, manage collateral movements, and monitor counterparty risk.
• Systems & Infrastructure: Maintain and configure the Broadridge OMS, Bloomberg, EMSX, and VCon systems to enforce mandate limits and onboard new derivative products or mandates.
• Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and delegate tasks to a junior operations specialist within a fast-paced environment.

Candidate Requirements

• Buy-Side Background: Deep experience within asset management, hedge funds, or discretionary fund management (DFMs).
• Derivatives & Risk Expertise: Strong, practical knowledge of options Greeks and portfolio risk; proven confidence and ability to push back and challenge portfolio managers.
• Hands-on Operations Experience: Comprehensive, practical experience across full trade settlement, reconciliation, and custody reporting across multi-asset classes.
• Margin & Collateral Management: Practical experience managing prime broker relationships and margin/collateral processes.
• Systems Familiarity: Working knowledge of order management systems (Broadridge preferred) and Bloomberg infrastructure (EMSX/VCon).
• Availability: Available on a maximum of 4–6 weeks' notice. CFA or IMC qualifications are desirable.