Security Master SME

EXL•Chicago, IL

6d•$140,000 - $160,000

About The Position

We are seeking a Security Master Subject Matter Expert (SME) to serve as the domain authority for Security Master, Entity Master, and Reference Data management for a leading global credit ratings organization. You will bridge business requirements and technology delivery — defining data standards, validation rules, data quality frameworks, and stewardship workflows that ensure accuracy, completeness, and regulatory compliance of financial instrument and legal entity data.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent
10+ years of experience in financial data management, with at least 6 years as a Security Master or Reference Data SME.
Deep knowledge of financial instruments: equities, corporate/government bonds, structured products (ABS, MBS), and derivatives.
Hands-on experience with major data vendors: Bloomberg, Refinitiv/LSEG, FactSet, ICE Data Services.
Proficiency in SQL for data analysis and validation using PostgreSQL or Oracle.
Authoritative knowledge of security and entity data: lifecycle, corporate actions, ratings linkage, and classification taxonomies.
Ability to write detailed business requirements, data dictionaries, and functional specifications.
Strong analytical skills — able to perform data profiling and identify systemic data quality issues.
Effective communicator with experience working across technology, operations, and business stakeholders.
Familiarity with Agile/Scrum delivery and participation in sprint ceremonies as a domain expert.

Nice To Haves

Experience at a credit ratings agency (Fitch, S&P, Moody's) or equivalent financial data organization strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary domain expert for Security Master bond data covering equities, fixed income, structured products, corporate bond, Muni Bond and derivatives.
Establish data quality rules, validation logic, and exception handling workflows for Security and Entity Master records.
Collaborate with the MDM Architect and backend teams to translate business data requirements into technical data models and API specifications.
Define reference data hierarchies: asset class taxonomies, sector/industry classifications (GICS, SIC), rating categories, and issuer hierarchies.
Map and rationalize data feeds from external providers (Bloomberg, Refinitiv/LSEG, FactSet, ICE) and internal source systems.
Partner with data stewards and governance teams to establish data ownership, lineage, and change management processes.
Support QA teams in building test scenarios and validation frameworks based on domain rules.
Conduct data profiling, gap analysis, and quality assessments on incoming security and entity data.
Provide domain guidance during system design reviews and client-facing workshops.
Stay current with industry standards: ANNA, GLEIF, FIGI (OMG), ISO 4914, and regulatory reporting requirements (MiFID II, SEC).