At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead front office testing for Alpha implementations, ensuring quality and efficiency.
- Company: Join State Street, a global leader in investment management.
- Benefits: Flexible work-life support, paid volunteer days, and inclusive development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborate with diverse teams and enjoy vibrant employee networks.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in financial services while shaping the future of investment management.
- Qualifications: 15+ years in financial technology with strong leadership and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We are seeking a senior front office testing leader to partner closely with Implementation Test Leads, Charles River Development, Alpha delivery teams and client stakeholders to manage all aspects of test execution for front office Alpha implementations. This role is accountable for end-to-end testing governance, execution oversight, and cross-functional coordination across Charles River Investment Management System (CRIMS), Alpha Data Platform (ADP), and related front-to-back integration points.
These programmes span complex asset manager operating models and dataflows across portfolio management, order management, trading, compliance, IBOR, middle office, accounting, custody, and downstream data consumers involving State Street, Charles River Development, clients, and industry partners.
Alpha is State Street's front-to-back platform integrating Charles River front office capabilities with middle and back-office services, supported by the Alpha Data Platform as a trusted data layer across the investment lifecycle. Successful implementations depend on disciplined, execution-focused testing that validates CRIMS workflows, ADP data readiness, investment data quality, system integration, performance readiness and target operating model adoption. This role ensures testing is executed as a core delivery function, enabling accelerated timelines, reduced risk, and superior client outcomes for asset managers and buy-side institutions.
What you will be responsible for:
- Partner with Implementation Test Leads to manage workflow testing for assigned Alpha implementations, with specific focus on portfolio management, trading, compliance and post-trade workflows.
- Own and govern all aspects of Front Office testing, including:
- Test strategy and approach
- Detailed test planning and scheduling
- Execution management across test phases
- Defect management, triage, and resolution governance
- Status reporting, risk management, and executive communications
- Working with various stakeholders to elaborate on Scope, requirements interpretation and Scenario design in the context of CRIMS application.
- Serve as a liaison between Client, Technical Implementation teams and Product engineering teams to identify and test client specific customisations for various CRIMS modules.
- Partner closely with the System Performance team to ensure performance testing is planned, executed and integrated into overall test cycles.
- Partner with the Automation team to drive adoption and execution of automation strategies, ensuring optimal coverage, reusability and alignment with implementation timelines.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of the Alpha testing delivery model, including execution frameworks, metrics and tooling.
- Support client engagements by setting clear testing expectations, execution plans and success criteria.
What we value:
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to operate at AVP to VP level, influencing senior stakeholders across delivery, technology, and business.
- Strong understanding of asset manager front-to-back workflows, including portfolio management, trading, compliance, IBOR, cash management, collateral management, performance attribution, risk and reporting dataflows.
- Practical knowledge of Charles River IMS/CRIMS capabilities, Middle tier configurations, and familiarity with CRIMS database/schema.
- Familiarity with Alpha Data Platform concepts including enterprise data management, data quality controls, golden source data, lineage, exception management and information delivery to front office users.
- Ability to balance hands-on execution management with strategic oversight.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and executive reporting skills.
- Deep appreciation for quality, risk management, and delivery predictability in client-facing programmes.
These skills will help you succeed in this role:
- Exposure to financial services and/or Investment Management domains.
- Deep understanding of portfolio management and trading workflows across Equities, Fixed income, ETFs, Derivatives and multi-asset portfolios.
- Familiarity with Charles River IMS or similar OMS/EMS platforms.
- Client-focused mindset with the ability to balance strategic platform direction, delivery execution and stakeholder priorities.
- Cross-functional collaboration (Testing, Performance, Automation, PMO, Technology).
- Experience working in agile and hybrid delivery models (e.g., JIRA, Confluence).
- Ability to lead globally distributed teams and vendors.
- Executive-level communication and reporting.
Education & Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Technology, Finance, Management, or related fields.
- 15+ years overall experience, with significant experience in large-scale financial or technology transformation programs.
- Experience with Order Management Systems (OMS), Portfolio Management Systems (PMS), Execution Management Systems (EMS), Investment Book of Record (IBOR) platforms, or similar front office investment platforms.
- Direct experience in asset management, investment management, wealth management or buy-side industry is strongly preferred.
- 8+ years leading cross-functional delivery teams in client-facing environments.
Front Office Implementation Test Manager, Assistant Vice President employer: STATE STREET CORPORATION
State Street Corporation is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant city of London, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation. Employees benefit from comprehensive growth opportunities, competitive compensation, and a commitment to professional development, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in risk management.
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We think this is how you could land Front Office Implementation Test Manager, Assistant Vice President
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We think you need these skills to ace Front Office Implementation Test Manager, Assistant Vice President
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