Market Data Operations

Market Data Operations & Finance Analyst (12-Month Contract)
About The Role
We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Market Data Operations & Finance Analyst to join our Global Market Data Operations team on a 12-month contract. This role is critical in managing the financial and operational aspects of our market data services, ensuring cost efficiency, compliance, and expense management. The ideal candidate will have 5-7 years of experience in finance, operations, and market data accounts payable, with a strong understanding of market data licensing, vendor relationships, accrual-based accounting, and financial analysis.

Key Responsibilities

Market Data Financial Management

• Support the management of market data financials, including monthly general ledger reconciliation, vendor payables, accruals, budgeting, forecasting, allocations, and tracking of market data expenses to align with the firm's financial goals.
• Analyze market data spend across vendors and identify opportunities for cost optimization and consolidation.
• Prepare detailed monthly financial reports on market data expenses, including variance analysis and spend trends for portfolio managers and support teams.
• Perform subledger reconciliation to ensure market data expenses are accurately reflected on the firm's general ledger and resolve discrepancies.
• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure accurate expense allocation across business units and trading desks.
• Act as the primary point of contact for market data vendors' accounts receivable teams (e.g., Bloomberg, Refinitiv, ICE).

Vendor Management

• Manage relationships with market data vendors, ensuring compliance with licensing agreements, timely payments, and proper expense allocations.
• Work directly with vendors to resolve issues related to service contracts, renewals, invoices, and user accounts.
• Monitor vendor performance and resolve billing or service-related discrepancies.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction and vendor consolidation.
• Provide insights into future data needs based on business growth or strategic initiatives.

Accounts Payable and Invoice Management

• Oversee the processing and reconciliation of market data invoices, ensuring timely and accurate payments in partnership with accounts payable and procurement teams.
• Implement and maintain controls to validate invoices against contracts, usage, and entitlements.
• Work closely with the accounts payable team to resolve discrepancies and ensure compliance with internal policies.

Market Data Operations

• Collaborate with the Market Data Operations team to ensure accurate tracking of user entitlements, data usage, services, and allocations, providing transparency to internal stakeholders on market data spend.
• Develop and maintain processes to capture and manage terminated users, ensuring cost control and compliance.
• Support the implementation of automation tools for market data expense reporting and entitlement tracking.
• Assist in budgeting and forecasting market data expenses and provide insights into future data needs based on business growth or strategic initiatives.

Compliance and Audit Support

• Ensure compliance with vendor licensing agreements and internal policies related to market data usage and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare documentation and reports for internal and external audits related to market data expenses and entitlements.
• Identify and implement process improvements to streamline market data operations and financial workflows.

Qualifications
Required

• 5 + in finance, operations, and market data accounts payable, preferably within a hedge fund, asset management firm, or financial institution.
• Strong knowledge of market data vendors (e.g., Bloomberg, Refinitiv, ICE, FactSet) and their licensing models is a plus.
• Proven experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis for market data services.
• Experience in accounts payable processes, including invoice reconciliation and vendor payment workflows.
• Familiarity with accrual-based accounting principles.
• Familiarity with financial data products (e.g., indices, pricing feeds, analytics tools).

Technical Skills

• Experience with market data management tools (e.g., TRG Screen, MDSL, or Axon PEAR).
• Knowledge of market data compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Advanced Excel skills (e.g., pivot tables, macros), familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI), financial reporting tools, and ERP systems.
• Experience with automation tools for reporting and expense management.
• Familiarity with market data entitlement systems and user access management (e.g., EMRS, DACS).