Market Structure Strategy Lead

IMC•Chicago, NY

About The Position

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead our Market Structure Strategy at IMC US, a cutting-edge quantitative trading firm. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in deepening relationships with key market participants and enhancing our market presence, while ensuring IMC stays ahead of the structural, technological, and regulatory shifts that shape our trading environment. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the strategic direction of the firm by influencing market structure evolution and collaborating with internal teams to ensure optimal trading and business outcomes.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in market structure, exchange technology, or strategy roles within financial services, ideally within a quantitative trading, proprietary trading, or market-making firm.
Options market experience is critical.
Deep understanding of market structure across multiple asset classes (e.g., options, equities, futures, fixed income), including exchange architecture, matching engine mechanics, exchange mechanics, liquidity dynamics, and regulatory environments.
Ability to quickly assess the technical and operational implications of exchange or infrastructure changes on IMC's business.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence outcomes in complex, fast-paced environments.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to interpret data and market trends to drive decision-making.
Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and prioritize based on IMC's top strategic priorities.
Proven track record of developing and maintaining strong relationships with key market participants, particularly in options trading. Skilled at knowing when to loop in the right internal subject-matter experts to deepen or extend those relationships.
Deep understanding of global financial regulations and how they impact market structure, trading, and compliance.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly to both internal teams and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Stay at the forefront of market structure changes across asset classes, providing insights into how regulatory, technological, and competitive developments impact the firm's trading operations and business.
Maintain a technical understanding of exchange architecture and matching engine mechanics across relevant venues, and work with IMC experts to translate incoming changes—technological, structural, or procedural—into clear assessments of how they will impact IMC's trading operations, systems, and strategy.
Collaborate with trading, technology, legal, and compliance teams to align business initiatives with regulatory requirements and market trends.
Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including exchanges, brokers, clearinghouses, and liquidity providers, to optimize trading conditions and market access. In addition to managing these relationships directly, collaborate with the right internal IMC experts to bring into key conversations, fostering stronger, more technically grounded relationships across the firm.
Conduct ongoing analysis of emerging trends to identify opportunities for competitive differentiation and advantage.
Work closely with legal and compliance teams regarding market structure advocacy; engage with regulatory bodies and industry groups to represent the firm's interests in shaping policy developments that impact market structure.
Support identification of new business opportunities, including partnerships and expansion into new markets or asset classes, where they intersect with market structure strategy.