Head of Execution Technology in London

Head of Execution Technology in London

London Full-Time 43200 - 72000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the development of Nickel Trader, enhancing execution quality and team performance.
  • Company: Join a leading fintech firm revolutionising digital asset management in Europe.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, stock options, and generous annual leave.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of trading technology and make a real impact in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: 8-12 years in trading tech, strong coding skills, and experience with execution algorithms.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for professional growth and innovation.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 ÂŁ per year.

Nickel Digital Asset Management is one of Europe’s premier investment firms. We specialise in digital assets and alternative strategies, combining institutional-grade infrastructure with the agility and vision of a cutting-edge fintech firm. Backed by a team of world-class financial professionals, we are shaping the future of multi-strategy fund management with our Diversified Alpha Fund - a pioneering multi-manager vehicle investing across a range of strategies within the global digital asset space.

The Platform

Our in‑house EMS, Nickel Trader, is the one‑stop access point for market data, backtesting, multi‑venue execution and analytics — from post‑trade TCA and P&L to real‑time risk. It is tightly integrated with our risk and portfolio management systems. Execution edge is a core differentiator for our managers.

Role Overview

We are hiring a business‑centred technology leader to own the product and architecture of Nickel Trader and drive execution outcomes at scale. You will partner with trading, risk and operations, lead a small engineering team and set the roadmap, standards and venue strategy. You will be hands‑on enough to dive deep, but success is measured in slippage, capacity, reliability and onboarding speed — not lines of code.

What you will own:

  • Roadmap & prioritisation: Set and communicate a focused roadmap that improves execution quality, capacity and onboarding speed; align sequencing with traders and risk.
  • Execution algorithms & trader experience: Ensure TWAP, VWAP and related schedule/participation algorithms are robust, predictable and easy to use; provide clear parameters, safe defaults and per‑venue tuning where beneficial.
  • Venue & liquidity management: Maintain and improve a venue performance scorecard (fills, rejects, response times, costs) and direct order flow accordingly; review distribution regularly.
  • Risk & controls: Maintain practical pre‑trade checks, throttles, kill‑switches and circuit breakers; ensure operation is clear and fast during market stress.
  • Reliability & incident management: Keep the execution path stable under load and during venue issues; maintain runbooks, disciplined change control and post‑incident follow‑up that drives measurable improvements.
  • Access & client libraries: Oversee REST/WebSocket APIs and language SDKs; ensure documentation and examples enable new teams to place their first live order quickly and safely.
  • Team leadership & delivery: Lead development team; set engineering standards, review key designs and make build‑versus‑buy and budget decisions that reduce operational risk and shorten time‑to‑market.

Indicative KPIs

  • Ease of use and breadth of algorithms.
  • Implementation shortfall relative to arrival/benchmark prices (by strategy bucket).
  • Fill quality: fill rate; reject/timeout rates; cancel‑to‑fill ratio.
  • Production stability: incident count and mean time to recovery during peak markets.
  • Venue mix effectiveness: improvement in scorecard metrics and flow allocation over time.
  • Capacity headroom: sustained throughput before degradation and orderly behaviour under stress.

What you will bring

  • 8–12 years in trading technology with deep EMS/OMS and market microstructure experience; at least 3 years owning roadmaps and teams.
  • Credible hands‑on depth in one of Java (preferred), C++ or Python; comfortable reading code and leading design reviews (coding day‑to‑day is optional).
  • Proven track record of implementing execution algorithms, improving implementation shortfall, fill quality and reliability in multi‑venue environments (FIX/REST/WebSocket).
  • Experience partnering with traders and risk; clear, concise communication; disciplined incident and governance habits.
  • Crypto execution exposure is ideal, but systematic FX, equities or derivatives experience is highly relevant.

Our offer

  • Competitive salary + performance bonus, aligned to execution outcomes.
  • Meaningful stock options.
  • 25 days’ annual leave + UK bank holidays.

Head of Execution Technology in London employer: Nickel Digital Asset Management

At Nickel Digital Asset Management, we pride ourselves on being a leading employer in the fintech space, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through our competitive salary packages, meaningful stock options, and a generous annual leave policy, all designed to support a healthy work-life balance. Join us in London, where you will be part of a world-class team shaping the future of digital asset management, with ample opportunities for professional development and impactful contributions.
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Contact Detail:

Nickel Digital Asset Management Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Execution Technology in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for those interviews by diving deep into the company’s tech stack and recent projects. Show us that you’re not just a fit for the role but also genuinely interested in what we do at Nickel Digital Asset Management.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your problem-solving skills! We love candidates who can think on their feet. Try mock interviews or coding challenges to sharpen your abilities and boost your confidence.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Execution Technology in London

Execution Algorithms
Market Microstructure
Java
C++
Python
REST APIs
WebSocket APIs
Team Leadership
Roadmap Development
Risk Management
Incident Management
Communication Skills
Analytical Skills
Execution Quality Improvement
Multi-Venue Environments

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Execution Technology role. Highlight your experience in trading technology and any relevant algorithms you've implemented. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about digital assets and how your background makes you the perfect fit for our team. Keep it concise but impactful!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t forget to mention your hands-on experience with Java, C++, or Python. We love candidates who can dive deep into code, so if you’ve led design reviews or improved execution algorithms, let us know!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Nickel Digital Asset Management

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Java, C++, or Python. Brush up on your knowledge of execution algorithms and market microstructure, as you'll likely be asked to discuss your hands-on experience and how it relates to the role.

✨Understand the Business Side

Since this role is business-centred, it’s crucial to demonstrate your understanding of trading, risk management, and operations. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve successfully partnered with traders in the past and how you can align technology with business goals.

✨Prepare for Scenario Questions

Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills under pressure. Think about past incidents you've managed, how you ensured reliability during peak times, and what measures you took to improve execution quality and capacity.

✨Showcase Leadership Skills

As a team leader, you’ll need to convey your leadership style and how you’ve led engineering teams in the past. Prepare examples of how you set roadmaps, made budget decisions, and improved team performance while reducing operational risks.

Head of Execution Technology in London
Nickel Digital Asset Management
Location: London

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