Senior Product Designer

Employee

CLS helps clients navigate the changing FX marketplace – reducing risk and creating efficiencies. Our extensive network and deep market intelligence enable CLS specialists to lead the development of standardized solutions to real market problems. Our innovative, forward-looking products make the trading process faster, easier, safer

and more cost-effective – empowering our clients’ success.

Functional title

Senior Product Designer

Location

London

Level

Level 2

Report to

Head of Product Design

Department

Product & Sales

No. of direct reports

0

Position Summary

CLS is at an inflection point in its development as an organization. While its core settlement business continues to go from strength to strength, with volumes and revenues growing year on year, CLS is looking to continue its strategy of commercialization and diversification by both product and client type, with a number of new products either recently launched  (such as CLSNet) or in development (PvP for ‘non CLS currencies’). CLS has bold aspirations for growth.

CLS recently hired a new Head of Product Design responsible for the design of new and existing CLS settlement and processing services.

CLS has identified:

The need for market leading talent in both product design and business development within the Product function.

The necessity to enhance the capability/experience within the Product team to deliver against a challenging forward book of work (such as PvP for ‘non CLS currencies’) and board commitments.

As such there is an immediate requirement to make a senior hire in the role of Senior Product Designer, reporting directly to the Head of Product Design.

Essential Function / major duties and responsibilities of the job

Strategic

·         Own elements of Detailed Product Design and support delivery oversight for new products/services (including PvP for ‘non CLS currencies’).

·         Participate in the industry engagement led by the Head of Product and Head of Product Design and contribute into these conversations a deep understanding of the evolution of CLS and its products.

·         Remain current with, and investigate into the actual detail (rather than marketing hype) behind FX ecosystem evolution (including potential partners and emerging competition)

Operational

·         Supporting the Design Authority (Head of Product Design) for existing products/services.

·         Contribute detailed product capability knowledge and domain expertise to business development efforts (including external engagement) related to both existing and new products.

·         Create precise and impactful material to aid in the process of developing new product ideas with industry participants.

·         Maintain an accurate assessment of the core capabilities within the range of services CLS already offers; highlight opportunities to reuse core components during new product design (rather than create yet another new code base).

·         Engage as a trusted partner with CLS technology functions so that architectural decisions are made ‘right’ early in the process and are consistent with the long-term product roadmap.

·         Manage the ‘project level ‘relationships with all key FX ecosystem partners.

·         Be responsible for detailed analysis of upcoming regulatory requirements (partnering with other CLS functions) including associated mandatory change to existing products and opportunities to create new products which will assist settlement members to comply.

Leadership

·         Provide oversight for elements of work within the product function related to detailed functional requirements.

·         Maintain constant interaction and oversight with project managers and technology delivery teams to ensure that project deliveries are 100% accurate with respect to functionality agreed with market participants and/or partners.

Experience / essential and desired for successful job performance

·         Exposure to industry products or trading/settlement processes within Banks or vendors (providing services to Banks) is essential.

·         Proven experience working in, and thorough working knowledge of, the Financial markets - preferably FX, payments industry.

·         Expert or practitioner in the FX, cash, risk and/or treasury-services markets

·         Experience of forging strong connections industry SME’s

·         Knowledge of buy-side settlement processes, preferences and platforms

Qualifications / certifications

·         Degree educated

Knowledge, skills and abilities / competencies required for successful job performance

•       Expertise in product development

•       Commercial and creative thinker, grounded in pragmatic experiences of delivering initiatives, plans and projects underpinned by strong commercial reasoning

•       Ability to take concepts and evolve them into a go to market products

Success factors / ‘How’. Personal characteristics contributing to an individual’s ability to excel in the position

•       Strong team worker – Collaborative and relationship-based approach to working

•       Good interpersonal skills with the ability to relate well to key influencers, customers and market participants.

•       Builds effective relationships at all levels

•       Strong presentation (oral and written) and influencing skills with the ability to navigate and interpret market feedback where challenging and conflicting agendas may prevail - internally and externally

•       Able to see the bigger picture, interpret trends and drivers into a clear strategy and be an enabler to achieve business goals and objectives

•       Effective operating in a changing and dynamic environment