Senior Analyst, GMO - Standard Bank

Job Purpose

This Global Markets Operations processing role exists to provide an outsourced service to the Liberty Financial Solution (“LibFin”) team.
The role will include the execution of settlements, confirmations and the reconciliation of cash accounts, new trades and position reconciliations for a broad spectrum of trades including FX, MM, Bonds, CRNS, Exchange Traded and OTC Derivatives.

The role is to ensure that all daily trades are confirmed settled and reconciled correctly with clients. It is crucial that the individual understands the nature of the trades and their structures while managing functions across products, platforms and systems. Any discrepancies need to be escalated to the LibFin Trade Control and Collateral teams for investigation and resolution with a high sense of urgency, and any outstanding matters must be monitored.

There may be a further requirement that the Collateral and Securities Lending trades are managed and paid where necessary.

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities

Manage Operational, Credit, Market & Reputational Risk

• The managing of all lifecycle events on all trades captured on Alchemy. Understanding the structures of the trades, ensuring that all component trades are consistent and accurate.

• Contributing knowledge and experience to assess potential control weaknesses in new and existing products and processes on an ongoing basis.
• Ensuring attention to detail when checking and agreeing with settlements.
• Ensuring all trades are confirmed accurately and timeously.
• Ensure all reconciliations are performed with accuracy and attention to detail.

Stakeholder and Change Management

• Maintain relationships with key stakeholders including the Trade Control team as well as the traders for Libfin. Work closely with other team members to ensure that all analysts are fully skilled across all functions. Work closely with Investor Services, other GMO business units, GMO Management, Collateral, Legal and Compliance teams.
• Explore and assist in developing new procedures/methods for improving and enhancing the business.
• Specific, focused regular engagement with Libfin trading desk and Libfin Trade Control with a view towards improving service levels
• Contribute to the operationalization of newly approved products and processes implemented in the business area.
• Accurate and timely reporting of Daily, Weekly and Monthly Management Information to Management.
• Provide input to Line Manager for ongoing liaison with Information Technology business partners to assess opportunities for the implementation of technological enhancements.
• Ensuring that any significant operational concerns are escalated to the requirement management levels.
• Managing Clients SSIs, ensuring that the information is up to date and accurate.
• Booking of external and domestic bond settlement instructions. Monitoring of the settlements and managing the funding of the relevant cash accounts.
• Adhoc payments as requested by Libfin Trade Control.
• Working closely with team members to ensure any breaks are investigated and resolved. Analysing the root cause and working to address the issue to reduce breaks.
• Update CODAC (Control First) on a daily basis.
• Investigating, resolving and responding to any queries.
• Attend to any Audit queries.
• Effectively managing both personal and group inboxes.

Implement plans & manage reports

• Ensure reporting on daily, weekly and monthly statistical information (MIS) is analysed & understood and that it is sent and communicated to Management.
• Project participation of new systems, processes and new products signed off by Libfin.
• Reporting ad escalation of operational risk incidents and data related concerns
• Contribute to automation processes and enhancements of systems

Assist the Manager with various responsibilities

• Each team member’s individual goals are aligned to the strategic objectives of the Global Markets Operations area.
• Assist in project and other change deliverables with active involvement in planning, implementation and/or review phases.
• Participate in providing feedback concerning strategic projects and other ongoing improvement initiatives with a view to delivering on objectives according to predefined expectations.
• Ensuring Compliance, housekeeping and any audit issues are all in order.
• Completion of the daily Control First (CODAC) and weekly MIS.

Minimum Qualification and Experience

Job Function: Global Markets

Job Family: Operations

Years: 3 -5 Years

• Good understanding of the broader principles, products and functioning of a large bank’s Global Markets business.
• Good understanding of Equity Derivative, Credit Derivative and Structured Products.
• Understanding of Structured trades, ability to interpret Confirmations and tie the document back to the trade bookings.
• Strong Settlements, Confirmations and Reconciliations knowledge.
• Good understanding of business practices & standards
• High level ability to work with Excel including Pivot tables.

• Understanding of Static data and how it impacts settlements.
• Daily review of Cash and Position dashboards.
• Understanding and managing the reconciliations as settlements are closely aligned and need to work together.
• Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships.
• Corporate and Investment Banking experience will be an added advantage.