Commodities Operations Analyst London, England
Job description
The Operations department is responsible for ensuring the complete end-to-end processing of the Bank's transactions and services. They are responsible for ensuring that the appropriate control framework exists to ensure the accuracy of this processing as well as the recording of this in the Bank's books and records. Operations is also responsible for the accurate and timely reporting of the Bank's transactions to multiple regulatory stakeholders globally.
Functions performed within Operations include but are not limited to:
- Trade Support
- Confirmations
- Settlements
- Collateral Management
- Operations Control
- Regulatory Operations
Job Purpose
To provide operational support to the Metal Business across the ICBC Standard Bank PLC balance sheet. This role will be part of a team providing the operational support to the Metals trading regions including London, Singapore and New York and will settle and reconcile all metals transactions booked on the London balance sheet. The role requires strong focus and knowledge of the controls that we rely on to facilitate the settlement of our complete suite of metals products. The role requires detailed two-way communication both to understand the requirements of the front office and clients/counterparties and to ensure that at all times we are keeping operational risk to a minimum. The candidate should be professional at all times, work well within a team, show initiative and be proactive.
Key Responsibilities
- Responsible for daily Settlement of Cash and Metals covering a broad range of products; eg Gold, Silver, PGM's, Copper, Aluminium and other Base Metals products.
- Processing and settlement of all warrants transactions, both OTC and with the London Metal Exchange
- Understands the products and services offered by the bank, whilst understanding the wider business and how the role contributes to the organisation.
- Completion of Daily Cash and Metals Reconciliation duties covering Nostro and Depository accounts and intra-system reconciliations. Able to identify and resolve any discrepancies using tools such as Intellimatch.
- Settlement of physical transactions, across the broader product range, catering for Base and Precious Currencies
- Assisting with and the completion of ETF/ETC physical custodian process.
- Supporting structured transactions, inclusive of allocated and earmarked financing.
- Efficient reconciliation and prompt payment of invoicing, adhering to the banks payment controls
- Ability to interpret clients requests accurately and concisely and ensures appropriate action is taken, providing the highest level of service of both Internal and External Stakeholders/Clients.
- Assists resolving Trade queries/Client queries and dealing with mistakes proactively
- Understanding of VAT processes and supporting the VAT return to HMRC.
- Ensuring departmental procedures are constantly updated and Controls adhered to Proactively completing checklist tasks to ensure the smooth running of the day-to-day processes.
- Engages with others to resolve problems or implement enhancements.
- Considers problems from all perspectives and can expand on the thinking or solutions proposed by others.
- Ensure that Risk items are escalated appropriately to ensure that the business operates in a controlled manner. Demonstrating accountability when helping to support decisions.
- Able to support system testing and implementation, providing ad-hoc project participation for enhancements to systems/ processes.
- Helps to identifies solutions to problems, assisting in driving change and encouraging.
- Is aware of and regularly reviews the control framework to ensure that changes to the business operating model and the products traded are appropriately risk-managed
- Completes tasks with minimal prompting, acting on opportunities without prompting, minimises potential problems by applying initiative
- Take responsibility and proactively manage personal development and training
Preferred Qualifications and Experience
Degree level education preferred but Experience of working in a regulated environment, ideally Financial Services
Knowledge, technical skills and expertise
- Experience of Metals and cash settlements.
- Understanding of Precious and Base Metals and the market settlement systems is desirable., e.g Aurum, Sword
- Knowledge of Physical metals; vaulting, warehousing and physical documentation is advantageous.
- Experience in creating SWIFT payment messages
- Strong reconciliation skillset with knowledge of the Intellimatch system
- Experience in communicating and dealing with Clients, Service Providers and Key Stakeholders
Personal attributes
- Demonstrates the ability to present ideas clearly and with impact to others in own function
- Takes initiative to present varying points of view to others
- Overcomes barriers and obstacles and persuades others toward a desired course of action
- Attention to detail is essential.
- Ability to challenge process and have the confidence to suggest and implement change.
- Client focused with excellent interpersonal skills.
- Can work both independently and within a team.
- Good organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workload due to high volumes and tight deadlines.
- Openness to business change with a forward thinking mindset.
