Director of Trade Management Operations

tastylive • Chicago, IL

15h • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Trade Management Operations to lead and transform our back-office function across our Broker-Dealer and non-clearing Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) businesses. This role carries broad ownership of post-trade operations — including trade settlement, clearing, custody, corporate actions, and reconciliation — while spearheading a firm-wide initiative to automate and modernize key back-office processes. The ideal candidate is an operational leader with deep capital markets expertise, a hands-on management style, and a proven ability to drive process improvement and build high-performing teams.

Requirements

• 6-10 years of progressive experience in back-office operations at a broker-dealer, FCM, prime broker, or clearing firm
• FINRA Series 3, 4, 7, 24, and 63 licenses (or equivalents)
• Broad operational knowledge spanning settlement, clearing, custody, corporate actions, and reconciliation across multiple asset classes
• Familiarity with non-clearing FCM operations, including give-up processing, allocation workflows, and coordination with clearing FCMs
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing operational teams
• Proven track record leading process improvement or automation initiatives within a financial services environment
• Strong working knowledge of DTCC (DTC, NSCC, FICC) settlement processes and exchange-traded derivatives workflows
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements applicable to broker-dealers and non-clearing FCMs, including SEC Rule 15c3-3, FINRA rules, and baseline CFTC/NFA obligations
• Experience with reconciliation or back-office platforms (SmartStream, Broadridge, Duco, AutoRek, or comparable)
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills with the ability to present to senior management and regulators

Responsibilities

• Recruit, build, and develop a high-performing back-office team spanning reconciliation, settlement, clearing, and custody operations
• Define team structure, roles, and responsibilities; establish clear performance standards and career development pathways
• Provide day-to-day management, coaching, and mentorship to staff at all levels
• Partner with HR on headcount planning, hiring, and workforce development as the business grows
• Serve as the primary escalation point for operational breaks, settlement failures, and counterparty disputes
• Oversee all post-trade operations across asset classes including equities, options, exchange-traded derivatives, and FX
• Manage trade confirmation, settlement, and fail management across custodians, prime brokers, and clearing firms
• Coordinate give-up processing and submission workflows between executing brokers and the firm's designated clearing FCM, ensuring accurate and timely allocation of futures and options trades
• Supervise corporate actions processing, including voluntary and mandatory events, elections, and entitlement reconciliation
• Oversee margin and collateral tracking in coordination with the clearing FCM, Prime Brokerage, and Treasury
• Ensure all back-office functions adhere to strict settlement deadlines and operational SLAs
• Own end-to-end reconciliation across all business lines, including trade, position, cash, and asset reconciliation
• Oversee daily reconciliation of internal books and records against prime broker, custodian, and clearing FCM statements
• Manage position and cash reconciliation across exchange-traded products, ensuring alignment between the firm's records and clearing FCM-reported balances
• Ensure compliance with broker-dealer customer protection obligations under SEC Rule 15c3-3 and applicable FINRA rules
• Drive root cause analysis on recurring breaks and implement sustainable corrective actions to reduce break volumes over time
• Lead a strategic initiative to automate back office and reconciliation workflows, reducing manual processing and operational risk across the function
• Evaluate, select, and implement technology solutions including reconciliation platforms (e.g., AutoRek GMI, Broadridge) and back-office processing systems
• Define the target operating model for a scalable, automated back office and drive execution of the transformation roadmap
• Partner with Technology and Data teams to design automated break detection, exception management, and reporting workflows
• Establish KPIs and management dashboards tracking settlement efficiency, break aging, fail rates, and STP rates, with regular reporting to senior leadership
• Champion data quality and standardization initiatives to improve straight-through processing across the trade lifecycle
• Maintain a strong control environment consistent with SEC, FINRA, CFTC, and NFA requirements applicable to a non-clearing FCM
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and desktop guides for all back-office functions
• Partner with Internal Audit, Compliance, and Risk Management on control assessments, regulatory examinations, and audit responses
• Monitor regulatory developments impacting back-office obligations and proactively update processes and controls accordingly

Benefits

• Performance Bonuses
• Stock Purchase Options
• 401k Plan
• Medical/Dental/Vision Benefits
• 20 Paid Vacation Days (plus an additional paid vacation day the month of your birthday!)
• 10 Paid Sick Days
• Gym Membership Reimbursement
• Commuter Benefits
• Pet Insurance
• Wellness & Mental Health Programs
• Charitable Donation Matching
• Two Paid Volunteer Days Off
• Daily catered lunch when in the office
• Full kitchen with snacks and beverages
• In-building gym
• Shuttle to/from Metra

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed