Trading Support Engineer (Associate/VP)

TRADING SUPPORT ENGINEER

Bernstein is widely recognized as a premier global equity research and brokerage firm, with a trading platform that spans the US, Europe, and Asia. Our research and trading capabilities are sought out by leading investment managers around the world, and we have a long history of our research receiving #1 rankings for overall quality and industry knowledge.

About the Team

Bernstein is the Joint Venture (JV) established between Societe Generale (SG) and Alliance Bernstein to provide high quality independent research in equity and cash equity execution services. Bernstein Autonomous LLP (BA LLP) is the UK Operating Company and employing entity for the JV.

The GBTO team for BA LLP is composed of talented professionals who translate ideas into actions every day by combining the strength of our expertise in IT with a deep understanding of investment banking. Every day our teams are ensuring that we deliver the service our business need to compete and serve clients. Our objective is to deliver great production services in a well-controlled and cost-effective way, and to deliver competitive application systems that allow Bernstein to grow its business in existing and new markets, launch new products and take advantage of new opportunities when they arise.

The Execution services Tribe in London provides full management of the trading platform, algorithmic trading and middle office applications used by Bernstein across EMEA and full Bernstein as a whole as part of a follow the sun support model. The supported business is a full Cash Equities trading platform including Program, Care and DMA/DSA trading. This is a business requiring a strong technological platform to support the aims of growing both organically and through the introduction of new products.

The platform currently consists of in-house developed applications and components built around the InfoReach TMS, Raptor and Fidessa Enterprise platforms

Summary of Key Purposes of the Role

As a Support Engineer in a dynamic environment, you will be part of the global technical support team covering areas including:

·         Supporting the front-office users in the Cash Equity business.

·         Working closely with the front office users, technical teams and vendors you will gain exposure/knowledge around the trading environment while building on your existing technical skills.

·         Using technical, analytical and communication skills to investigate and resolve Production incidents.

·         Communicating key messages (incident alerts, resolutions and summaries) with stakeholders (front office, management).

·         With a good understanding of the business supported by EXS, innovate to improve the team’s way of working and enhance the end user experience.

Responsibilities

·         Level 1 and 2 support on Front Office applications.

·         Pro-active monitoring of Production systems.

·         Follow up on end-user requests.

·         Shows aptitude to learn new technologies

·         Escalate the incidents to the appropriate development team when required. Liaise with relevant IT teams – internal and external - regarding new functional and technical enhancements.

·         Ensure the continuity of the business by building and maintaining a strong relationship with the local helpdesk-support team, the infrastructure teams, the regional production teams (in the US, HK and India), as well as the project team.

·         Strong written and verbal communication required with the end users.

·         Follow the guidelines inherent to your support activities (call management/logging, incident management, problem management, Change management)

·         Ensure regular follow-up with global activity through dedicated meetings if applicable

·         Release management – communication, deployment and post-release testing of application releases.

·         Ensure all documentation is created, maintained and shared with relevant teams.

·         Provide high level of service, quality, and communication by industrialising / streamlining processes.

·         Identify areas for improvement and lead/propose transformation of existing processes both for the business and our production services activities.

·         Take part in transversal initiatives across our UK teams.

·         Minimum 5 years working in a financial institution working in a trading floor environment, ideally equities

·         Good Communication Skills, speaking as well as in writing

·         Strong Analytical skills

·         “Problem solving” mindset and solution-enabler capacities

·         Ability to make decisions and work Under Pressure

·         Taking initiatives and good teamwork, service-minded approach, aim to achieve highest level of user experience

·         Ability to prioritise and influence

·         Proactive, be able to work with users and solve their problems quickly under stressful situations, support the users in every encountered problem and take ownership of the end user issue.

Technical Experience:

·         Operating Systems - Windows/Linux skills

·         Strong understanding of the FIX protocol

·         Scripting skills – SQL plus Windows and UNIX variants (e.g. PowerShell, Shell scripting, etc)

·         Have supported InfoReach TMS, Fidessa or similar trading system, including in-house developed systems, in a banking environment

·         Basic understanding of network/server infrastructure would be useful

Languages:

·         English: fluent

·         French: any level beneficial

Education:

·         University graduate level or equivalent experience, with an exposure to Finance.

·         Ideally have a functional knowledge in finance, global markets and syndication.

People join for the impact they can have on us. They stay for the impact we have on them. A flatter structure offers visibility and exposure beyond that of our competitors, so you know our names, and we know yours. It's personable, human, and inspires success through passion. By encouraging open mindedness and a willingness to share ideas, we have adapted to market changes and thrived through innovation. Bringing words like “hard work” and “dedication” together with “community” and “respect” has enabled us to work collaboratively and build our future together. We call this Team Spirit and it's what makes us different. It's what makes you different.

If you feel you have the required experience and qualifications, then please apply to the SG Resourcing Team, and we will manage your application. At Société Générale, we believe our people are our strength and are core to the success of our business. As such, we search for, recruit and appoint the best available person on the basis of aptitude and ability, regardless of sex, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, pregnancy, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief or gender identity.