Director, Head of Securities Reference Data

RBC • Toronto, ON

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Director Head of Securities Data, leading a global team to deliver excellence across securities data & control execution related initiatives. This role will include ownership, governance & strategic direction of the core securities reference data repository (SRDR), ensuring data integrity, accuracy & accessibility across RBC Capital Markets & affiliates, alongside various core Function activities within the securities reference data domain. Serving as the central authority for securities master data, driving strategic initiatives to enhance data quality, operational efficiency & regulatory compliance.

Requirements

• Minimum 5-10 years in financial services, with at least 5 years in data management, master data management (MDM), or reference data governance roles.
• Proven experience managing data teams across multiple asset classes (equities, fixed income, derivatives, or commodities).
• College / Degree level Education
• Track record of designing & implementing data governance frameworks & policies in a regulated environment.
• Demonstrated experience with data identification & data management systems, including classification frameworks.
• Prior exposure to regulatory frameworks such as MiFID II, FSMR, CSDR, & Basel III as they relate to data requirements.
• Experience leading & mentoring data management teams.
• Familiarity with enterprise data platforms, data warehousing, & Master Data Management.
• Previous success managing complex stakeholder relationships across front office, middle office, operations, risk, & compliance functions.
• Experience driving data quality improvement initiatives & establishing KPIs & metrics.
• Background in either investment banking, capital markets operations, or risk management functions is preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Certification in data management or governance is highly desirable. Relevant certifications may include Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), Certified Data Architect (CDA), or equivalent from recognized industry bodies.
• Knowledge of financial industry standards for securities classification and identification.

Responsibilities

• Determine data governance policies, standards & procedures for securities reference data across the organization.
• Decide on the scope & priority of data quality initiatives & remediation efforts.
• Establish frameworks for data ownership, stewardship, & accountability across business units.
• Determine team structure, hiring, & staffing levels for various data functions/teams.
• Review & approve training & development programs for team members.
• Decide on escalation of complex issues to senior leadership or external stakeholders.
• Select & implement enterprise data platforms, MDM tools, & data management systems.
• Decide on data architecture design, including system integration approaches & data flow methodologies.
• Evaluate & approve technology investments, vendor partnerships, & third-party data providers.
• Determine system prioritization & resource allocation across competing data management initiatives.
• Design, implement & enhance a comprehensive data management framework for securities data that establishes data ownership, stewardship responsibilities & accountability across business lines.
• Set data quality standards, validation rules, & KPIs for securities data.
• Approve procedures for onboarding new securities & managing data lifecycle changes.
• Determine escalation protocols for data exceptions, breaches, or quality issues.
• Decide on trade-off between data completeness, accuracy, timeliness, & cost.
• Manage complex stakeholder relationships across front office, middle office, operations, risk & compliance functions.
• Interpret regulatory requirements & determine how they translate into operational controls & data procedures.
• Approve securities data policies to ensure alignment with MiFID II, FSMR, LEI, ISIN standards, & other regulatory frameworks.
• Decide on remediation approaches for data gaps or control failures that could impact regulatory compliance.

Benefits

• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses and flexible benefits, competitive compensation
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team
• Opportunities to do challenging work
• Flexible work/life balance options

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Associate degree