Sr. Trading Platform Operations Specialist

Summary

The Sr. Trading Platform Operations Specialist improves how the Trading Platform organization operates by building scalable processes, driving automation, and coordinating cross-functional operational programs. Reporting to the Trading Platform Operations Lead, this role partners across engineering, product, support, and operations to turn manual work into repeatable systems, establish operational standards, and improve how teams work together as the organization grows.

With visibility across the platform organization, the Sr. Trading Platform Operations Specialist identifies cross-team dependencies, operational bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement that individual teams cannot see on their own. The role owns key operational programs—including release coordination, reporting, documentation, onboarding, and process automation—ensuring the organization operates efficiently, delivers reliably, and continues to scale.

Key Responsibilities

Release Execution

• Partner with Engineering Managers to drive releases from code complete to production, ensuring engineering, QA, and product handoffs stay on track with no silent stalls.
• Lead release operations by consolidating readiness signals, risks, defects, and dependency status into a clear go/no-go view for release stakeholders.
• Partner with Engineering Managers to manage cross-team dependencies, identify sequencing risks, and inform scope and ship-date decisions.
• Own release communications, including release notes and recurring release summaries for product, support, and leadership.

Operational Programs

• Partner with engineering, product, support, and operations leaders to design and operate cross-functional initiatives where success depends on execution rather than technical implementation.
• Design and run operational programs that make teams across the department more effective — scoping the goal, standing the program up, and owning it through to a measurable result.
• Embed each program into the way teams already work (release, testing, onboarding, and support workflows) so it sticks rather than becoming overhead, and keep it running smoothly as the organization grows.

KPIs & Operational Reporting

• Track and report the platform org's operational KPIs and run the reporting cadence leadership relies on.
• Maintain the data hygiene and metric definitions that keep reporting accurate as the org scales into more release trains.
• Run recurring exchange and operational reporting reliably (such as CME reports).

Process & Automation

• Manage the automation backlog: build the quick wins yourself, spec the larger projects for engineering.
• Turn tribal knowledge into durable documentation, runbooks, and self-service workflows that reduce operational dependency on individuals and improve onboarding.
• Continuously analyze operational bottlenecks and use metrics to prioritize process improvements and automation investments.

Required Qualifications and Key Competencies

• 5+ years in technical operations, release management, program management, or platform operations, including end-to-end ownership of operational systems or processes.
• Experience managing workflows, releases, and versioning across Jira or similar tools, with automation experience strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to coordinate releases across engineering, QA, and product — you know where releases stall and keep handoffs moving without being asked.
• Track record of turning ad hoc processes into durable systems: runbooks, automations, and standards that outlast any single release.
• Strong written communication — your release notes, runbooks, and status updates leave no follow-up questions.
• Sound judgment on what to decide directly versus escalate, with the organizational skills to manage competing priorities across multiple release trains.
• Demonstrated experience identifying manual operational work and replacing it with automation using scripting, APIs, AI tools, workflow automation platforms, or similar technologies.
• Comfortable in a remote, Slack-heavy async environment.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with trading, fintech, brokerage, or another regulated environment is a plus — exposure to exchange operations or reporting (CME or similar) especially so.
• Experience driving change within startup environments.

Company Culture & Perks

• Topstep is an engaging working environment which ranges from fully remote to hybrid. We foster a culture of collaboration with cameras on during meetings and a robust Slack environment for communication. 
• Seven Company-paid Holidays and generous Family Leave. Paid time off is front-loaded. 
• Competitive 401(k) matching, health, dental, and vision insurance is offered for full time employees.
• Vacations are encouraged with a bonus for taking 5 consecutive days. Employee referrals are bonused. Topstep offers a food and groceries budget and contributes towards health and wellness.

New Hire Base Salary Range

• $140,000 - $165,000.
• Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.
• The compensation offered will take into account internal compensation structure and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Topstep is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees and applicants are valued. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Interested in the role? Apply today with your resume!

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Notice of Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment and Hiring: Notice Pursuant to 775 ILCS 5/2-102(L). Topstep LLC uses artificial intelligence ("AI") in connection with its recruitment and hiring process. Examples include, but are not limited to, AI tools used to improve job descriptions, generate interview questions, draft communications, assist with scheduling, and source candidates, as well as AI features built into third-party platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. Topstep will not use AI that has the effect of subjecting employees or applicants to discrimination on the basis of any protected class under the Illinois Human Rights Act.

The collection, use, and handling of your data provided in response to this job posting is described further in our Privacy Policy. If you are a California resident, please review our California Notice at Collection.