Citi Market Operations is currently at a pivotal point in its evolution and journey to implement a target operating model. We take pride and are passionate about our People and our culture. We are invested in people and their development. We are transforming and simplifying our operating model creating an exciting environment which encourages diversity of thought and inclusion.
We are a dynamic, global, and diverse Organisation, with a presence in over 60 Countries; covering all front post execution Operations teams including product aligned Middle Office groups, Settlements, Margin, Asset Servicing, Listed Derivative & Commodities Operations. We support an extensive range of Capital Markets products and services including Fixed Income (FX, Rates, Credit, Muni, Cash and Derivatives) where Citi is consistently a dominant top 3 player in the market, Equity (Cash, Derivatives, Prime Brokerage, Futures, Listed Derivs, FXPB) where Citi has a significant growth program to continue to build out its capabilities and services; and Syndicates where we support both FI and EQ new issues and IPOs.
Our Operations groups are core to the success of the Markets business and have significant impact across the lifecycle of a trade. We partner extensively with a range of internal stakeholders including Front Office Sales and Trading Desks, Compliance, Legal, Finance and HR; alongside having significant interaction with our external client base, playing a key role in the overall client experience. We have a Client relationship group, dedicated to overseeing the Organizational service performance and strategic partnership for our top tier client base, where we play a key role in supporting our global clients to ensure they have a first-class experience when doing business with Citi.
Our Business Intelligence and Process Re-engineering group works alongside our Operations teams delivering automation solutions to solve for operational challenges. We partner with Citi’s innovation labs to drive optimization, and overall play a pivotal role in enabling us to transform to achieve our target operating model.
Our Technology partners develop and implement a wide range of applications that support the Operations, Change, Design and Implementation groups in providing innovative products and solutions. We have re-imagined how to provide technology and service in our domain through the alignment of our team vision, culture, and aggressive retirement plan for legacy applications and adoption of a micro-based containerized cloud environment. We encourage our people to create, explore and be adventurous whilst taking measured risk, adopting safe practices to protect the firm. Data lineage and optimization is core to how we develop our eco system. We are growing our capabilities using artificial intelligence, natural language processing and machine learning.
Our roles entail ensuring we operate in a robust control environment, whilst in a fast-paced workplace. We comply with global regulations and internal policies and adopt a proactive approach to identifying opportunities to reduce risk through the continuous evaluation of our controls; to protect our clients, the firm, and our reputation.
We work closely with our external global peers, partners and regulators, and play an integral part in leading an agenda at the forefront to optimize and streamline processes, and drive strategy across our industry.
Job Background/context
Equity Swaps Middle Office sits within Citi Market Operations supporting the Delta One Business and is part of the overall Prime Finance Middle Office unit. The primary responsibility is managing a number of our Prime Swap clients while providing Trade Processing support to the Desk and Business. The successful candidate will be the main point of contact for all operational queries for their client base and they will interact closely with clients and internally across the Business, Middle Office and Operations.
Responsible for providing first class operational client support as well as supporting the Team Lead in project work and ad-hoc requests assigned to the team. The primary role will incorporate all aspects of Equity Swap operational client service – covering execution to allocation trade handling, trade lifecycle management, fails management and Client and Desk queries.
This is a Senior role – successful candidate will be positioned to partner with and develop junior staff to drive up team capability, knowledge, and technical know-how in supporting the growing business. There will be increasing focus on providing innovative value add services to increase the client experience, potential business revenue whilst reducing Manual Touchpoints (MTP’s) and driving operational efficiency. The successful candidate will be developed into an SME (Subject Matter Expert) in their respective areas of focus.
Key Responsibilities
- Primary contact for client operational queries for select client base, and management of client trade and settlement activity
- Provide support to Front Office Sales and Trading around trade execution and lifecycle management (primarily on equity hedge and swap & P-Note)
- Support trade capture management and client allocation, Front to Back reconciliation and identifying operational risk and connectivity issue resolution with our tech partners
- Manage new client onboarding to our Prime Swap platform
- Drive the development of new techniques for the trade life cycle, and improve processes and workflows to reduce Manual Touch Points
- Help maintain a culture and environment where processes, risks and controls are continually monitored, and potential risks escalated on a timely basis
- Contribute to bank change projects and offer advanced solutions and resolve complex trade flow problems
- Provide leadership for the team, coach and train new recruits, and provide guidance and support to junior staff
Key Characteristics
The successful candidate will also be required to demonstrate the necessary skills and experience to deliver on the below value add and service differentiators.
- Operational Expertise: demonstrate considerable understanding of key operational functions such as Settlements, Lifecycle Management, Reconciliations, Trade Support and Corporate Actions with Global Markets
- Product Knowledge: demonstrate high-level knowledge and understanding of the Cash Equity and Equity Swap product. A general knowledge of derivatives is highly desirable.
- Client Presentation: An ability to be articulate, confident, intellectually agile and professional in appearance and manner so that the franchise is well represented. Team member should have the skillset to lead client meetings on topics such as Metrics and Client Service Revies.
- Innovation/Creative Thinking: offer creative and innovative solutions to client issues when they arise. Members should also look to harness these innovation skills to develop a record of process improvement, procedure control strengthening and reduction of manual touch points (MTPs).
- Business Liaison: partner with the Business and Client Executives to facilitate the following: new business pitches, smooth onboarding of new clients, ad-hoc issue solution and product/platform capability questions.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills:
- 5-8 years of relevant experience in a related role, with client-facing exposure
- Relevant degree (Business, Accounting, Finance) or equivalent work and industry experience preferred
- Cash Equity and Equity Swap product knowledge, and understanding of lifecycle management (trade capture, settlements, reconciliations) essential
- Client Service experience preferred, preferably within Prime Brokerage
- Energetic, flexible, collaborative and proactive; leadership qualities with strong risk management and control mindset
- Provides evaluative judgement based on analysis of factual information in complicated, unique and dynamic situations; able to draw on diverse range of internal and external sources.
- Self reliant, good problem solver, results orientated
- Corporate Actions experience highly preferable
