Career Opportunities at Earlybird Portfolio Companies

Are you seeking a new challenge at a growing startup where you can truly make a difference, take ownership, help build a function and change the world of tomorrow for the better? Below you'll find open jobs from the entire #EBCVGang. We are also hiring at Earlybird! If you want to work with us, please send us your application.

Head of Brokerage (f/m/d)

Upvest

Upvest

Berlin, Germany
Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2023

We’re looking for fintech enthusiasts to join us in creating the financial infrastructure of tomorrow. We’re building the first European Investment API to enable any financial institution to offer a broad range of investment products in their apps. Our view is backed by Europe's largest tech VCs (Earlybird, Notion Capital, Partech, HV Capital, ABN AMRO Ventures) by renowned fintech entrepreneurs (including Maximilian Tayenthal, founder of N26, and Felix Haas, founder of IDnow) and Bessemer Venture Partners in the USA.

We’re based in Berlin but would consider hiring remotely for this role. If you do want to move to Berlin though, we’re happy to support your relocation.

At Upvest, our vision is to make investing as easy as spending money. By enabling any business to offer investment opportunities, our goal is to empower anyone to invest. Today, we count 100+ talented people from 30 different countries.

Your mission:

The Head of Brokerage is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing all aspects of our brokerage operations. The ideal candidate possesses extensive industry experience, a strong track record of leadership, and a proven ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes. The successful candidate will have a builder mentality, excel in team collaboration, and thrive in an environment of ambiguity. This individual will be instrumental in driving operational excellence, managing regulatory compliance, and fostering innovation within the brokerage team.

Responsibilities, among others:

Trade Processing and Order Management:

  • Oversee the trade processing and order management functions to ensure accurate and timely execution of client trades
  • Monitor trade execution to ensure compliance with best execution standards and regulatory requirements

    Peak Account Management:

    • Manage peak account activities and ensure optimal handling of high-volume trading periods as well as external peak management for fractional orders

    • Collaborate with relevant teams to anticipate and address capacity challenges during peak time

     

    OTC Trading:

     

    • Set up OTC trading network and lead/ oversee the OTC trading activities incl. setting up processes, ensuring efficient execution and risk management
    • Collaborate with trading desks and counterparties to facilitate OTC trades

    Regulatory Reporting:

    • Ensure compliance with regulatory reporting obligations, including MiFIR transaction reporting, Best Execution reporting, and MAR (Market Abuse Regulation) requirements
    • Oversee accurate and timely submission of relevant reports to regulatory authorities

    Mistrade Controlling:

    • Develop and implement processes for identifying and addressing trading errors and mismatches
    • Coordinate with relevant teams to rectify mistrade situations in a timely manner and set up adequate controls and documentation

    Membership and OTC Partner Management:

    • Manage relationships with brokerage membership and OTC partners, fostering collaborative and productive partnerships
    • Drive negotiations and discussions related to terms and conditions of partnerships
    • Expand the Upvest execution network

    Brokerage Policy and Operations:

    • Develop and manage brokerage policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and regulatory requirements
    • Oversee day-to-day operations of the brokerage team, ensuring adherence to established policies

    Regulatory Compliance:

    • Assume accountability for audits, regulatory inspections, and investigations related to brokerage operations
    • Address issues related to market abuse, insider trading, and other relevant regulatory matters

      New Product Processes:

      • Provide support for the evaluation and onboarding of new financial products into the Upvest platform
      • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth product launch processes

      Qualifications, among others:

      • 10+ years of progressive experience in financial services, with a focus on brokerage operations

      • Strong understanding of regulatory requirements, including MiFIR, MAR, and related regulations

      • Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with a collaborative and team-oriented approach

      • Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments

      • Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively for oneself and the team

      • Proven track record of managing high-performance teams and fostering a positive work culture

      Why Upvest?

      • We're working on solving a hard problem: fixing the European securities financial infrastructure that empowers more people to be able to invest. You have the opportunity to contribute to this change.
      • We invest in you. From access to a personal coach, development budget and plenty of opportunities to grow in your role.
      • We take hiring seriously with a strong focus on keeping a high bar when interviewing (equally important is that we hire decent people, who are passionate about their craft and helping us achieve our shared mission).
      • While we're not quite fully-remote, we are committed to being a flexible employer, as we understand you don't have to be in the office to do your best work.
      • We live a culture of empowerment, trust (that we hire the best people and get out of their way) and openness (there's a greater advantage in sharing information than keeping it to ourselves).

      Our values:

      • Learn and grow. We aim high to shape our future. We give and request honest feedback knowing that we develop together. Progression over Perfection.
      • Team first. We make it easy for others. We value our differences and are open to others' opinions. We win and celebrate together! Team over Egos.
      • Own the outcome. Whether we win or we lose, we stand together. We are proactive and get the job done. Outcome over Process.
      • Tell the story. We always start with the why. We share knowledge to empower others. Transparency over Complexity.

      Upvest is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees