Head of Development, EMEA IT, IT - CITIC CLSA

We are looking for a Head of Development to work within the front office development team that will work on its trading platforms. Examples of projects include building high-capacity OMS, low latency EMS platform and market connectivity. This is a rare opportunity to work on engineering an end-to-end in-house built platform supporting global front office business.

Key Areas Of Responsibilities:

• Take a leading role in defining all application development initiatives within the EMEA region’s Execution Services domain.
• Maintain a forward-looking perspective on technological advancements and explore ways to strategically leverage them where beneficial.
• Apply a pragmatic approach to technology, integrating it effectively into the development roadmap — focusing on reusability and eliminating unnecessary complexity.
• Demonstrate strong presentation skills to articulate and advocate for innovative technology solutions, designs, frameworks, and architectural concepts.
• Possess the ability to synthesize and interpret complex architectural and design analysis, ensuring cohesive understanding across teams.
• Initiate, execute, and facilitate knowledge transfer for technology projects, ensuring smooth project kickoff and delivery.
• Mentor development teams on technological best practices, review technical solutions, and support the delivery of Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs).
• Monitor and manage technical debt, conduct application audits, and serve as a gatekeeper for the adoption of new technologies.
• Design and develop high-quality, cutting-edge front-office systems for Equities Trading.
• Lead a team in managing business change requests and implementing continuous technical improvements.
• Drive initiatives related to technical design and architecture, emphasizing scalability, stability, and performance.
• Provide guidance, mentorship, and support to junior team members, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented environment.
• Deliver Level 3 support for Cash Equities trading operations, ensuring stability and incident resolution.
• Collaborate with front-office development teams to align on design interfaces and interrelated functionalities.
• Conduct unit testing and functional validation of developed code to ensure quality standards.
• Lead and coordinate efforts with Quality Assurance analysts to guarantee rigorous testing and validation.
• Ensure the timely delivery of high-quality software solutions aligned with business needs.
• Maintain full compliance with CLSA training programs and regulatory requirements for yourself and your team.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related IT field.
• 10-15 years of extensive software development experience.
• Strong proficiency in Java; certifications preferred.
• Proficiency in SQL (Oracle, MS SQL, PostgreSQL); certifications preferred.
• Expertise in Linux command-line scripting (bash) and system administration.
• Hands‑on experience developing low‑latency, high‑throughput Java components.
• Practical experience building cash equity trading platforms—OMS, EMS, Market Connectivity, Risk, GUI, Middleware, Middle Office.
• Deep understanding of fundamental computer science concepts.
• Experience with distributed caching technologies (GigaSpaces, Ignite, Coherence).
• Full‑stack skills in Core Java and REST APIs.
• Practical knowledge of multi‑threading, event‑driven programming, and memory optimization.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical abilities.
• Knowledge of performance tuning techniques.
• Familiarity with enterprise SDLC tools like JIRA and Confluence.
• Experience with CI/CD tools such as Git, Maven/Gradle, Jenkins/Bamboo, GitLab.
• Shell scripting and Unix/Linux fundamentals.
• Understanding of schemas, JMX, JUnit, XML, and IDEs (Eclipse, IntelliJ).
• Ability to work under tight deadlines in fast‑paced environments with minimal supervision.
• Proven leadership and influencing skills to drive technical initiatives.
• Motivated, eager to learn and share knowledge.
• Excellent command of English.