Head ETF Market Trading

Intellectual Capital HR Consulting Pvt. Ltd.; Mumbai; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 8,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Intellectual Capital HR Consulting Pvt. Ltd. seeks a seasoned Head ETF Market Trading to lead liquidity provision, execution quality, and risk controls across a diverse ETF product suite.

You will build and mentor a high-performance trading team, drive profitability, and align with regulatory requirements while shaping strategic ETF initiatives. The role requires deep market structure knowledge, robust risk management, and the ability to scale trading operations, API development, and automation

Qualifications

• 10+ years of ETF trading and market-making experience.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• CFA, FRM, CQF, or equivalent certifications are an added advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead ETF market-making and liquidity management across multiple ETF segments (Equity, Debt, Gold, International, Smart Beta, Sectoral).
• Oversee two-sided quoting strategies, bid-ask spreads, inventory positioning, and execution quality.
• Monitor market depth, trading volumes, liquidity trends, and regulator compliance.
• Develop scalable arbitrage frameworks and collaborate with PM and Investment teams.
• Manage risk, limits, and stress testing; drive desk profitability and efficiency.

Skills

ETF trading

Market making

Leadership

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Finance/Economics/Mathematics/Engineering

Tools

Algorithmic trading systems

Execution platforms

Quantitative trading tools

Job description

Job Title: Head ETF Market Trading

Role Overview

The Head – ETF Market Trading will lead the firm's ETF trading and market-making function, ensuring efficient liquidity provision, optimal execution, robust risk management, and profitable trading strategies across a diverse ETF product suite. The role requires deep expertise in ETF market structure, arbitrage mechanisms, liquidity dynamics, execution technologies, and real-time market behavior.

The incumbent will be responsible for driving trading performance, enhancing operational scalability, managing inventory risk, and building a high-performance trading team capable of supporting the firm's growth ambitions in the ETF ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

ETF Market Making & Liquidity Management

• Lead market-making activities across Equity, Debt, Gold, International, Smart Beta, and Sectoral ETFs.
• Manage bid-ask spreads, liquidity provisioning, inventory positioning, and execution quality.
• Develop and oversee two-sided quoting strategies to ensure competitive market presence.
• Continuously monitor market depth, trading volumes, and liquidity trends to optimize trading performance.
• Ensure adherence to exchange and regulatory requirements related to market-making activities.

Arbitrage & Relative Value Trading

• Identify, evaluate, and execute ETF versus underlying basket/index arbitrage opportunities.
• Monitor ETF premiums, discounts, tracking errors, and fair-value deviations.
• Develop scalable arbitrage frameworks and execution models to enhance profitability.
• Collaborate with portfolio management and investment teams to improve ETF pricing efficiency.
• Leverage quantitative insights and analytics to identify emerging trading opportunities.

Risk & Inventory Management

• Establish and enforce trading limits, inventory thresholds, and risk management frameworks.
• Monitor market, liquidity, and execution risks on a real-time basis.
• Implement robust controls to minimize slippage, market impact, and transaction costs.
• Ensure disciplined inventory management while maintaining efficient liquidity support.
• Conduct regular stress testing and scenario analysis to evaluate portfolio resilience.

Trading Strategy & Infrastructure Development

• Partner with Technology, Quantitative Research, and Operations teams to enhance trading systems and automation capabilities.
• Drive the development of APIs, execution algorithms, trading dashboards, and monitoring tools.
• Improve trading workflows, execution efficiency, and operational scalability.
• Evaluate and implement advanced trading technologies to maintain competitive advantage.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing ETF trading and market-making team.
• Establish a culture of accountability, analytical rigor, and disciplined risk-taking.
• Conduct daily market reviews, strategy discussions, and post-trade performance evaluations.
• Develop succession plans and training programs to strengthen desk capabilities.

Market Intelligence & Research

• Monitor macroeconomic developments, central bank policies, inflation trends, interest rate movements, and global market events.
• Analyze market structure changes, institutional flow patterns, and liquidity shifts affecting ETF trading activity.
• Provide actionable market insights to senior management and investment stakeholders.
• Stay abreast of regulatory developments and evolving trends within the ETF industry.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Maintain overall P&L responsibility for the ETF trading desk.
• Track and report key trading metrics, including execution quality, spread capture, inventory turnover, and risk-adjusted returns.
• Present periodic performance reviews, risk assessments, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance desk profitability and operational effectiveness.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in ETF trading, market making, proprietary trading, or institutional equity trading.
• Strong understanding of ETF creation/redemption mechanisms, AP structures, and market microstructure.
• Demonstrated experience in managing trading risk, liquidity provision, and arbitrage strategies.
• Familiarity with algorithmic trading systems, execution platforms, and quantitative trading tools.
• Strong analytical, leadership, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• CFA, FRM, CQF, or equivalent certifications will be an added advantage.

Key Success Metrics

• Trading Desk P&L Performance
• Liquidity Provision Effectiveness
• Spread Capture & Execution Quality
• Inventory Risk Management
• Arbitrage Profitability
• Operational Efficiency & Automation
• Regulatory Compliance
• Team Development & Retention