(705) Senior Financial Market Specialist (Foreign Exchange Markets) - FMD at South African Reserve Bank

Detailed description

The successful candidate will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following key performance areas:

• Lead and oversee the SARB’s foreign exchange trading operations, which include execution of FX transactions (spot, forwards and FX swaps) as well as cash management.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis into FX movements, trends, patterns with systemic impact across financial markets. 
• Leads team engagements to interrogate and reconcile data, and findings, insights, explanations, from research and analysis on foreign exchange markets.
• Prepare periodic reports to enable managers/senior managers to provide oversight function on the deliverables of the South African Foreign Exchange Committee (SAFXC) and Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC). 
• Provide thought leadership and contribute to discussion papers, presentations and documentation for various FX committees and other related bodies/forums.
• Lead the design and review of internal controls, enhance operating procedures and implement governance frameworks that relate to Codes of conduct in the FX market
• Contribute to the development and execution of strategic initiatives of the unit and the Financial Markets Department (FMD), including through involvement in strategic projects.
• Collaborate with other specialists within the SARB (business analysts, data management specialists and IT specialist) by providing subject-matter expertise to enable the design and implementation of IT infrastructure for the FX operations business. 
• Provide analysis on FX operations and insights for presentations to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) and Financial Stability Committee (FSC).
• Represent the Financial Markets Department on internal and external committees/forums and make presentations
• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders such as, but not limited to, local analysts, fund managers, strategists, and dealers for the gathering of market intelligence.
• Perform ad hoc tasks as required.

Job requirements

To be considered for this position, candidates must have:

• a minimum of Honours degree (NQF8) in economics or finance or an equivalent combination of education and job-related experience.
• a minimum of eight to ten years’ experience in a specialist role in financial markets and market analysis.

The following will be an added advantage 

• CFA qualification. 
• sound knowledge of exchange rate policy and monetary policy implementation frameworks and instruments; and
• Sound knowledge of financial market regulations
• ACI Dealing certificate

Additional requirements include:

• verbal and written communication skills;
• research methodology skills;
• planning and organising skills;
• decision-making skills;
• interpersonal skills;
• presentation skills;
• being a team player;
• knowledge of financial mathematics;
• proficiency in the Microsoft (MS) Office suite, with a thorough knowledge of MS Excel; and
• Knowledge of Bloomberg and Reuters.