Lead : Cash & Position Reconciliation

Cognizant; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant in Hyderabad is seeking a Team Lead to supervise a sub‑team performing cash and position reconciliation. You will oversee daily/intraday activities, validate outputs, and manage exceptions to ensure timely and accurate results.

You will coach analysts, allocate workload, and ensure adherence to SOPs and controls while supporting audit preparation and process improvements. Strong Excel skills and experience with reconciliation platforms are required.

Qualifications

• 6–8 years of experience in cash and/or position reconciliation in financial services or banking operations.
• Supervisory or lead experience managing junior team members.
• Working knowledge of reconciliation platforms such as Intellimatch, AutoRek, SmartStream.

Responsibilities

• Daily reconciliation oversight across accounts and asset classes.
• Review and validate outputs before submission and monitor exception queues.
• Coordinate with custodians and internal teams to clear outstanding items.
• Allocate work, provide training, and manage SLA timelines.
• Escalate issues to the Team Manager and support audit readiness.

Skills

Team leadership

Cash reconciliation

Position reconciliation

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Commerce, Accounting, Economics, or related field

Post-graduate finance qualifications a plus

Tools

Intellimatch

AutoRek

SmartStream

Job description

Role Purpose

The Team Lead will supervise a sub‑team of analysts responsible for cash and position reconciliation activities. They act as the first line of operational oversight, ensuring accurate and timely reconciliation output, break resolution, and adherence to process controls. The Team Lead plays a key role in coaching analysts, managing day‑to‑day workflow, and escalating exceptions appropriately to the Team Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Daily Reconciliation Oversight
• Oversee end‑of‑day and intraday cash & Position reconciliation across all accounts and asset classes providing both L1 and L2 services.
• Review and validate reconciliation outputs completed by analysts before submission.
• Monitor break queues and ensure timely investigation and resolution of exceptions.
• Coordinate with custodians, counterparties, and internal teams to clear outstanding items.
• Team Supervision & Development
• Allocate daily work to analysts, monitor progress, and ensure SLA timelines are met.
• Provide on‑the‑job training, guidance, and feedback to analysts.
• Act as the first point of escalation for analyst queries or complex breaks.
• Flag performance concerns and development needs to the Team Manager.
• Controls & Process Adherence
• Ensure team members follow documented SOPs and maker‑checker controls at all times.
• Perform quality checks on reconciliation outputs and flag anomalies.
• Maintain accurate records of breaks, resolutions, and exception logs.
• Support the Team Manager in audit preparation and compliance reviews.
• Reporting & Communication
• Prepare and submit daily/weekly break reports and exception summaries to the Team Manager.
• Participate in internal team meetings and represent the team in operational calls.
• Proactively communicate operational risks or issues to the Team Manager.
• Process Improvement
• Identify repetitive manual tasks and suggest improvements or automation opportunities.
• Support implementation of process changes and new reconciliation workflows.
• Share knowledge and best practices within the team to improve overall quality.

Key Requirements

Experience & Skills

• 6–8 years of experience in cash and/or position reconciliation within financial services or banking operations.
• Prior experience in a supervisory or lead capacity managing junior team members.
• Working knowledge of reconciliation platforms such as Intellimatch, AutoRek, SmartStream, or similar.
• Good understanding of trade lifecycle, settlements, corporate actions, and fund accounting.
• Strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Proficiency in MS Excel; familiarity with data tools is advantageous.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Commerce, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
• Professional certifications or post‑graduate qualifications in Finance are a plus.