Director, Derivatives Trader

Company Description:

Aspida is a tech-driven, nimble insurance carrier. Backed by Ares Management Corporation, a leading global alternative asset manager, we offer simple and secure retirement solutions and annuity products with speed and precision. More than that, we’re in the business of protecting dreams; those of our partners, our producers, and especially our clients. Our suite of products, available through our elegant and intuitive digital platform, focuses on secure, stable retirement solutions with attractive features and downside protection. A subsidiary of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) acts as the dedicated investment manager, capital solutions and corporate development partner to Aspida.  For more information, please visit www.aspida.com or follow them on LinkedIn. 

Who We Are:

Sometimes, a group of people come together and create something amazing. They don’t let egos get in the way. They don’t settle for the status quo, and they don’t complain when things get tough. Instead, they see a common vision for the future and each person makes an unspoken commitment to building that future together. That’s the culture, the moxie, and the story of Aspida.

Our business focuses on annuities and life insurance. At first, it might not sound flashy, but that’s why we’re doing things differently than everyone else in our industry. We’re dedicated to developing data-driven tech solutions, providing amazing customer experiences, and applying an entrepreneurial spirit to everything we do. Our work ethic is built on three main tenets: Get $#!+ Done, Do It with Moxie, and Have Fun. If this sounds like the place for you, read on, and then apply at aspida.com/careers.

What We Are Looking For:

Aspida is seeking a technically strong Director, Derivatives Trader to support the development and execution of the firm’s hedging and derivatives platform across insurance and investment portfolios. This role will focus on FIA hedging, as well as interest rate and FX hedging, while also helping build scalable trading, analytics, and operational processes as the platform continues to grow.

The ideal candidate is someone who is intellectually curious, detail-oriented, and willing to work across both strategy and implementation. In addition to derivatives expertise, the role requires a hands-on mindset and the ability to help improve infrastructure, workflows, and analytics. Programming and automation skills are highly valued. This role reports to Aspida’s Senior Vice President, Investments and is required to be onsite 3 days a week at our Durham, NC headquarters.

What You Will Do:

• Support the execution and management of derivative transactions for FIA hedging programs 
• Assist in implementing and maintaining interest rate and FX hedging strategies across insurance and investment portfolios 
• Help build and enhance the firm’s processes for trading and managing exchange-listed and cleared derivatives, including equity futures, cleared swaps, and related instruments 
• Partner closely with ALM, actuarial, finance, risk, and operations teams to support hedge design and implementation 
• Monitor hedge performance, market exposures, and risk metrics 
• Analyze market conditions, volatility, liquidity, and pricing dynamics to support hedging decisions 
• Assist with collateral management, trade lifecycle oversight, and counterparty coordination 
• Develop tools, automation, and reporting solutions to improve efficiency and scalability 
• Contribute to the enhancement of hedging infrastructure, governance, and documentation standards  
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, risk limits, and regulatory requirements

What We Provide:

• Salaried, DOE
• Long-Term Incentive Plan
• Full-Time
• Full Benefits Package Available

What We Believe:

At Aspida Financial Services, LLC, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As such, Aspida does not and will not discriminate in employment and personnel practices on the basis of race, sex, age, handicap, religion, national origin or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. Hiring, transferring and promotion practices are performed without regard to the above listed items.

What We Require:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field 
• 5–10 years of relevant experience in derivatives trading, hedging, or quantitative markets roles within insurance, asset management, or financial institutions 
• Experience with FIA hedging strategies preferred 
• Strong understanding of interest rate derivatives, including swaps, swaptions, futures, and options 
• Experience with FX hedging and currency risk management 
• Familiarity with exchange-traded and cleared derivatives markets and related operational processes 
• Solid understanding of derivatives valuation, risk sensitivities, and hedging concepts 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail 
• Programming experience in Python, VBA, SQL, or similar languages preferred 
• Experience building or improving processes, automation, or analytics infrastructure is highly desirable 
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work across functions