Senior Product Manager: Electronic Trading

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Job Summary

The Senior Product Manager – Electronic Trading is accountable for the end to product ownership of the firm’s electronic trading and algo platforms.
Assisting the Head of Electronic Trading the role defines what products are built, why they are built, and how they evolve, ensuring electronic trading and SI capabilities are:
• Commercially effective
• Technically scalable
• Risk aware by design
• Regulator ready
The role is explicitly product led, with responsibility for vision, roadmap, prioritisation, and outcomes, rather than day to day trading or engineering delivery.
Suited to a degreed candidate (Engineering, Computer Science, or related disciplines) with 8+ years’ experience in product management, electronic trading platforms and front office technology or execution services. Experience owning or modernising electronic or SI platforms with 4-5 years of developer experience proficient in Python, Java, C# and C or embedded software development experience.

Job Description

1. Product Vision & Strategy

• Assist in defining and owning the product vision for electronic trading and SI capabilities

• Articulate clear value propositions for:

  • Internal stakeholders (Trading, Sales, Risk)

  • Clients (where applicable)

• Ensure product strategy aligns with:

  • Electronic trading growth objectives

  • SI obligations and market structure requirements

  • Technology and architecture strategy

2. Product Roadmap & Prioritisation

• Own the multi‑year product roadmap for electronic trading and SI platforms

• Prioritise features and initiatives based on:

  • Business value

  • Risk reduction and control automation

  • Regulatory commitments

  • Technical debt and platform resilience

• Make informed trade‑offs between:

  • New functionality

  • Platform modernization

  • Control enhancement

3. Product Requirements & System Behaviour

• Translate trading, risk, and regulatory needs into clear product requirements, including:

  • Execution workflows

  • SI pricing and quote behaviour

  • Internalisation and routing logic

• Define expected system behaviour under:

  • Normal market conditions

  • Stress and volatility

  • Limit breaches and control triggers

• Ensure products are explainable, testable, and auditable

4. Embedded Risk & Control as Product Features

• Treat risk mitigation and controls as first‑class product features, not constraints

• Define requirements for:

  • Pre‑trade and real‑time controls

  • Inventory‑aware pricing logic

  • Automated throttling, skewing, and kill‑switches

• Partner with Risk and Compliance to ensure:

  • Controls are systematic and enforceable

  • Product behaviour aligns with conduct and best‑execution expectations

5. Product‑Led Platform Modernisation

• Own the product rationale for platform modernisation decisions

• Drive de‑commissioning of:

  • Manual workflows

  • Hard‑coded logic

  • Legacy dependencies

• Ensure modernisation delivers clear product outcomes, such as:

  • Increased automation

  • Improved resilience

  • Faster time‑to‑market

6. Delivery Partnership (Not Delivery Ownership)

• Work closely with Engineering and Architecture teams to:

  • Ensure product intent is accurately implemented

  • Validate that delivered solutions meet product outcomes

• Act as the final authority on product acceptance, including:

  • Functional correctness

  • Control behaviour

  • Alignment to intended use cases

7. Stakeholder Management & Governance

• Serve as an accountable Product Owner for electronic trading and SI platforms

• Manage senior stakeholders across:

  • Trading

  • Sales

  • Risk

  • Compliance

  • Operations

• Support governance forums covering:

  • Product approval and change

  • SI model and logic updates

  • Regulatory engagement and reviews

8. Deputy Responsibilities

• Act as 2IC to the Head of Electronic Trading / Product Strategy

• Step in on strategic product decisions and governance matters

• Help build maturity and capability across the electronic trading product function

 

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised