Director, Collateral Management -NYC-Hybrid/Remote

Talcott Financial Group* is an international life insurance group and the industry’s trusted partner for comprehensive risk solutions. Talcott creatively designs and expertly delivers responsive solutions that transfer risk and manage capital in a way that supports the strategic needs of insurers today and into the future.
Talcott Financial Group has a proven track record of well-executed transactions, and the enterprise benefits from its strong financial position with over $127 billion in assets under management, its investment-grade financial strength ratings, and its partnership with Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm.
Talcott Financial Group’s two core business platforms include: U.S. based Talcott Resolution and Bermuda and Cayman based Talcott Re.


Director, Collateral Management

The ideal candidate will be responsible for overseeing the collateral management function, ensuring the effective and efficient management of various types of collateral and supporting risk management strategies. This individual will be expected to manage day-to-day collateral operations and reporting, maintain effective counterparty relationships, and ensure collateral management activities comply with applicable regulatory requirements, negotiated agreements, and internal policies.
Responsibilities:
1. Collateral Optimization & Management:
◦ Lead & perform the collateral management function in optimizing the use of collateral to meet the Company’s needs while mitigating risk.
◦ Oversee margin calculations, collateral calls, collateral substitutions, and the daily collateral management process for derivatives, repos, securities lending, and other forms of secured financing transactions.
◦ Ensure collateral is properly allocated, valued, and reconciled according to regulatory guidelines and internal policies.
2. Team Leadership & Development:
◦ Manage & perform the collateral function and operations support, providing guidance, training, and performance management in the case of future build out.
◦ Foster a collaborative and high-performance work environment, ensuring effective communication across teams.
◦ Implement training programs to keep the team updated on best practices and regulatory changes.
3. Client & Counterparty Relationship Management:
◦ Serve as the main point of contact for counterparties regarding collateral-related inquiries, disputes, and operational issues.
◦ Negotiate collateral agreements and manage the operational relationship with key stakeholders, including custodians, banks, and other third-party stakeholders.
4. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:
◦ Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements (e.g., EMIR, Dodd-Frank, Basel III) in all collateral activities.
◦ Monitor collateral and risk management processes for compliance with internal policies, audit standards, and risk management frameworks.
◦ Work closely with legal and compliance teams to review and implement changes based on new regulations.
5. Process Improvement & Automation:
◦ Continuously evaluate and improve collateral management processes and systems to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
◦ Lead or participate in the implementation of automation tools, technologies, and systems to streamline the collateral management function.
◦ Develop and enforce best practices and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
6. Reporting & Analysis:
◦ Provide regular reporting, including recommendations, on collateral utilization, margin levels, and related metrics to senior management.
◦ Analyze collateral data to identify trends, optimize collateral allocation(s), and manage operational risks.
◦ Prepare and present reports for regulatory bodies, internal audits, and senior leadership, as needed.
7. Cross-Functional Collaboration:
◦ Work closely with risk management, investment management, legal, and operations teams to ensure smooth execution of collateral management activities.
◦ Collaborate with IT to support systems and software upgrades and implementations, troubleshooting, and ensuring system robustness for collateral management operations.
Qualifications:
• Experience:
◦ At least 10 years of experience in collateral management, operations, or risk management within the financial services industry, with a proven track record of leadership and process optimization.
◦ Strong understanding of collateral management practices, including margining, secured financing, securities lending, derivatives, and repo markets.
• Educational Background:
◦ Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or a related field (MBA