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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Trade Support Analyst

💰 $75,000 - $115,000

FinanceOperationsBankingAsset Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Trade Support Analyst is a cornerstone of our trading floor, responsible for the end-to-end operational integrity of trading activities across a diverse range of asset classes. This role involves real-time monitoring of trade flows, swift resolution of discrepancies, and seamless communication with traders, brokers, custodians, and technology partners. You will play a vital part in mitigating operational risk, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting the firm's overall trading strategy by maintaining the accuracy of our books and records from trade inception to settlement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Operations Analyst
  • Back Office Administrator
  • Finance / Economics Graduate

Advancement To:

  • Senior Trade Support Analyst
  • Trading Operations Manager
  • Risk Analyst or Junior Trader

Lateral Moves:

  • Compliance Analyst
  • Data Analyst (Finance)
  • Product Control Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Accurately capture, book, and affirm trade details across various asset classes including equities, fixed income, FX, and complex OTC derivatives in a timely manner.
  • Manage the complete post-execution trade lifecycle, from execution and allocation through to confirmation and final settlement.
  • Perform daily reconciliation of trades, positions, and cash balances between internal trading systems and external sources like prime brokers, custodians, and fund administrators.
  • Proactively investigate and resolve trade breaks, settlement fails, and P&L discrepancies by liaising directly with front-office traders, counterparties, and back-office teams.
  • Monitor real-time trade flow through electronic trading platforms and internal systems, identifying and escalating any system issues or bottlenecks to technology support.
  • Process and validate trade allocations for block trades, ensuring correct distribution to underlying client accounts according to pre-defined instructions.
  • Facilitate the trade confirmation process using industry platforms such as DTCC, CTM, and MarkitWire, ensuring all trade economics are matched and agreed upon with counterparties.
  • Handle all aspects of corporate action events (e.g., splits, mergers, dividends) and their impact on positions, ensuring accurate adjustments are made in the system of record.
  • Calculate, verify, and report daily P&L for trading desks, providing detailed commentary and analysis on significant movements or discrepancies.
  • Manage collateral requirements and margin calls with counterparties, including dispute resolution and daily collateral movements to mitigate credit risk.
  • Ensure all trade support activities are conducted in strict compliance with internal policies and external regulatory frameworks such as EMIR, MiFID II, and Dodd-Frank.
  • Act as the primary point of contact for the trading desk, providing exceptional service and swift resolution for any ad-hoc queries related to trades, positions, or cash.
  • Maintain and update static and reference data within trading and operational systems to ensure the integrity of data used for trading, valuation, and reporting.
  • Assist in the monitoring and resolution of failed trades, collaborating with settlement teams to minimize market risk and potential financial loss.
  • Produce and distribute daily, weekly, and monthly operational reports for management, highlighting key metrics, risk exposures, and performance trends.
  • Support the month-end closing process by ensuring all trades are settled, P&L is finalized, and books and records are accurate.

Secondary Functions

  • Drive process improvement initiatives by identifying control gaps, inefficiencies in the trade lifecycle, and proposing and implementing automated or streamlined solutions.
  • Collaborate with technology and project management teams on system enhancements, workflow improvements, and user acceptance testing (UAT) for new software releases.
  • Provide operational support for the launch of new financial products, trading strategies, or market expansions, ensuring systems and processes are ready.
  • Onboard new counterparties and brokers, coordinating with legal, compliance, and credit teams to ensure all necessary documentation (e.g., ISDA, MRA) is in place.
  • Contribute to the creation and maintenance of comprehensive documentation for team procedures and workflows.
  • Investigate and resolve valuation and pricing discrepancies for derivatives and other complex instruments by working with valuation agents and internal pricing teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and ideally VBA macros.
  • Strong understanding of the trade lifecycle across multiple asset classes (e.g., Equities, Fixed Income, FX, OTC Derivatives).
  • Experience with industry-standard platforms such as Bloomberg, CTM, DTCC, and MarkitWire.
  • Hands-on experience with Order Management Systems (OMS) or trading systems (e.g., Murex, Calypso, Fidessa, Aladdin).
  • Basic to intermediate SQL skills for querying databases and performing data analysis.
  • Knowledge of financial messaging protocols and formats like SWIFT and FIX.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy, especially when working under pressure.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and investigative skills to resolve complex trade-related issues.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex issues clearly to diverse stakeholders.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced trading environment.
  • A proactive and collaborative team player with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree or progress towards a relevant professional certification (e.g., CFA, FRM).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Economics
  • Business Administration
  • Mathematics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2-5 years of relevant experience in a trade support or middle office role.

Preferred: Direct experience within an investment bank, hedge fund, or asset management firm is highly desirable.

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