Senior Derivatives Valuation Consultant - Financial Services

EY is the only major professional services firm with a dedicated financial services practice (EY FSO) integrated in the EMEIA region. An international team of over 16.000 professionals is working across borders for our clients in the financial sector: Banking, Insurance, Payment Institutions and Wealth & Asset Management, in all service lines: Consulting, Tax, Transactions and Assurance. As we consider our people as the heart of EY, we hire and develop the most passionate people in their field to build a better working world. This starts with a culture that believes in giving you the training, opportunities and creative freedom to make things better. So that, whenever you join, however long you stay, the exceptional EY experience lasts a lifetime.

The Opportunity

We currently have an opportunity for a market-savvy professional with solid knowledge of a broad range of derivatives instruments and hands-on valuation experience, to join the team as experienced Senior Consultant or Manager, depending on the level of experience. You will work from the Brussels office, but our clients are based in several locations, among others London, Singapore and South-Africa.

The Belgian Risk practice acts as a center of excellence within the EMEIA region with respect to quantitative modelling. Among others, this means  we have a robust and broad expertise in the practical aspects of derivative pricing. Our team of quantitative advisors consists of around 20 highly skilled professionals with background in Physics, Mathematics and (Commercial) Engineering, where academic excellence is a given. 

In the context of external audit of financial institutions, we work closely with our colleagues from the Assurance team, as  the complex matters we encounter during our advisory assignments are equally important for delivering a quality audit of major banks. While being part of our Belgian Risk team, you will have the  opportunity to work with, and learn from colleagues in other departments, also on  international level. 

We have developed an internal derivative valuation program that will bring you to the level of experienced quant via face-to-face trainings lectured by experienced team members, web-based learning and on-the-job training.

Key Responsibilities

We are looking for a skilled quantitative professional, who will combine working on advisory engagements with audit support engagements for top Belgian and European financial institutions. The ability to drive work forward to a conclusion, to find pragmatic solutions to complex problems and to explain them convincingly, are key factors to be successful in this role. Building on a strong foundation of technical knowledge, you will further develop into a leading international expert in the field of quantitative modelling.

•    You participate in engagements in the Risk practice, in the quantitative space, both from an advisory and an assurance perspective
•    An important part of your job will be the independent valuation of (complex) derivative instruments. Some typical tasks: 

• Develop and apply EY tools & models for valuation of financial instruments
• Participate to model development and model validation exercises, including risk models
• Identify new areas for further development of EY tools & models, including the innovative application of machine learning in this application domain.

•    You coordinate the workload in various projects, and develop productive working relationships with internal and external clients
•    You prepare concise, complete and convincing reports on the work done, and present it to more senior colleagues and clients 
•    You act as a team member, coaching and supervising junior staff, seeking guidance from senior colleagues as needed, and keeping everybody informed on the progress of the assignment

Skills and Attributes for Success

•    Master degree in Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science or relevant quantitative field
•    Between 3-6 years of relevant professional experience, ideally in the valuation control department, or the validating team of a bank. Other relevant experiences are front office quant or model or member of the model development team.
•    Solid understanding of quantitative modeling techniques and practical experience with derivative pricing in one or more asset classes (FX, rates, equity, …)  is mandatory. 
•    Experience with building (risk) reports and experience with communication around (mathematical) complex issues at management level is a major plus
•    Knowledge of some key vendor packages, and some frequently used programming languages (Python, R) in the risk and/or valuation domain is mandatory. Experience with Matlab, C++ or other languages is a plus.
•    Proficient level of business English and good communication skills; knowledge of Dutch and/or French is a major asset
•    Team spirit, but self-sufficient and autonomous
•    Pragmatic approach, with the ability to self-motivate and inspire the members of a team
•    Eagerness to learn more about the Financial Services market in Belgium and Europe.

What working at EY Offers

•    You will be part of a leading global professional services firm.
•    You will be part of the EY family where everyone is willing to offer support and senior management is very accessible. 
•    You will join a dynamic and growing team with a great mix of young and experienced professionals focusing on financial services.
•    You will get extensive trainings  on technical matters, as well as soft skills and project management, and you will have access to new technologies and innovative equipment.
•    We are proud of our flexible working arrangements, and we will support you to build a successful career and deliver excellent client service, without sacrificing your personal priorities. 
•    While our client-facing profession might require part-time working at client site and business traveling at times, we are committed to helping you achieve a lifestyle balance.