Market Operations Director - New York- Hybrid
Exciting secure start up opportunity !
Salary: Up to $212,500 base salary + lucrative bonus structure + benefits
About the Company
Our client is a regulated, institutional-grade prediction markets platform, backed by major financial institutions and strategic investors. Operating at the intersection of capital markets, technology, and data, the business provides a real-time, 24/7 trading venue designed to deliver meaningful information discovery at scale.
The company operates as a Designated Contract Market (DCM) and Derivatives Clearing Organisation (DCO), with a strong emphasis on market integrity, operational resilience, and regulatory compliance.
The Market Operations Director is a senior, hands-on role responsible for maintaining a fair and orderly market while providing expert operational support to market participants and internal stakeholders.
This is a player-coach position: you'll take part in real-time market operations while mentoring and developing a small, high-calibre operations team. You'll act as a local subject-matter expert across trading, clearing, and regulatory operations, and serve as a senior escalation point for complex incidents and market events.
The role is hybrid but strongly in-office leaning, reflecting the pace, collaboration, and early-stage nature of the NYC build-out.
Key Responsibilities
* Provide senior-level technical and operational support to market participants, including clearing members, banks, and institutional trading firms
* Act as a senior escalation point for incidents related to market access, trading, clearing, and data services
* Monitor system stability and market integrity across a 24/7 trading environment
* Coordinate incident response and communications with engineering and technology teams
* Maintain listed event contracts, ensuring accurate product specifications, trading parameters, and settlement terms
* Oversee daily settlement processes, including cash movements, reconciliations, and payment instructions
* Manage the end-to-end clearing lifecycle: positions, margin, collateral, and delivery
* Perform and review reconciliations across trades, cash, and settlements, resolving breaks promptly
* Design and maintain automation scripts to improve operational efficiency
* Analyse logs, latency, and execution issues across trading and clearing systems
* Act as a subject matter expert for FIX Protocol connectivity and certification
* Contribute to the design and evolution of operational policies, procedures, and tooling
* Mentor and develop Market Operations Associates and Specialists
* Liaise with regulators, auditors, and senior leadership as required
Essential Criteria
* Bachelor's degree (or equivalent professional experience) in finance, economics, computer science, mathematics, or a related discipline
* 8-10+ years' experience in a technically focused operations or systems role within a derivatives exchange, clearing house, market maker, broker-dealer, or trading venue
* Strong understanding of electronic trading systems, matching engines, reference data, and market connectivity
* Hands-on experience with the trading, clearing, and settlement lifecycle, including margining and collateral management
* Working knowledge of CFTC-regulated environments, including DCM and DCO operational requirements
* Proven ability to independently investigate and resolve complex operational issues
* Experience with reconciliation and trade management platforms (commercial or proprietary)
* Familiarity with FIX Protocol, including log analysis and member onboarding
* Basic Python scripting experience for automation and operational tooling
* Working knowledge of SQL and data analysis for large operational datasets
* Strong leadership skills, with experience mentoring and guiding junior team members
* Comfortable working flexible or event-driven schedules, including on-call support
Why Join
* Join a high-impact, early-stage team building a global trading venue from the ground up
* Work in a regulated, institutional environment with experienced leadership and long-term backing
* Play a key role in establishing and shaping the NYC operations function
* Genuine influence over systems, processes, and team development
* Competitive compensation, benefits, and long-term career progression
* A culture that values professionalism, collaboration, and sustainable performance over hype
How to Apply:
If you believe you meet the criteria for this role please apply via this link. Alternatively, you can reach out to Phil Gamble directly for an informal chat via LinkedIn or WhatsApp.
About Phil Gamble:
Phil Gamble has over 21 years of experience in the Tech recruitment industry, successfully delivering on senior engineering leadership roles across the US, UK, and Ireland. He takes a personalised approach to understanding candidates and supporting their long-term career goals.
Recent LinkedIn Testimonials:
"I had the pleasure of working with Phil from OCHO during my recent search for a senior leadership role, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. From the outset, Phil demonstrated a deep understanding of the industy and landscape. He took the time to truly understand my career goals and aspirations.
What stood out most was Phil’s genuine unwavering support and availability throughout the entire process. He was always just a call or message away, ready to offer guidance, answer questions, and provide valuable insights that ensured I was well prepared for each step of the interview process. His professionalism, sincerity, and genuine care made what can often be a stressful experience feel smooth and empowering.
Thanks to Phil’s expertise and dedication, I secured a role that aligns perfectly with my experience and ambitions. I’m incredibly grateful for his support and would wholeheartedly recommend Phil and the team at OCHO to any senior professional seeking their next opportunity.
