Job Title: Operations Specialist – Fixed Income Middle Office
Date: June 2025
Department: Global Markets & ALMT Operations
Location: Osaka Japan
Business Line / Function: ITO
Reports to: Team manager, Fixed Income Middle Office
Position Purpose
Function: Fixed Income Middle Office – Trade support
Part of the Global Markets & ALMT Operations for Shoken & Ginko entity, the team covers 2 products (Fixed Income and Collateral) as below and Team member is usually assigned one or two product(s).
-Bonds Trade Support supports the Fixed Income desks trading activities, and especially all Domestic and Foreign Cash products as well as Repo.
-Collateral covers margin call process for JGB and Foreign Bond Repo trades as well as CSA collateral related inquiries from Japanese clients. This role also covers oversight of outsourced process to India.
Key Responsibilities - Fixed Income / Collateral
Trade Capture and Reconciliation
-Trade capture, allocation and Margin Call Process for Shoken entity with Japanese and Foreign markets for Japanese clients and brokers.
-Ensure STP flow from front-to-back systems.
-Check termsheets, client / brokers confirmations against FO booking and solve any discrepancy.
-Verify and send confirmations/statement to clients.
-Reconciliation of booking/ positions/ market data.
-Monitoring and processing of Life Cycle Events, Coupon, dividend, corporate action, monthly billing etc.
Settlement monitoring
-Liaise with local and global settlement teams to ensure smooth settlements.
-For offshore settling bonds (London, Paris, New York), establish working connections with the Back Office teams in other locations in order to ensure smooth settlement.
-For US Treasury, MBS and other US specific products, oversight the whole workflow for smooth process and settlement for Japanese clients.
-Confirm cash and margin /collateral payments with clients and monitor released instructions.
New Business setup
-Work closely with the front office in Japan and clients in order to facilitate the implementation of new Business.
-Follow up static data maintenance for new clients and new issue products.
Client Support
-Respond to indirect/direct inquiries from the client for fixed income and collateral management area by working closely with relevant Middle Office teams as well as various Back Office teams, IT, Collateral Management team in India, Front Office, Finance and etc.
Reporting
-Ensure accuracy of regulatory reporting or legal ledger such as Baikai report, Prop/Agency flag amendments, other JSDA reports, etc.
All
-Detect potential issues predictively and setup robust processes with appropriate controls.
-Cooperate with IT to implement new systems and system enhancements to fulfill various needs relating to business, regulations, controls and efficiencies.
-Promote cross product coverage and expertise to flexibly work within the team.
-Ensure to escalate any irregular events or exceptions to management in a timely manner.
-Work closely with relevant Middle Office teams as well as various Back Office teams, IT, Collateral Management team in India, Front Office, Finance and etc.
Anti-Money Laundering / Financial Sanctions (“AML/FS”) related duties
Operations are an integral part of the control framework including for AML/FS topics. In that respect, in performing your role you are expected to ensure adherence to AML/FS-related Group Policies and execution of associated operational controls, and to promptly escalate any resulting hit for analysis and decision.
Competencies (Technical / Behavioral)
Soft Skills
Clear and Effective Communication
Verbal & Written Skill in English and Japanese. Work with others. Interact across countries, cultures and external. Deal with clients and regulators.
Work Quality & Efficiency
Process improvement. Design new processes and documentation. Time management with handling multiple priorities, tasks and stakeholders.
Decision Making
Make a decision, Out of box approach. Change management. Adapt to new ways. Initiate projects.
Teamwork & Culture
Team player. Trust and confidence. Acknowledgement. Lead by example. Effective feedback. Understand organization goals and strategies.
Problem Solving
-Root-cause analysis. Provide solutions. Timely Escalation.
Pressure control
-Complete all tasks within the cut-off time/business hours.
Behavioral
- Align with the firm’s strategy, Simple & Efficient.
- Own the accountability and responsibilities.
- Actively cross covering products over FIMO / Collateral.
Specific Qualifications Required
Required:
- Adequate professional communication skills in English and Japanese
- Ability and willingness to learn and improve new product and process
- High awareness of of Risk & Control and ability to apply appropriate control measures
- Strong Control mindset and is a person of integrity and trust
Time management and Prioritization skill
Comfortable with PC skills such as Excel (pivot table, vlookup and basic calculation formulas)
Preferred:
- JSDA Sales Representative Qualification (Class 1 & 2)
- JSDA Chief Control Manager
- 2 – 3 years experience in Financial Industry
