Market Settlements Administrator

About AJ Bell

What we offer

• Starting salary of £26,000 (can be higher dependent on financial services experience)
• 25 days holiday, increasing with service + buy/sell scheme + bank holidays
• 6% Pension with matched contributions
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Share schemes (including free shares and BAYE)
• Health Cash Plan and discounted private healthcare
• Free onsite gym
• Enhanced family leave (subject to qualifying criteria)
• Travel and bike loan schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life at AJ Bell
• Regular social events including summer and Christmas parties
• Learning and development opportunities tailored to you
• Casual dress code
• Friendly, supportive team environment
• Our ways of working
• At AJ Bell, our people are the heart of our culture. We believe in building strong connections by working together. That's why we offer a hybrid working model where you'll spend 3-4 days per week in the office. For new team members, the first 3 months will be spent full-time in the office to help you immerse yourself in our business and build valuable relationships with your colleagues.
• Inclusion & diversity
• We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected, supported and able to be themselves at work.
• We welcome Administrator applications from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience and potential.
• Your application, reviewed by people
• We believe great hiring starts with people. That's why every application is reviewed by a member of our Recruitment team, rather than screened by AI. It may take us a few days to get back to you, but please be assured that your application will be given the time and attention it deserves.
• Agency information
• This Administrator vacancy is being managed exclusively by our in-house Recruitment team. We are not partnering with recruitment agencies on this opportunity and will only accept applications submitted directly by candidates.

Qualifications

• This role could suit someone starting their career in financial services or someone who already has experience in settlements, custody, banking or investment operations.
• Experience and knowledge
• Knowledge of banking payment methods such as BACS, Faster Payments, debit cards and cheques would be useful.
• Good IT skills, including Word, Excel and Outlook.
• An understanding of financial markets, settlements or custody would be an advantage, but full training will be provided.
• What matters most
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to getting things right.
• A willingness to learn and develop your knowledge of market settlements and financial services.
• Strong organisation skills and the ability to manage and prioritise your own workload.
• Comfortable working to deadlines and following structured processes.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills, with the confidence to investigate issues and ask questions.
• A positive, supportive approach to working with colleagues.
• Strong communication skills and a commitment to providing excellent service.
• The ability to work independently when required, while knowing when to ask for help or escalate an issue.
• A genuine interest in finding better and more efficient ways of working.
• Whether you're bringing relevant experience or looking for your next step, we're interested in people who take pride in their work, enjoy learning and understand the importance of getting the detail right.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in a financial services administration or operations role is desirable, but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Oversee trade records within the back-office system, ensure precise and timely communication of trade instructions to relevant custodians and markets, and address any queries raised by market counterparties, clients, fund providers, or internal teams within AJB.
• Generate, update, and distribute reports on failing trade positions and risks. Resolve or escalate issues to the Team Leader/Manager.
• Manage failing trade positions to ensure timely settlement where possible.
• Monitor and manage Crest Member Accounts to ensure onward delivery of stock.
• Manage efficient stock flows through the AJB nominee by utilising external reporting tools (Crest GUI, Clearstream, Cofunds Website).
• Processing certificated stock deposits through the Crest system.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting for MiFID II Transaction Reporting.
• Instructing cash movements on the online banking systems & identifying/applying incoming payment.
• Perform root cause analysis on reconciliation breaks and use to implement preventative measures alongside the Team Leader.
• Handle Stamp Duty/SDRT discrepancies and resolve issues with HMRC.
• Report any CASS breaches or suspected breaches immediately to the Line Manager.
• Ensure all relevant procedures are updated and accurate at all times.
• Support project implementations, fixes and upgrades through testing of software and defining the needs of the team. Ensuring that all processes and procedures are updated in line with systemic implementations.
• Perform ad hoc tasks as per the business needs as defined by the Team Leader, Market Settlements manager and Head of Custody.
• Ensure productive working relationships with other teams by coordinating efforts to develop efficient and effective operational processes.
• Put customers at the heart of what you do
• Although much of this role happens behind the scenes, the work you do has a direct impact on our customers.
• You'll follow structured processes to deliver accurate outcomes, while making sure everything you do meets our regulatory responsibilities, including Consumer Duty.
• You'll also understand the needs of vulnerable customers, following best practice and documenting the reasonable steps taken to ensure they are treated fairly.
• What we're looking for
• This role could suit someone starting their career in financial services or someone who already has experience in settlements, custody, banking or investment operations.
• Previous experience in a financial services administration or operations role is desirable, but not essential.
• Knowledge of banking payment methods such as BACS, Faster Payments, debit cards and cheques would be useful.
• Good IT skills, including Word, Excel and Outlook.
• An understanding of financial markets, settlements or custody would be an advantage, but full training will be provided.
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to getting things right.
• A willingness to learn and develop your knowledge of market settlements and financial services.
• Strong organisation skills and the ability to manage and prioritise your own workload.
• Comfortable working to deadlines and following structured processes.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills, with the confidence to investigate issues and ask questions.
• A positive, supportive approach to working with colleagues.
• Strong communication skills and a commitment to providing excellent service.
• The ability to work independently when required, while knowing when to ask for help or escalate an issue.
• A genuine interest in finding better and more efficient ways of working.
• Whether you're bringing relevant experience or looking for your next step, we're interested in people who take pride in their work, enjoy learning and understand the importance of getting the detail right.