Senior Trading Systems Consultant

Role Overview

This document outlines the ideal candidate profile for a key, client-facing role: a Mid to Senior Trading Systems Consultant for Andile Solutions. This position is critical to our success, acting as a trusted advisor and high-impact delivery lead on our most important client engagements.

The core need is for a versatile Capital Markets Consultant with a strong analytical and problem-solving background, ideally from an engineering or similar discipline. This individual will be responsible for dissecting complex business challenges and designing effective, practical solutions. The role requires the intellectual curiosity and adaptability to apply their skills across various asset classes as client needs evolve, ensuring we can consistently deliver value.

Core Responsibilities

The consultant's primary mandate is to lead and execute strategic technology-enabled projects within our client's Strategic Delivery team in its Global Markets division. Their focus will be on enhancing business capabilities, driving efficiency, and delivering measurable value.

• End-to-End Problem Ownership
  • The candidate will be given significant autonomy to analyse complex situations, define clear problem statements, and drive initiatives from initial concept through to a successfully implemented solution.
• Versatile, Hands-On Execution
  • This is not a purely administrative or oversight role. The consultant will act as the primary analytical and strategic resource, seamlessly switching between the roles of business analyst, solution designer, and project orchestrator.
• Deep Client Environment Integration
  • Success requires embedding within the client's team to operate effectively in their fast-paced trading environment. This involves building strong, collaborative relationships with traders, quants, technology partners, and operations staff.

Ideal Candidate Profile

To be successful, the candidate must possess the following blend of skills and experience. The profile is designed to identify individuals who can be effective from day one.

Trading Systems & Markets Experience

This foundational business and technical knowledge is crucial for establishing credibility and understanding the client's complex ecosystem.

• Required:
  • Hands-on experience with a major front-office trading system (e.g., Front Arena, Murex, Calypso, WallStreet FX, etc.).
  • A solid understanding of general capital markets concepts, trade lifecycles, and front-office business processes.
• Preferred: Specific, in-depth experience with Front Arena is a significant advantage and our primary preference.
  

Analytical & Technical Problem-Solving

The ability to logically deconstruct problems and develop effective solutions is more important than pure coding proficiency.

• Required: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential. The ideal candidate approaches challenges with a structured, engineering-like mindset.
• Highly Beneficial: Technical proficiency is beneficial to implementing solutions, with experience in a language like Python being helpful for data analysis, scripting, and prototyping. The focus is on using technology as a tool to solve business problems, not on large-scale software engineering.
  

Interpersonal & Consulting Skills (Non-Negotiable)

As a client-facing consultant, this is paramount. It is the ability to build influence and drive consensus that separates a good analyst from a great consultant.

• Required: The candidate must build rapport and establish trust with senior business and technology stakeholders. They should be able to confidently present complex ideas to non-technical audiences, mediate disagreements between teams, and effectively manage client expectations and project scope. They must be adept at navigating the political landscape of a large financial institution.

Differentiating Experience

While not mandatory, expertise in these areas will allow a candidate to deliver value more quickly and contribute on a broader strategic level.

• Highly Beneficial: Specialist knowledge in a particular asset class, especially Foreign Exchange (FX), is a significant advantage.
• Beneficial:
  • Familiarity with modern delivery practices, including version control (e.g., Git) and working within an Agile framework.
  • Understanding of XVA (Valuation Adjustments) and risk management concepts.
  • Familiarity with capital markets finance/accounting and operations workflows.
  • Familiarity with Front Office workflows.

Summary Profile

In summary, we are targeting a seasoned capital markets professional with deep experience in trading systems technology and a strong engineering-style, problem-solving mindset.

The ideal candidate possesses the technical aptitude to develop practical solutions and the exceptional interpersonal skills required to lead and influence within a complex client environment.

While specialised business knowledge such as FX helpful, the primary requirements are the market experience, analytical ability, and stakeholder management skills needed to deliver high-impact solutions in a demanding trading environment.