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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Index Technician

πŸ’° $55,000 - $85,000

Data & AnalyticsFinanceFinancial ServicesTechnology

🎯 Role Definition

As an Index Technician, you are the guardian of data integrity and the operational engine behind our market-leading financial benchmarks. This position sits at the critical intersection of finance, data, and technology. You will be entrusted with the day-to-day management of our entire suite of indices, from global equities to niche fixed-income and alternative strategies. Your work ensures that trillions of dollars in assets are benchmarked accurately, that our ETFs and index funds perform as expected, and that our clients receive the most reliable data to inform their investment strategies. This is a high-impact role for a detail-obsessed individual who thrives on precision and is passionate about the inner workings of financial markets.

πŸ“ˆ Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Data Analyst
  • Financial Operations Analyst
  • Junior Quantitative Analyst

Advancement To:

  • Senior Index Analyst / Senior Index Technician
  • Index Manager or Team Lead
  • Quantitative Analyst (Index Research)

Lateral Moves:

  • Data Scientist (Financial Products)
  • Business Analyst (Investment Management)
  • ETF / Financial Product Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Execute the daily production, calculation, and dissemination of a diverse portfolio of equity and fixed-income indices, ensuring absolute timeliness and accuracy.
  • Diligently monitor, interpret, and process complex corporate actions (e.g., mergers, acquisitions, stock splits, dividends, rights issues) and ensure ΠΈΡ… correct application to index constituents according to a strict rulebook.
  • Conduct rigorous data quality assurance checks on incoming market data from multiple vendors (e.g., Bloomberg, Refinitiv, FactSet) to identify, investigate, and rectify anomalies.
  • Perform daily, weekly, and monthly index rebalancing and reconstitution activities in strict accordance with predefined index methodologies and governance policies.
  • Investigate and resolve complex data discrepancies and calculation errors, performing root cause analysis and implementing preventative measures to enhance system robustness.
  • Collaborate closely with portfolio managers, research teams, and quantitative analysts to provide critical index data and analytics support for investment decision-making.
  • Maintain and update comprehensive documentation for all index methodologies, operational procedures, business rules, and event-handling protocols.
  • Develop and automate data validation and operational processes using SQL, Python, or VBA to improve efficiency, scalability, and reduce manual intervention.
  • Analyze the real-time and potential impact of market events, regulatory changes, and liquidity constraints on index composition and maintenance.
  • Generate and distribute daily and monthly performance attribution reports, providing clients and internal stakeholders with clear insights into index drivers.
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  • Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of new index launches, from initial design collaboration and back-testing to production implementation and go-live.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert, responding to and resolving internal and external client inquiries regarding index data, methodology, and calculations in a timely and professional manner.
  • Perform User Acceptance Testing (UAT) on new system enhancements, calculation engines, and software releases to ensure they meet business requirements and operational needs.
  • Monitor and analyze security-level data, including prices, shares outstanding, free-float, and industry classifications for thousands of index constituents.
  • Ensure all index management activities are compliant with internal policies and external regulatory frameworks, such as IOSCO Principles for Financial Benchmarks.
  • Utilize financial data terminals and APIs to source, validate, and integrate security master data into the index calculation engine.
  • Create and maintain custom or bespoke indices based on specific client mandates, translating unique client needs into actionable and systematic index rules.
  • Support the sales and marketing teams by providing accurate, up-to-date index-level data and analytics for factsheets, presentations, and client proposals.
  • Participate in cross-functional projects aimed at enhancing the firm's data infrastructure, calculation platforms, and overall index product offering.
  • Evaluate and onboard new data sources and vendors, assessing their quality, coverage, and suitability for the index management process.
  • Proactively identify opportunities for process improvement and automation within the index operations team to scale capacity and mitigate operational risk.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • SQL: Strong proficiency in writing complex queries for data extraction, manipulation, and validation.
  • Advanced Excel: Mastery of Excel, including pivot tables, complex formulas, macros, and VBA for data analysis and process automation.
  • Financial Data Terminals: Hands-on experience with platforms such as Bloomberg Terminal, Refinitiv Eikon, or FactSet.
  • Scripting Languages: Practical knowledge of Python (especially Pandas, NumPy) or another scripting language for automation and data analysis.
  • Financial Instruments: Deep understanding of financial instruments, particularly equities and fixed-income securities.
  • Corporate Actions: Expert knowledge of all types of corporate actions and their impact on market data and index composition.
  • Index Methodologies: Familiarity with index construction, rebalancing, and maintenance methodologies.
  • Market Data: Experience working with market data feeds and understanding of security master data.
  • Database Concepts: Solid understanding of relational database principles and data structures.
  • Regulatory Awareness: Knowledge of financial benchmark regulations like IOSCO is highly desirable.
  • ETL Processes: Familiarity with Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) workflows and tools.

Soft Skills

  • Attention to Detail: An exceptional eye for detail and an unwavering commitment to accuracy and quality.
  • Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and investigative skills to identify the root cause of issues and implement effective solutions.
    -Time Management: Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple priorities, and meet strict deadlines.
  • Communication: Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills to articulate complex data issues to various stakeholders.
  • Teamwork: A collaborative spirit with the ability to work seamlessly with cross-functional teams.
  • Ownership: Proactive, self-starting attitude with a strong sense of personal responsibility for one's work.
  • Resilience: Ability to remain calm and focused when handling high-pressure situations and time-sensitive tasks.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation or active candidacy.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance, Economics, or Business
  • Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1-5 years of experience in data management, financial operations, portfolio analytics, or a closely related field.

Preferred:

  • Direct, hands-on experience in index management, portfolio construction/analytics, or working for a financial data provider.
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