Shape your Career with Citi

At Citi, our Markets Operations teams are integral to the seamless functioning of global financial markets. We are at the forefront of ensuring efficient and compliant processing of diverse financial products, supporting trading desks, and managing complex transactions across various asset classes. Joining our team means contributing to a critical function that underpins Citi’s unparalleled global network, helping us deliver a broad range of financial services and products to our institutional clients worldwide. We continuously innovate to enhance operational efficiency and maintain robust risk management frameworks.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a strategic and experienced leader to join our team as Group Manager of Cash Securities Operations. This senior leadership position is pivotal in overseeing and managing Equity and Fixed Income settlement functions within Citi's Japan operations. You will be responsible for ensuring seamless, efficient, and compliant settlements for all equity, fixed income and investment trust fund transactions including safekeep transactions, driving operational excellence, leading a team of professionals, and fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders. This role actively contributes to Citi’s strategic objectives and risk mitigation framework in the Japanese market.

What You Will Do

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of Cash Securities Operations professionals in Japan, cultivating a culture of high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement strategic objectives for the Japan Cash Securities Operations, ensuring alignment with global Markets Operations goals and local business priorities.
• Drive robust and efficient settlement and post-settlement process and controls for equity and fixed income products, including pre-matching, settlement instructions, fail management, reporting, reconciliations.
• Oversee daily reconciliation processes and ensure timely resolution of all breaks, exceptions, and discrepancies, while optimizing workflows to maximize Straight-Through Processing (STP) rates.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with Japan-based Equity and Fixed Income trading desk, Sales desk, institutional clients, custodians, and external counterparties, serving as a trusted operational advisor.
• Own and manage the operational risk profile for the Japan Cash Securities Operations, ensuring robust controls are in place and actively monitored, with strict adherence to all financial regulations in international and Japan (e.g., JFSA, JSDA rules, BOJ guidelines), and global Citi policies.
• Identify, champion, and lead change-the-bank initiatives and strategic projects aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and improving the control environment within the Japan Cash Securities Operations.

What We're Looking For

Experience

• Extensive progressive experience in Equity and Fixed Income Settlements and Operations Management within a global investment bank or major financial institution in Japan, with proven leadership or managerial capacity.
• Deep expertise in equity settlements and products, fixed Income and investment trust fund in either or both in international markets and Japanese domestic markets.
• Demonstrated track record of managing complex operational environments, leading process re-engineering, and delivering significant efficiency/control improvements.
• Strong understanding of operational risk management frameworks and the regulatory landscape in Japan.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) for data analysis and presentations.
• Extensive experience with Back Office settlement applications.

Licenses/Registrations

• JSDA Class 1 (Sales Representative Qualification) is a mandatory requirement.

Language Skills

• Fluent in Japanese (both written and verbal) is essential
• Strong business-level English (both written and verbal) is required for effective communication with regional and global stakeholders.

Soft Skills

• Exceptional leadership, people management, and motivational capabilities.
• Superior analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities, even under pressure.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactive, strategic thinking with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures and foster cross-functional collaboration.

Education

• Bachelor's degree/University degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field is required.