Job Description
Here at Standard Life, we guide millions of people through some of life’s biggest decisions. We’re searching for a Middle Office Derivatives and Public Markets Associate who shares our commitment to putting customers first, aiming high and working together to join the Retirement Solutions and Asset Management function.
Job Type: Permanent
Location: Edinburgh, London, Telford or Birmingham (hybrid working 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home).
Flexible working: All of our roles are open to part-time, job-share and other types of flexibility. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process. You can read more about flexible working here.
Salary and benefits: From £42,000 (subject to experience) + bonus, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.
Who are we?
We’re Standard Life, a retirement specialist focused entirely on retirement savings and income. We champion the belief that everyone’s journey to and through retirement can be better, and for more than 200 years, we’ve been helping our customers plan and prepare for their financial futures.
Life today is increasingly complicated, uncertain and unpredictable. People move through different careers, face unexpected moments and navigate important choices. We offer our colleagues flexibility, trust and benefits that work for whatever life brings. In return we expect curiosity, connection, accountability and high standards. We make room for what matters - so you can bring your best, every day.
The Role
Middle Office is a key support function for the Retirement Solutions and Asset Management Front Office. It has wide ranging accountability ensuring operational control of investment activities, supporting the Group and Asset Management governance framework, and delivery of investment reporting. The current Derivatives and Public Markets Middle Office team create a multi-asset class Middle Office team. This offers new joiners the chance to learn front to back management of a wider asset set.
The role involves coordination of post trade lifecycle management across Standard Life plc entities for derivative and public market fixed income products. Dedicated product support for the various Front Office functions, primarily the ALM (Asset Liability Management) team on trade execution, confirmation and post trade activities.
Additionally, supporting the Portfolio Implementation and Manager Oversight teams on a day-to-day basis, providing key operational input and guidance. A key focus of this role will be to ensure accurate and timely derivative data is stored through internal systems, requiring coordination and direction of activities amongst internal functions and key outsourced service providers. In particular, the role will require continued build-out and support in overseeing services provided by BlackRock Solutions via the Aladdin suite of products.
This role will develop the individual into an experienced subject matter expert, providing active participation on process improvement and operating model enhancements to achieve industry leading systems and controls across asset and fund classes. In the same SME capacity, participate in functional integration of legacy Standard Life risk carriers across procedures and platforms.
Key Responsibilities
- Derivatives Oversight – Take leadership in ensuring that derivative operational activities are completed and providing ownership to resolve any outstanding issues.
- Derivative Data – Provide SME input into ensuring that derivative trades are correctly captured in internal systems.
- Live Cycle management – Performing middle office control on direct derivative and public market fixed income trading. (confirms, income and resolving trade flow issues)
- Onboarding – Working with our third-party providers to onboard new system capability and set up internal processes to utilise the tools available.
- Be the subject matter expert in supporting the new instrument onboarding process.
- Risk and Control – Developing processes and procedures to make sure our derivative and public market fixed income operations are functioning within our policy standards.
- Regulatory - Supporting the business in meeting regulatory requirements.
- As key SME, support integration of new business lines emanating from closed book acquisitions, open book, and BPA activity.
What are we looking for?
Experience & Knowledge (Essential)
- Experience of managing Derivative and/or Fixed income products from a middle office or back-office perspective:
- Understanding of pre trade governance – strategy / investment guidelines / mandates
- Trading activity – execution and trade capture
- Operational activity – trade enrichment / validation, confirms, transaction reporting, settlement, reconciliations
- External services – custodian / clearing broker / trade counterparty interactions
- Knowledge of regulatory considerations e.g. EMIR / TCF / Conduct of Business Rules
- Proven knowledge of the trade lifecycle of derivatives including derivative documentation (ISDA/CSA and central clearing agreements)
- Functional knowledge of end-to-end investment management technology / operating models, and downstream consumers / value chain
- Practical experience with business transformation projects, such as onboarding of investment managers, products (cash and derivatives, fixed income, potentially structured products) or portfolio restructurings
Skills
- Proficient use of MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint and experience of using the Aladdin platform
Personal Attributes
- Analytical and detail‑driven - ability to navigate complex derivative and fixed‑income processes while maintaining a strong focus on accuracy, control, and risk awareness.
- Agile and open‑minded - embracing change and contributing fresh ideas to improve processes.
- Curious and proactive - continually seeking to deepen expertise, understand upstream/downstream impacts, and improve ways of working across middle‑ and back‑office processes.
- Proactive and resourceful - building knowledge, networks (internal and external) and solutions through curiosity and collaboration.
We want to hire the whole version of you.
We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.
We’re reviewing applications as they come in, so apply early to avoid missing out.
Find out more about working at Standard Life
