Risk Manager (Risk and Operations)

About the role

This role focuses on maintaining regulatory compliance and managing risk across client futures accounts, covering both equities and digital assets. The manager will enforce standards from bodies like the CFTC and NFA, compile necessary reports, and assist with audits. A key part of the job involves continuous monitoring of risk exposures and trading activities, identifying and escalating any breaches or abnormal patterns to senior management promptly.

The position requires active involvement in frontline risk enforcement, which includes executing protocols such as placing trading restrictions, issuing margin calls, and initiating account liquidations when critical risk parameters are breached. This demands swift and decisive judgment, especially during volatile market conditions. Additionally, the manager will oversee pre-trade risk controls, position limits, and evaluate the risk implications of new products before their launch, working with various internal teams.

Success in this role means effectively safeguarding the platform and its clients by rigorously applying risk management principles and regulatory requirements. It involves ensuring client margin adequacy, managing risk during extreme market events, and contributing to the secure introduction of new offerings. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong understanding of derivatives, margin methodologies, and regulatory frameworks, coupled with the ability to communicate complex risk metrics clearly.

The salary for this role ranges from $45,000 to $75,000 USD.

Skills that matter here

• Python: Proficiency in Python is a strong plus for analyzing data and potentially automating risk monitoring tasks.
• SQL: Proficiency in SQL is a strong plus, likely used for querying and managing risk-related data.
• CFTC, NFA, and SEC regulations: Familiarity with these regulations is a strong plus, as the role involves enforcing regulatory standards and compliance.
• SPAN and portfolio-margining methodologies: Working knowledge of these methodologies is required for evaluating client margin adequacy and managing risk.
• equities, commodity products, futures, perpetuals, and other derivatives: A strong understanding of these financial instruments, their pricing, and funding rates is essential for monitoring and managing risk.

Who this role suits

• Someone with 5-10+ years of hands-on experience in risk management or derivatives operations, ideally from an FCM or broker-dealer.
• A person with a quantitative background who can make swift, decisive risk calls under pressure, especially during market volatility.
• An individual who is self-motivated and can independently manage tasks without constant supervision.
• A communicator who can translate detailed risk metrics into clear summaries for various stakeholders.

From the employer

Responsibilities:

• Regulatory & Clearing Compliance
• Enforce regulatory standards set by the CFTC, NFA, and applicable derivatives clearing organizations (DCOs).
• Compile regulatory risk reporting, support risk attestations, and liaise during regulatory audits.
• Real-Time Risk & Exposure Monitoring
• Monitor real-time and end-of-day risk exposures, client positions, and trading activities across all client futures accounts (equities and digital assets).
• Identify, investigate, document, and escalate risk-limit breaches, abnormal trading activities, or position spikes in a timely manner to senior management.
• Evaluate client margin adequacy, enforcing initial and maintenance margin requirements, intraday margin calls, and variation margin coverage.
• Frontline Risk Enforcement & Execution Protocols
• Execute mandated risk escalation protocols, including placing trading restrictions, lowering credit limits, issuing margin calls, and executing partial or full account liquidations when accounts breach critical risk parameters.
• Exercise swift, decisive, and authoritative judgment to execute trade halts and liquidations during periods of extreme market volatility.
• Cover daily FCM risk management responsibilities, tracking intraday and end-of-day risk metrics across a multi-asset clearing ecosystem. Execute the risk escalation protocol on live accounts: issue margin calls, impose trading restrictions, lower credit limits, and carry out partial or full liquidations when accounts breach critical risk parameters.
• Pre-Trade Risk Controls & Position Limit Management
• Oversee and calibrate pre-trade risk controls, firm-specific position limits, exchange-imposed accountability levels, and reportable position thresholds.
• Enforce regulatory and exchange risk standards across client accounts and market-making portfolios.
• New Product Research & Governance
• Evaluate risk implications, collateral requirements, and margin methodologies of new products, trading strategies, or client offerings prior to launch.
• Collaborate with trading, operations, technology, and compliance teams to ensure appropriate risk control frameworks and DCO compliance are established.
• Client Onboarding
• Perform client onboarding risk assessments and conduct ongoing market, credit, and liquidity risk monitoring.

Requirements:

• 5 to 10+ years of hands-on experience in risk management, trading, or derivatives operations (experience with an FCM, derivatives clearing firm, prime broker, or broker-dealer is a strong plus).
• Title and level are set by experience; candidates at the senior end of the band will be considered for a Senior Risk Manager.
• Degree or above in a quantitative discipline, with professional qualifications such as CFA and FRM an added advantage.
• Proficient in Python and SQL is a strong plus.
• Strong understanding of equities, commodity products, futures, perpetuals, and other derivatives, including their multi-asset pricing mechanics and funding rates.
• Working knowledge of SPAN and portfolio-margining methodologies, and of how intraday and end-of-day margin calls are raised and met. Solid understanding of margin concepts, cross-margining efficiencies, liquidations, and direct trading experience (personal or professional).
• Familiarity with CFTC, NFA, and SEC regulations is a strong plus.
• Self-motivated, having the internal drive and motivation to begin and continue tasks independently without supervision.
• A track record of making swift, decisive risk calls under pressure, including trade halts and liquidations during extreme market volatility.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to turn detailed risk metrics into clear summaries for senior leadership, clients, and regulators.

Conditions:

• Competitive salary
• Attractive annual leave entitlement including: birthday, work anniversary
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Eligible for company-sponsored group health, dental, vision, and life/disability insurance
• Work Flexibility Adoption. Flexi-work hour and hybrid set-up
• Aspire career alternatives through us. Our internal mobility program can offer employees a diverse scope.