KTP Associate in Financial Risk - Seven Investment Management (7IM)

Analytics and Risk

Location: Other

Salary:  £29,000 to £32,000 per annum

Full Time - Fixed Term for 18 months

Closing Date:  Friday 10 March 2017

Interview Date:  To be confirmed

Reference: 837917TR

The Centre for Risk Research (CRR) at the University of Southampton offers an exciting opportunity to work with a City-based investment company as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate. The Associate will work closely with Seven Investment Management LLP, a leading investment management company with over £8bn of funds under management.  The project will involve designing, transferring and embedding an innovative and cutting edge capability concerning risk management for investment portfolio optimization via advanced volatility estimation. As a KTP ‘Associate’, you will be employed by the University of Southampton on an 18 month fixed term contract, but will be embedded in the team at Seven Investment Management LLP.  You will receive extensive training in Seven Investment Management LLP processes, sector specific business activities, plus the business skills training included in all KTPs. 

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships enable recently qualified graduates (known as KTP Associates) to work in companies managing challenging projects central to the development needs of participating companies.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships can provide you with:

• A springboard to accelerate your career.
• A personal development budget that will give you the opportunity to develop your personal, business and academic skills.
• The support of academic experts and KTP advisors.                                                                                                            
• Opportunity to lead and manage a project with defined goals.
• Potential of a permanent post with the company partner at the end of the project.
• Gain business management qualifications.
• Opportunity to gain valuable R & D experience in a commercial environment.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships provide employment and personal development opportunities for over 1000 graduates throughout the UK. Find out how Knowledge Transfer Partnerships can offer you a slice of the action by visiting: http://ktp.innovateuk.org/graduate-opportunities.

Seven Investment Management LLP

Seven Investment Management LLP, is an investment management business with over £8bn of funds under management, helping individuals, their families and institutional investors to manage their capital to meet their financial needs and aspirations. 7IM’s risk-rated portfolios, for which they are best known, are invested through UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) fund structures, giving unlimited access to asset classes and the ability to hedge currencies and markets. Discretionary investment management is available to clients with portfolios starting at £200,000 and offers risk-rated and unconstrained investment styles. 7IM also operates an investment platform - a web-based technology that enables investors to access a wide range of investments.

University of Southampton

The project is hosted by Centre for Risk Research and the Centre for Computational Finance and Business Analytics in the University of Southampton’s Business School. These research centres bring together leading academics in the fields of portfolio optimization, risk analysis, statistical modelling/data mining and quantitative finance.  Our world-leading academics combine rigour with relevance, solving real-world problems in collaboration with businesses, organisations and governments. As part of the world-renowned Russell Group of Universities which have a global reputation for academic excellence, the University of Southampton provides a stimulating, challenging and dynamic working environment for all our staff. 

Job requirements/opportunities

This KTP project will require a complex set of skills to be integrated in order to achieve the final product outcome, and the project will also be constrained by the need to adhere to strict industry regulations and protocols concerning financial asset management. There is, however, a long term opportunity for the KTP team to influence these standards and to develop technologies and methodologies which will revolutionize aspects of volatility estimation. The Associate is expected to be a conduit for different skills sets and knowledge within the University of Southampton in order to develop elements of the project such that market launch can be achieved. In this respect it is anticipated that the team will need to utilize leading expertise from the Centre for Risk Research and the Centre for Computational Finance and Business Analytics.

The Candidate

The Associate requires a detailed understanding and knowledge of a quantitative discipline (e.g. mathematics, econometrics, statistics, engineering, physics, computer science, operations research, quantitative finance). This level of knowledge may have been gained via a PhD or attainment of equivalent qualifications in a quantitative discipline, accompanied by relevant experience, such as experience in computer programming. Evidence of prior knowledge of portfolio optimization, statistical modelling/data mining and/or quantitative finance would be advantageous. Evidence of satisfactory performance in computer programming modules at undergraduate or post-graduate level would be an advantage (especially MATLAB). Ideally the Associate would have some knowledge of volatility estimation, option pricing, stochastic calculus, multi-factor modelling, portfolio optimisation and quantitative risk management strategies connected to financial portfolios. The post would suit a candidate who is looking for a career in quantitative equity portfolio management, or an academic career researching investment valuation and portfolio management.

Location

Offices of Seven Investment Management, 55 Bishopsgate, London.

Contact

For more information please contact the academic supervisor for this project, Professor Frank McGroarty F.J.McGroarty@soton.ac.uk.  

Application Procedure

You should submit your completed application form online at www.jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date stated above. References are requested along with your application, so please allow time for these to be received prior to the close date, to assist the department with shortlisting. If you need any assistance, please call Geraldine Lewis (Recruitment Team) on +44 (0) 23 8059 2507.Please quote vacancy reference number 837917TR on all correspondence.