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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for E-Trade Officer

💰 $85,000 - $130,000

Financial ServicesTradingOperationsTechnologyFinTech

🎯 Role Definition

The E-Trade Officer is a critical role at the intersection of technology, client service, and trading operations. You will be the primary point of contact for all matters related to our electronic trading systems, ensuring their stability, performance, and reliability. Your mission is to provide an unparalleled trading experience for our clients by resolving issues swiftly, managing platform configurations, and collaborating with internal teams to drive continuous improvement. This position requires a deep understanding of financial instruments, trade lifecycles, and the technical protocols that underpin modern electronic trading.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Brokerage Operations Analyst
  • Trade Support Specialist
  • Financial Technology (FinTech) Support Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Senior E-Trade Officer / Team Lead
  • Trading Platform Manager
  • Head of Electronic Trading Operations

Lateral Moves:

  • Business Analyst (Trading Systems)
  • Compliance Officer (Trade Surveillance)
  • Product Manager (Financial Products)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage and actively monitor the health and performance of all electronic trading platforms and systems across various asset classes, including equities, options, and fixed income.
  • Provide first and second-level support for institutional and retail clients, troubleshooting complex issues related to trade execution, platform connectivity, and market data discrepancies in a timely and professional manner.
  • Oversee the entire lifecycle of client onboarding, including Financial Information eXchange (FIX) protocol certification, user account setup, and platform configuration.
  • Act as the central liaison between clients, internal development teams, brokers, exchanges, and technology vendors to investigate and resolve systemic trading issues.
  • Proactively monitor real-time market data feeds, system alerts, and application logs to ensure maximum platform stability and preemptively address potential problems.
  • Investigate and resolve trade breaks, allocation issues, and settlement discrepancies by collaborating closely with middle-office and back-office operations teams.
  • Analyze trading patterns, system latency, and execution quality to identify opportunities for workflow optimization and performance improvement.
  • Configure, manage, and audit user permissions, trading limits, and risk controls in strict accordance with internal risk management policies and client mandates.
  • Ensure all electronic trading activities and platform operations are fully compliant with relevant regulatory bodies and internal policies, including SEC, FINRA, and MiFID II rules.
  • Provide comprehensive training and live demonstrations of the trading platform's features and functionalities to new and existing clients as well as internal staff.
  • Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on electronic trading workflows, market structure, and algorithmic trading behavior for internal stakeholders.
  • Manage the incident response process for high-priority system outages, which includes coordinating technical response teams and handling all stakeholder communications.
  • Conduct detailed post-mortem analysis of trading incidents to identify root causes, document findings, and implement effective preventative measures for the future.
  • Support the deployment and monitoring of algorithmic trading strategies, ensuring they perform within expected parameters and risk limits.
  • Handle a wide variety of ad-hoc requests from traders, portfolio managers, and compliance teams regarding historical trade data, system functionality, and market events.
  • Review and approve electronic trade confirmations and blotters daily to ensure accuracy, completeness, and proper booking in downstream systems.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for new platform features, bug fixes, and major system upgrades to ensure they meet business requirements.
  • Generate and distribute periodic reports on key metrics such as trading volumes, system performance, client activity, and support ticket trends.
  • Contribute to the creation and maintenance of the internal knowledge base, platform documentation, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
  • Participate in business continuity planning and annual disaster recovery testing exercises for all critical trading applications.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • FIX Protocol: Deep understanding of the Financial Information eXchange (FIX) protocol for client onboarding, testing, and troubleshooting connectivity.
  • Trading Platforms: Hands-on experience with institutional-grade trading platforms and Order Management Systems (e.g., Bloomberg EMSX, Fidessa, Refinitiv REDI, or proprietary systems).
  • Asset Class Knowledge: Strong functional knowledge of various financial instruments, including Equities, Options, Futures, FX, and Fixed Income.
  • Database Querying: Proficiency in SQL for querying databases to investigate trade issues, analyze data, and generate reports.
  • Scripting: Basic scripting ability in languages like Python, Perl, or Shell to automate monitoring tasks and data analysis.
  • Market Data Systems: Familiarity with market data vendors and technologies (e.g., Refinitiv, Bloomberg, ICE) and an understanding of data feed processing.
  • Regulatory Framework: Working knowledge of the financial regulatory landscape, including rules from FINRA, SEC, and other major global regulators.
  • Network Fundamentals: Understanding of basic networking concepts (TCP/IP, VPNs, Firewalls) as they relate to trading system connectivity.

Soft Skills

  • Problem-Solving: Exceptional analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to solve complex problems under pressure.
  • Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts clearly to both clients and internal teams.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous and detail-oriented approach to ensure accuracy in trade monitoring, client setup, and issue resolution.
  • Resilience: Ability to remain calm and effective in a high-stakes, fast-paced trading environment.
  • Client Focus: A strong commitment to providing outstanding customer service and building positive client relationships.
  • Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively within a team and across different departments, including Technology, Sales, and Compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree in a relevant field or possession of industry certifications (e.g., CFA, Series 7/57/63).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance / Economics
  • Computer Science / Information Systems
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-7 years of relevant experience in an electronic trading support, brokerage operations, trade support, or related FinTech role.

Preferred:

  • Direct, client-facing experience supporting a multi-asset class electronic trading platform within a broker-dealer, asset manager, or investment bank. Proven experience with FIX protocol onboarding and certification is highly desirable.
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