Commodities Trade Support

JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE:

Commodities Trade Support

LOCATION:

London

REPORTS TO:

Head of Commodities Operations

REASON FOR HIRE:

Expansion

JOB SPECIFICATION

COMPANY/DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW

Brevan Howard Asset Management is one of the leading absolute return/hedge fund managers, overseeing assets on behalf of institutional investors from around the world, including pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, government agencies, private banks and fund of funds.

Brevan Howard was founded in 2002, and launched its flagship global macro strategy in April 2003. It currently manages over $20bn and engages predominantly in discretionary directional and relative value trading in fixed income and FX markets, as well as the recently launched BH Digital, a division within Brevan Howard to manage crypto and digital asset strategies.

The firm currently employs over 400 personnel worldwide, including over 100 investment professionals. This global presence gives Brevan Howard the ability to identify and source attractive investment opportunities, as well as investment management talent wherever they may be. Brevan Howard has won several industry awards for excellence in risk management, operational robustness and investment performance.

The firm currently has offices in London, Edinburgh, Jersey, Geneva, New York, Austin, Chicago, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Cayman Islands.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE: 

The focus of the Commodities Trade Support role within the Operations team is on ensuring the complete, accurate and timely capture of trades and lifecycle events. The role encompasses full support to the PMs ensuring controls are provided and followed to facilitate accurate risk and P&L capture. The Trade Support team forms part of the Operations Function supporting the full trading activities across a variety of diverse trading strategies.

The core responsibilities are as follows:

Trade Capture

• Trade affirmation and middleware monitoring
• Monitoring STP electronic trade flows and real time risk capture
• Ensuring accurate trade capture of voice executed transactions
• Exotic trade bookings where applicable
• Compliance with regulations and internal policies with respect to trade execution and capture
• Publication of T0 P&L and query resolution.

Life Cycle Event Management

• Facilitation of option expiry processes
• Corporate event and credit event processing
• Novation processing and affirmation

Reconciliations

• T0 Trade reconciliation between internal and external systems (Clearers/Custodians/Prime Brokers and Counterparties)
• Facilitate the timely resolution of position and trade breaks

Process Improvement and Projects

• New business initiatives: Including set up of new traders/products/platforms
• Process Improvements including technology enhancements
• Enhancing knowledge through training and maintenance of team procedures and policies
• Completing event reviews and implementation of risk mitigation improvements

The role entails working closely with execution traders and portfolio managers helping to manage risk/P&L and real time trade capture. An ability to prioritise based on risk profile is critical, as is a clear and concise communication approach with the Portfolio Managers/external counterparties and internal stakeholders in query resolution and management.

The role also requires close working relationships with a number of internal partners including the COO team, Fund Control, Investor Relations, Fund Risk and Quants. Occasionally coverage across the wider operations function may be required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

  WORK EXPERIENCE/BACKGROUND

Essential

• Undergraduate degree in a numerate discipline
• A sound understanding of financial markets and different financial products, specifically European Gas and Power ETD and OTC Derivative instruments.
  • Execution, mechanics and analytics
  • Front to back processes
  • Market infrastructure
• An excellent knowledge of operational risk and risk mitigation utilising technology, process and controls.
• Minimum 3 years’ trade assistant\operations experience

Desirable

• Good problem solving capabilities, evidence of process improvement.
• Knowledge of bilateral commodity swap full trade lifecycle
• Cross asset class experience: FI, FX, Credit, Rates, Equities

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Self-motivated and proactive
• Ability to perform well under pressure and people management skills
• Risk based prioritization
• Enthusiastic, flexible and adaptable
• Desire to drive operational change and manage business requirements
• Strong Interest in financial markets and derivatives

Desirable

• Advanced excel and knowledge of VBA, Python, SQL or other programming languages.
• Experience with Murex MX.3

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Strong work ethic and attention to detail
• Good communication skills
• Enthusiastic and flexible
• Excellent written and spoken business English
• High personal initiative and personal responsibility
• Ability to work effectively in a team/Front office environment
• Ability to manage work priorities and delegate appropriately
• Highly proactive and hardworking with ability to work independently
• Friendly, polite and personable – enjoys working with others