Senior Analyst

Job Description:

Role Summary

This position oversees the account opening process, supporting the implementation of Russell's global investment and execution strategies in equities, fixed income, pooled vehicles, ETFs, FX, and derivatives. Working closely with stakeholders across Russell's business lines, portfolio management, legal, operations and risk teams, this role ensures timely execution of the onboarding process. Responsibilities include managing onboarding documentation, coordinating with vendors, custodians, and trading counterparties to extract critical information, and facilitating successful client account launches.

Years of Experience

A minimum of 3 year of previous experience in the financial services industry or a project management function.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or business administration.
• Experience in asset management operations, banking operations, finance, project management or a related function is preferred.
• Organized, analytical, detail-oriented, and precise with numbers, possessing a solid understanding of the securities/fund industry, as well as investment concepts and strategies.
• Strong individual contributor and team player in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to prioritize, manage expectations when required and complete multiple assignments and onboarding projects under short deadlines.
• Ability to identify potential issues, promote efficient resolution, set and pursue goals, and demonstrate a commitment to organizational success.
• Demonstrates initiative by taking charge of tasks and projects without needing constant supervision. Identifies opportunities for improvement and acts on them independently.
• Excellent communication skills, understanding how to tailor communication style to the situation at hand.

Responsibilities

• Project manage and lead the end-to-end process of setting up new accounts to ensure seamless operational readiness.
• Assist internal stakeholders across business lines to implement new client trading strategies, including analyzing data from clients, internal systems, custodians, counterparties and vendors to facilitate accurate portfolio setup in internal systems.
• Identify, escalate, mitigate, and resolve operational risks effectively and collaboratively.
• Management of fund/client documentation including tax forms, prospectuses, investment management agreements, settlement instructions, etc.
• Ensure that all necessary documentation and information are accurately communicated and received by all parties involved.
• Work with counterparties to establish derivative clearing accounts for trading instruments such as listed options, exchange-traded futures, and credit derivatives. In addition, establish credit lines for trading foreign exchange (FX) spot and forward transactions.
• Coordinate with other operations teams to ensure account setups are in line with expectations for how various asset types are instructed, enriched and delivered to ensure a smooth settlement process.
• Evaluate and improve effectiveness of the team by leveraging experience to update existing operational processes and maintain up-to-date procedures to reduce risk and support regulatory requirements and business initiatives.
• Respond to queries regarding setups and requirements needed for an efficient and speedy delivery of a given project.
• Negotiate with internal and external legal counsel on the documentation for implementing derivative-related counterparty contracts (e.g., ISDA, collateral control agreements, etc.).
• Work with clients, legal teams, and internal stakeholders to analyse, consult and provide guidance to determine derivative contract requirements for each onboarding event.
• Open and Maintain Foreign Trading Accounts in Line with Regulatory Requirements
• Oversee the integration of sub-advisors into the existing systems, ensuring that all technical and operational requirements are met. This includes setting up access to necessary third-party providers.

Core Values

• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication and collaboration skills with all levels of management
• Strong organizational skills including the ability to adapt to shifting priorities and meet frequent deadlines
• Demonstrated proactive approach to problem-solving with strong judgment and decision-making capability.
• Highly resourceful and collaborative team-player, with the ability to also be independently effective and exude initiative and a sense of urgency.
• Exemplifies our customer-focused, action-oriented, results-driven culture.
• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities, has a desire for continuous learning, and proposes solutions.
• Ability to act with discretion and maintain complete confidentiality regarding client sensitive information.
• Dedicated to the firm’s values of non-negotiable integrity, valuing our people, exceeding client expectations, and embracing intellectual curiosity and rigor.