Head of Settlement - Large Chinese Securities Firm

Morgan McKinley Hong Kong
Full time Permanent On-site Competitive

About the job

Job Description

1. End-to-End Clearing & Settlement Management
  • Full-Lifecycle Oversight: Oversee comprehensive clearing and settlement operations across multi-market and multi-asset financial products-including HK equities, A-shares (Stock Connect), US equities, futures, options, CBBCs, ETFs, bonds, and funds-ensuring the accurate transfer of funds and securities.
  • Daily Operations: Monitor daily reconciliations, fund transfers, and securities settlements; promptly resolve clearing discrepancies to ensure accurate and timely settlement.
  • Corporate Actions: Process corporate actions including dividend distributions, rights issues, stock splits, and reverse splits, ensuring precise execution.
  • System Operations & Reporting: Manage the daily operations of core clearing and settlement systems, and produce clearing operational reports.
  • Cost Control: Manage and control clearing operational costs.
2. Risk, Compliance & System Support
  • Risk & Compliance Control: Lead risk management across operational and trading workflows; conduct regular compliance checks to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements such as AML and KYC.
  • Regulatory Reporting & Audits: Manage and submit relevant regulatory reports, and assist with internal and external audits.
  • System Maintenance & Upgrades: Collaborate with the IT department to maintain the stable operation of clearing systems (including CCASS, DCASS, etc.); optimize system functionalities to support business growth; actively participate in system upgrades, UAT testing, and new system rollouts.
3. Department Management & Process Optimization
  • Departmental Oversight: Oversee the overall daily operations of the Settlement Department.
  • Team & Workflow Optimization: Set team goals and performance evaluation standards; optimize trade clearing and account management workflows to ensure full compliance with regulatory requirements of the SFC (Securities and Futures Commission) and HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing).
  • Framework Enhancement: Establish and continuously refine internal operating guidelines, contingency plans, and risk control mechanisms to elevate operational efficiency and risk management standards.
4. Cross-Departmental Coordination & External Stakeholder Engagement
  • Internal Collaboration: Work closely with front-office trading, risk management, finance, and other departments to resolve cross-functional issues.
  • External Liaison: Serve as the main point of contact for external institutions such as HKSCC (Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company), HKEX, custodian banks, and brokers to handle settlement exceptions and disputes.
  • Client Solutions: Provide institutional clients with clearing rule consultations, workflow support, and problem resolution.
Job Requirements

1. Education & Qualifications
  • Education: Bachelor's degree or above in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
  • Licensing: Holder of SFC Type 1 / Type 4 license(s) or equivalent qualifications.
2. Work Experience
  • Industry Experience: 8-10 years of experience in operations, clearing, trading, or client service within the Hong Kong securities industry, including 3+ years of experience in both HK and US equity markets.
  • Leadership Experience: 3-5 years of cross-functional team management experience.
  • Market Knowledge: In-depth familiarity with the full lifecycle trading process of multi-market/multi-asset financial products and the Hong Kong regulatory framework (SFC and HKEX rules).
3. Professional Skills
  • System Expertise: Deep understanding of clearing and settlement system architecture and operations.
  • Risk & Compliance: Proficient in risk control (AML/KYC) and regulatory compliance requirements.
  • Efficiency Focus: Demonstrated capability in process optimization, with the ability to leverage digital tools to drive operational efficiency.
4. Language Skills
  • Languages: Fluent in English and Cantonese (both written and spoken).
  • Fluency in Mandarin is preferred.