Trade Support Specialist, Client

Liberty is currently seeking a meticulous and experienced Trade Support Specialist to join their Johannesburg-based team. This role sits at the heart of the organisation’s Global Markets operations, acting as a critical bridge between front-office investment strategies and the backend administrative execution that ensures every transaction is settled accurately and on time. If you thrive in high-pressure environments where precision is paramount, this position offers a front-row seat to the complexities of the financial sector.

About the role

In this capacity, you will be responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of investment transactions. The scope of your work covers a broad range of products, including fixed income and various structured solutions. Your primary objective is to maintain the integrity of the trade lifecycle—from initial execution and allocation through to matching and final settlement.

This is not merely an administrative function; it is a role that demands a proactive approach to risk management. You will be expected to leverage your market expertise to identify potential operational hazards, resolve trade exceptions, and drive the continuous improvement of controls. By partnering with various internal departments—including Risk, Compliance, and Front Office—you will ensure that Liberty’s investment strategies are executed efficiently while adhering to the highest industry standards.

Your daily responsibilities will revolve around ensuring the seamless flow of trades and maintaining strong relationships with both internal stakeholders and external counterparties. Key duties include:

• Overseeing the trade lifecycle for complex Global Markets transactions, ensuring accuracy at every stage.
• Executing investment strategies while minimising operational risk and enhancing overall client outcomes.
• Resolving trade exceptions and settlement queries with sound judgement and technical proficiency.
• Collaborating with technology and finance teams to implement process optimisations and automation, driving better control environments.
• Applying deep knowledge of pricing and risk management to protect the P&L and ensure the stability of the value chain.

What they're looking for

Liberty is looking for a professional who combines technical financial knowledge with the soft skills necessary to navigate a complex, multi-stakeholder organisation. You must possess a First Degree in a relevant field such as Commerce, Finance, Accounting, or Mathematical Sciences.

To be considered for this role, you should meet the following professional criteria:

• 3–5 years of direct experience in Trade Support Operations within a Global Markets environment.
• Demonstrable mastery of the end-to-end trade lifecycle across diverse and complex financial instruments.
• Practical understanding of how pricing, risk management, and system processes impact the broader value chain.
• Advanced proficiency in banking systems and Microsoft applications, with a natural aptitude for adopting new trading technologies.
• A strong ability to manage your own tasks, coordinate across cross-functional teams, and document processes clearly.

Roles in trade support at major financial institutions like Liberty are highly sought after in the South African market. They typically attract competitive packages, often supplemented by performance-based bonuses, given the critical nature of the work in protecting institutional capital. For a professional with 3–5 years of experience, this is an excellent stepping stone toward senior front-office roles, risk management, or specialised operations leadership within the broader Standard Bank Group ecosystem. Success in this role is measured by your attention to detail, your ability to handle market volatility, and your commitment to operational excellence.

Type of Qualification: First Degree
Field of Study: Business Commerce, Finance and Accounting, Mathematical Sciences

Experience Required
Trade Support
Operations
3-5 years
Ability to self manage, coordinate across teams and stakeholders within business, operations, technology and finance.

3-5 years
Advanced experience in the Trade Lifecycle of Global Markets environment. Covering multiple products ranging in complexity.

3-5 years
Principles and practical application of pricing and risk management and the impact of these on risk, P&L and entire value chain.

3-5 years
Proficient technology experience and the ability to manage desk specific systems, software and processes, including Microsoft applications and other banking industry systems.

3-5 years
Seasoned knowledge and understanding of trading environment (end-to- end value chain) across products / instruments traded with system and manual process complexity.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Adopting Practical Approaches
• Articulating Information
• Challenging Ideas
• Checking Things
• Conveying Self-Confidence
• Developing Expertise
• Documenting Facts
• Examining Information
• Following Procedures
• Interacting with People
• Interpreting Data
• Inviting Feedback
• Managing Tasks
• Meeting Timescales
• Producing Output
• Pursuing Goals
• Showing Composure
• Team Working
• Thinking Positively
• Upholding Standards

Technical Competencies:

• Business Process Improvement
• Continuous Process Improvement
• Deal or Trade Life Cycles
• Deal Set-up & Administration
• Derivatives Markets
• Evaluation of Internal Controls
• Exception Handling
• Manual Deal or Trade Processing
• Process Analysis and Redesign
• Product Knowledge (Trading, Transacting)
• Query Resolution
• Technology Savvy