Front Office Project Manager

Luxoft; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a skilled Project Manager to lead front office change initiatives within financial institutions. This role demands expertise in managing complex projects from initiation to closure, ensuring compliance with quality standards and budget constraints. The ideal candidate will possess deep knowledge of derivatives and project governance, as well as strong stakeholder management skills. Join a dynamic team where your contributions will drive significant organizational change and support strategic initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in front office change projects in financial institutions.
• Expertise in project/program management and governance.
• Strong skills in managing project budgets and resources.

Responsibilities

• Manage full project lifecycle ensuring compliance with quality standards.
• Communicate project strategies and updates to senior management.
• Engage and manage third-party vendors according to policies.

Skills

Front Office Change Management

Derivatives Knowledge

Investment Budget Management

Project Governance

Document Management

Risk Management

Stakeholder Management

Agile Methodologies

Waterfall Methodologies

Education

Degree-level education

Prince2 Certification

PMI Certification

Six Sigma Certification

Job description

Project description

The FO Change team supports the front office in delivery, reporting, and administration of change, reporting to the COO function. The project supports a key initiative enabling the EMEA regional strategy, focusing on the merger of two existing entities.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full project lifecycle to ensure compliance with quality standards, including data completeness, currency, and accuracy, from initiation through to handover and closure.
• Utilize reporting tools and hold regular meetings with staff and stakeholders to monitor progress.
• Run and manage steering committees and cross-functional working groups, ensuring accountability and timely delivery of actions.
• Support the portfolio manager in governance and delivery oversight across all projects.
• Identify, understand, and resolve issues promptly, providing sound business recommendations.
• Communicate project strategies, benefits, and complex problems effectively to senior management and stakeholders.
• Ensure transparency and accuracy in project updates, risks, issues, and dependencies management.
• Define, track, and deliver project outcomes and benefits, justifying business cases.
• Engage with and manage third-party vendors according to procurement policies.
• Recruit and assign project delivery staff, clarifying responsibilities for successful delivery.
• Maintain awareness of sub-portfolios to identify synergies and prevent duplication.
• Ensure effective governance of project steering committees and working groups, including meeting quoracy, Terms of Reference reviews, and escalation of risks and issues.
• Manage project baselines (budget, scope, outcomes, timeline), approve changes, and close projects with lessons learned.

Skills

Must have

• At least 5 years of proven experience delivering front office change projects within financial institutions, on time and within budget.
• Deep product and process knowledge of derivatives (IRD, FX Swaps/Fwds, FX Options), trade lifecycle events, trade migration, and transition.
• Experience in investment budget management, including forecasting, cost control, and alignment with business plans.
• Ability to review and attest to resource availability and project feasibility across stakeholders.
• Subject matter expertise in project/program management, especially supporting merger-related front office changes.
• Experience designing and delivering project governance, reporting, and risk management processes.
• Strong document management skills ensuring artefacts are well-structured and maintained.
• Proficiency in project closure processes, ensuring all items are resolved or accepted within budget.

Functional / Technical Competencies

• Financial management, including cost categorization and baseline control.
• Delivery of projects from prioritization to closure, including lessons learned and post-implementation reviews.
• Change risk management and adherence to controls such as SOX, data protection, etc.
• Portfolio management skills: planning, delivery, reporting, risk management, resource management, governance structuring.

Education / Qualifications

• Degree-level education required.
• Relevant certifications such as Prince2, PMI, Six Sigma preferred.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of banking regulations and front office projects.
• Understanding of financial products and front-to-back processes.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and vendor negotiations.
• Leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Experience delivering projects using waterfall and agile methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills across all organizational levels.
• Budget management experience.