Lead - Trade Operations

Position: Lead Trade Operations

Job Overview: The Lead Trade Operations will manage end-to-end post-trade activities while also guiding junior team members. This role requires strong operational expertise across CRIMS, DTCC workflows, custodial processes, and reconciliation. The Lead will act as a bridge between the trading desk and custodial partners, ensuring timely settlement, exception reduction, and workflow improvements.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Trade Lifecycle Management

• Manage daily trade operations across equities, fixed income, and optionsfrom trade capture to final settlement.
• Ensure trades are entered correctly in Charles River, validated against compliance rules, and properly routed.
• Oversee allocations, confirmations, and affirmations in coordination with custodians and brokers.

Custodian & Prime Broker Coordination

• Act as the main point of contact for our custodians (Pershing, Fidelity, Schwab, Goldman Sachs).
• Coordinate prime brokerage and trade-away settlements, ensuring all trades are booked and reconciled accurately.
• Proactively investigate and resolve any failed trades, mismatched instructions, or settlement issues.

DTCC and Industry Process Oversight

• Manage the DTCC confirmation and affirmation process to make sure trades are affirmed and settled on schedule.
• Monitor exceptions and resolve trade discrepancies before settlement deadlines.
• Stay current on industry changes, such as T+1 settlement and other post-trade updates.

Process Improvement & Automation

• Identify areas where automation can streamline workflows or reduce manual touchpoints.
• Partner with technology and trading teams to implement smarter settlement and reconciliation tools.
• Keep our SOPs up to date to ensure consistency and clarity across processes.

Reconciliation & Risk Control

• Perform daily reconciliations of trades, cash, and positions between internal systems and custodians.
• Maintain the accuracy of trade blotters and custodial records.
• Resolve discrepancies quickly and document resolutions for audit and compliance purposes.

Team Collaboration

• Work closely with the trading desk, portfolio management, compliance, and finance to ensure seamless trade flow.
• Share your expertise during new custodian setups or system integrations.
• Mentor junior team members and help strengthen overall operational knowledge across the team.

Qualifications

Mandatory Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years in trade operations within an RIA, asset manager, hedge fund, or broker-dealer.
• Hands-on experience with Charles River (CRIMS) and custodian platforms (Pershing, Fidelity, Schwab, Goldman Sachs).
• Deep understanding of trade settlement, clearing, and custody operations, including DTCC and Omgeo workflows.
• Strong working knowledge of equities, fixed income, and options trade lifecycles.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot settlement issues and reduce breaks through process improvements.
• Comfortable working with data and systemsadvanced Excel skills and familiarity with automation tools are a plus.
• A proactive mindset, strong attention to detail, and the ability to stay calm under tight deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading or supporting T+1 settlement readiness or other industry initiatives.
• Familiarity with SWIFT messaging, FIX trade flows, or other electronic trading protocols.
• Prior experience managing vendor relationships or system integrations.
• FINRA licenses (Series 7 or 99) are preferred but not required.

Performance Metrics

• Settlement accuracy and timeliness.
• Reduction in settlement breaks and operational exceptions.
• Successful implementation of process improvements and automation.
• Quality of internal documentation and SOPs.
• Effective collaboration across teams and external partners.