Front Office Risk & Control Analyst, City of Edinburgh

Business Unit:

Sitting within the Front Office, the role of the Front Office Risk & Control Team is to help ensure that positive client outcomes are being achieved and portfolios are being correctly managed in line with relevant regulatory standards, internal policies, and procedures. A key focus of the Team is in areas such as Suitability and Portfolio Risk. The Team also provide support to strategic initiatives and day-to-day issues which may arise – within both the Front Office function and wider business.

Brief Role Objective:

• The Front Office Risk & Control Analyst will report into the Front Office Risk & Control Manager, with a key and primary focus on Portfolio Risk monitoring and ongoing mandate adherence. Monitoring will include a combination of pre-planned assurance work together with dealing with ad hoc queries and requests for information.
• The role holder is expected to be passionately focused on positive client outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the design and upkeep of the Team’s Portfolio Risk monitoring processes to ensure adherence with key regulatory requirements and internal policies, procedures, group standards.
• Complete regular monitoring tasks, in line with the Team’s monitoring plan.
• Support the production and ongoing development of effective MI / KPIs (at business, team, and individual level) to monitor ongoing competence, adherence to policies and procedures, and to demonstrate that the right client outcomes are being achieved.
• Support the resolution of any breaches of client mandates.
• Support production of periodic reports to Boards and Committees as required.
• Support Front Office staff and key stakeholders across the business, acting as a key contact for first line Portfolio Risk matters.
• Strong collaboration and sharing of best practice with teams within the Front Office and the wider business, including Risk & Compliance.
• To support and provide Portfolio Risk related training as agreed.
• Support the delivery of key Front Office Risk & Control initiatives involving Portfolio Risk - developments within the team, with a focus on efficiency, intelligent use of data and, where appropriate, help introduce automation.

Key Skills and Technical Requirements:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience of working in an analytical role.
• Experience of working in a discretionary or advisory investment management environment with a focus on Retail investors.
• Advanced Excel skills are essential.
• Prior use of Bloomberg or/and Morningstar and Figaro would be beneficial.

Other Skills and Attributes:

• An experienced professional with knowledge and application of the FCA conduct of business rules.
• An understanding of the JFSC and SEC regulatory environment is advantageous but not necessary.
• Client centric
• Investment focused - good understanding of client investment needs; a working knowledge of fixed income, equity and cash type instruments, investment concepts and characteristics; able to interpret investment risk analysis.
• Strong interpersonal skills and teamwork - an ability to build and nurture relationships with a diverse range of personalities at a variety of different levels in addition to leading a team.
• Strong presentation and communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills: capable of representing the client which may necessitate constructively challenging Investment Managers.
• Attention to detail and strong focus on accuracy of information.
• Self-confident and able to influence effectively.
• Self-motivated.