Trading Operations Specialist

Company:

Mercer

Description:

Mercer is seeking candidates for the following position based in our Boston or St. Louis office:

Trading Operations Specialist

What can you expect?

• Trading Operations Specialist works in Mercer’s investment management back office.

• Oversee daily activity in client investment portfolios (cash flow management, transactions, and reporting).

• Manage new client implementations, and dealing with third party custodians, transfer agents and regulatory bodies.

• Trading Operations Specialist is an established, independent individual contributor, whose work has a direct impact on the team's outcomes.

• Ensure that all daily data is loaded and reconciled into trading and reporting systems accurately.

• The Trading Operations Specialist will have responsibility for ensuring daily, monthly, and ad hoc processes are completed in accordance with team charter responsibilities of trading execution and reconciliation, data integrity, and system administration.

What is in it for you?

• Excellent opportunity to join a growing company

• Drive efficiency and process improvement

• We are the global leader in the Health, Wealth and Career business. We deliver innovative solutions that address the needs of our clients, their leaders and their employees.

• As part of Mercer, you will have access to the strongest industry leaders in topical HR issues, work with a team that is best in class, and you will have the MMC brand behind you

• You will work with local, national and global teams to meet your client’s needs. Coordinating the best resources for your clients to help solve their needs. 

• Using the Mercer brand, you will tell the Mercer story to other organizations around the geography that could benefit from Mercer’s services. Introducing the best thought leaders from Health, Wealth and Career.

• Through regular engagement with clients and other colleagues you will have the opportunity to learn, grow and enhance skills that will allow you to develop your career proactively

We will count on you to:

• Monitor the portfolio targets via the trading system and trade reports based on pre-determined plan targets by maintaining a detailed understanding of all trade requirements including settlement durations and pre-trade notification periods. 

• Analyze and initiate trades into the trading system including rebalance plan accounts as well as raising cash from custodians.

• Manage the relationship with external third-party service providers of the products such as the transfer agent, custodian and administrator regarding cash flows and key risk exposures. 

• Participate on monthly/weekly conference calls (daily during project launches) to determine the status of any open issues with transfer agents (responsible for maintaining the client account records) and custodians and administrators (secure the assets of the products). 

• Provide oversight of daily position and transaction data feeds received into Mercer’s trading system and proprietary de-risking system. 

• Responsible for daily morning processes, i.e. validate system pricing and holdings data, monitor plan funded status measurements and resolve day-over-day outlier activity.

• Prepare/review trade instruction letters for third-party products and client custodians.

• Coordinate month-end plan reconciliation workflows; Execute the collection and aggregation of monthly pension statements.

What you need to have: 

• 2-5 years of experience in client trading, investment allocation monitoring or similar role.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills both internally and externally.

• Bachelor degree in accounting, finance or related field of study preferred.

• Understanding of the concepts and derivation of the Net Asset Value calculation for a wide range of investment vehicles.

• Demonstrated ability to work in an environment where adherence to procedures and controls is critical.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel.

What makes you stand out?

• Previous experience with Charles River Investment Management System.

• Familiarity with Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Defined Contribution Plans.

• Proven ability to work well in a team oriented environment, while maintaining ownership over individual responsibilities.

• Strong problem solving, analytical and organizational skills, clear and effective communication, both written and oral; ability to multi-task.

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