AVP Middle Office Manager

About the role

We are seeking an AVP Middle Office Manager to lead the trade lifecycle from capture to settlement, ensuring accurate and timely trade processing, and fostering strong collaboration across Front Office, Compliance, Risk, and Accounting.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of professionals in Trade Capture, Lifecycle Management & Confirmation - This includes training and developing both current and new employees to drive high performance.
• Ensure accurate capture of all trading activity across Equities, Fixed Income, and other complex asset classes, including Private Markets where applicable.
• Oversee the end-to-end trade lifecycle: Capture → Pre-matching → Trade Matching → Trade Confirmation → Settlement.
• Monitor trade status, identify exceptions, and drive timely resolution with internal and external parties.
• Proactively coordinate with Front Office to verify trade details, resolve discrepancies, and optimize trade flow.
• Work closely with team leaders from other departments to ensure all pre-trade requirements are met, including but not limited to Counterparty setup, Legal Documentation, System Connectivity (both external and internal), and Risk approval.
• Collaborate with client facing teams and set an example for a "Client First" approach.
• Manage daily trade matching to minimize failed trades and optimize settlement efficiency.
• Understand and implement various settlement and custodial relationships, including clearing brokers, custodians, sub-custodians, and Prime Brokerage partners.
• Ensure settlement instructions are accurate, compliant, and aligned with regulatory and internal policy requirements.
• Develop and maintain metrics to track settlement efficiency, fail rates, and exception resolution times.
• Coordinate with Front Office & Portfolio Managers as a trusted partner.
• Provide timely visibility into trade status, risk, and operational issues that could impact performance.
• Translate market events and corporate actions into actionable operational steps for the Front Office.
• Implement and monitor controls to mitigate operational risk in trade processing and settlement.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, internal policies, and external audits.
• Collaborate with Compliance to address surveillance, KYC/AML checks, and trade-related restrictions.
• Interface with Accounting to ensure accurate P&L attribution, position reconciliation, and NAV integrity where applicable.
• Manage reconciliation of post-trade events (corporate actions, dividends, interest, tax reclamation processes).
• Identify bottlenecks and opportunities to automate routine middle-office tasks (e.g., exception handling, data enrichment, and reconciliation).
• Lead or participate in AI/automation projects to improve workflow efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Continuously evaluate and adopt new tools, data standards, and technology solutions to support the middle office.
• Process corporate actions accurately (dividends, mergers, splits, reorganizations) and identify issues requiring escalation.
• Work with stakeholders to ensure timely and correct dissemination of action items to Front Office and Custodians.
• Manage/Maintain a robust process for Governance, Documentation, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and control narratives.
• Provide training and coaching to team members; foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a liaison across Treasury, Risk, Compliance, and IT to ensure alignment on strategic initiatives.

Requirements

• Experience: 7+ years in securities operations, middle office, or related roles; strong emphasis on trade capture, matching, settlement, and corporate actions.
• Asset Class Knowledge: Deep understanding of equities, fixed income, and complex asset classes; familiarity with private markets a plus.
• Process Improvement: Demonstrated success in optimizing workflows and implementing automation across trade lifecycle processes.
• Technology & Data: Proficiency with OMS/TMS systems, trade capture tools, reconciliation platforms, and data analytics. Comfortable with data modeling and reporting.
• Risk & Compliance: Solid knowledge of regulatory requirements and control frameworks impacting middle office operations.
• Communication & Partnership: Excellent collaboration skills with Front Office, Portfolio Managers, Compliance, Risk, and Accounting.
• Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Computer Science, or a related field. CFA/FRM or equivalent professional certification is a plus.
• Leadership & People Skills: Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team; capable of influencing across functions.

Qualifications

• AI/Automation Mindset: Track record of leveraging AI, RPA, or machine learning to streamline processes and reduce manual intervention.
• Corporate Actions Expertise: Strong ability to process complex corporate actions and resolve related issues efficiently.
• Settlement & Custody Knowledge: In-depth understanding of settlement mechanics, custodial relationships, and reconciliation practices.
• Problem-Solving: Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to navigate ambiguity with solid judgment.
• Regulatory Savvy: Familiarity with SEC/FINRA, MiFID II, and other relevant market regulations.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple initiatives, timelines, and stakeholder expectations.
• High-pressure and fast-paced environment: Demonstrated leadership with the ability to create/drive high performance teams.
• High capacity to create and influence relationships.

Skills & Competencies

• AI/Automation Mindset: Track record of leveraging AI, RPA, or machine learning to streamline processes and reduce manual intervention.
• Corporate Actions Expertise: Strong ability to process complex corporate actions and resolve related issues efficiently.
• Settlement & Custody Knowledge: In-depth understanding of settlement mechanics, custodial relationships, and reconciliation practices.
• Problem-Solving: Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to navigate ambiguity with solid judgment.
• Regulatory Savvy: Familiarity with SEC/FINRA, MiFID II, and other relevant market regulations.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple initiatives, timelines, and stakeholder expectations.
• High-pressure and fast-paced environment: Demonstrated leadership with the ability to create/drive high performance teams.
• High capacity to create and influence relationships.

Benefits

Competitive compensation with performance-driven bonuses.
Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision, retirement plans).
A collaborative, inclusive, and innovation-focused culture.
Opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and cross-asset exposure.
Access to advanced tools, data, and technology to modernize operations.