Associate Director - Surveillance Calibration & Validation

Associate Director - Surveillance Calibration & Validation

Temporary Home office (partial)
Robert Walters

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Calibrate and optimise trade surveillance scenarios to enhance alert effectiveness and reduce false positives.
  • Company: Join a leading global financial institution with a strong reputation in the industry.
  • Benefits: Competitive daily rate of up to £430, hybrid working model, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Fast-paced role with excellent career advancement potential and a focus on continuous improvement.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on market surveillance and compliance in a dynamic financial environment.
  • Qualifications: 3+ years in trade surveillance with strong analytical and quantitative skills.

A leading global financial institution is seeking an experienced Surveillance Calibration specialist to join its established surveillance function on a 6-month contract basis. This is a hybrid role (4 days in) looking to pay up to £430 a day umbrella. This is a highly analytical and hands-on role focused on the calibration, validation, and optimisation of trade surveillance scenarios across global capital markets businesses.

Working closely with surveillance, compliance, and risk stakeholders, you will play a key role in enhancing alert effectiveness, reducing false positives, strengthening regulatory coverage, and improving surveillance outcomes. The successful candidate will bring experience within a financial services environment, alongside strong expertise in surveillance systems, scenario tuning, quantitative analysis, and market abuse risk management.

Key Responsibilities
  • Execute surveillance scenario calibration and re-calibration activities using quantitative and statistical techniques.
  • Optimise surveillance thresholds and parameters to improve alert quality, effectiveness, and productivity.
  • Conduct validation and effectiveness reviews of surveillance scenarios, assessing regulatory coverage, product scope, and design integrity.
  • Analyse alert performance, identify trends, and recommend enhancements to surveillance controls and methodologies.
  • Partner with surveillance and business stakeholders to apply qualitative judgement alongside quantitative outputs.
  • Develop and maintain surveillance dashboards, management information, and performance reporting.
  • Support the continuous improvement of surveillance frameworks, standards, and governance processes.
  • Prepare high-quality reporting and presentations for senior management, audit, and regulatory stakeholders.
  • Contribute to regulatory reviews and internal audit activities relating to surveillance controls and effectiveness.
Required Experience
  • 3+ years' experience within trade surveillance, market surveillance, or market abuse surveillance in a financial services environment.
  • Recent hands-on experience calibrating, tuning, validating, or optimising surveillance scenarios.
  • Experience working with surveillance platforms such as SMARTS or equivalent market surveillance technologies.
  • Strong understanding of market abuse risks, surveillance methodologies, and regulatory expectations.
  • Experience supporting institutional sales and trading or capital markets businesses.
  • Demonstrable experience reducing false positives, conducting threshold testing, and improving alert effectiveness.
  • Ability to articulate calibration methodologies, risk assessments, and measurable surveillance outcomes.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working within global organisations.
Technical Skills
  • Strong quantitative and analytical capabilities with experience interpreting surveillance data and performance metrics.
  • Experience using tools such as Python, SQL, R, or similar analytical technologies is advantageous.
  • Proven ability to develop reporting frameworks, dashboards, and management information.
  • Understanding of surveillance alert logic, parameter management, scenario tuning, and optimisation methodologies.
Candidate Profile
  • Analytical and detail-oriented with a data-driven approach to problem solving.
  • Comfortable operating independently in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders through insight and evidence-based recommendations.
  • Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on enhancing surveillance effectiveness and efficiency.

Associate Director - Surveillance Calibration & Validation employer: Robert Walters

As a leading global financial institution, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and inclusive work environment that encourages professional growth and innovation. Our hybrid work model allows for flexibility while collaborating with talented professionals in the field of surveillance calibration and validation, ensuring you have the resources and support to excel in your role. With a strong focus on employee development and a commitment to enhancing surveillance effectiveness, we offer a rewarding career path for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the financial services sector.

Robert Walters

Contact Details:

Robert Walters Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Associate Director - Surveillance Calibration & Validation

Network Like a Pro

Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who works in surveillance calibration. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can't.

Show Off Your Skills

When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your hands-on experience with surveillance systems and quantitative analysis. Share specific examples of how you've optimised alert effectiveness or reduced false positives – it’ll make you stand out!

Tailor Your Approach

Every conversation is an opportunity! Tailor your discussions to the specific needs of the role. If they mention improving regulatory coverage, come prepared with ideas on how you’ve tackled similar challenges in the past.

Apply Through Us!

Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always looking for talented individuals like you to join our team. Plus, it gives us a chance to see your application in the best light possible.

We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director - Surveillance Calibration & Validation

Surveillance Calibration
Quantitative Analysis
Statistical Techniques
Market Abuse Risk Management
Surveillance Systems Expertise
Scenario Tuning
Alert Performance Analysis

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Associate Director - Surveillance Calibration & Validation. Highlight your experience in trade surveillance and any specific tools you've used, like SMARTS or Python, to show us you’re the right fit.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about surveillance calibration and how your skills can help enhance our surveillance outcomes. Keep it concise but impactful!

Showcase Your Analytical Skills:Since this role is highly analytical, make sure to include examples of how you've used quantitative techniques to improve alert effectiveness or reduce false positives in your previous roles. We love numbers!

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!

How to prepare for a job interview at Robert Walters

Know Your Surveillance Systems

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of surveillance platforms like SMARTS or similar technologies. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with calibration, tuning, and validation of surveillance scenarios, as this will show your technical expertise.

Quantitative Analysis is Key

Prepare to demonstrate your strong analytical skills. Bring examples of how you've used quantitative techniques to optimise surveillance thresholds and improve alert effectiveness. This will highlight your ability to tackle complex problems in a financial services environment.

Stakeholder Management Matters

Think about your past experiences working with various stakeholders. Be ready to share specific instances where you partnered with compliance or risk teams to enhance surveillance outcomes. This will showcase your communication skills and ability to influence others.

Continuous Improvement Mindset

Show that you're not just about maintaining the status quo. Prepare to discuss how you've contributed to the continuous improvement of surveillance frameworks and processes. Highlight any initiatives you've led that resulted in reduced false positives or improved regulatory coverage.