The Chicago-based People Operations team is seeking an individual who possesses insatiable curiosity and can navigate complex challenges with a high degree of autonomy and ownership. This role will develop a birds-eye view of the function through regular collaboration across the People team, eventually being able to predict the business’ needs and solve underlying inefficiencies before they become bottlenecks. The right candidate’s skills in process optimization, project management, and independent problem-solving will play a vital role in strategically supporting a high-performing, fast-paced proprietary trading firm.

Who we are:

Optiver is a tech-driven trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilizing force no matter the market conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets for everyone who participates.

Optiver Chicago’s culture parallels the energetic city we’re immersed in. Home to the Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago has established itself as the trading capital of the US. Active on leading US exchanges, Optiver’s Chicago office trades a wide range of products from listed derivatives to cash equities, ETFs, bonds and foreign exchange.

What you’ll do:

•  Manage end-to-end operational processes for the People function, serving as a sought after and reliable SME across the business
• Analyze problems from multiple angles, exhibiting creative thinking to devise effective and scalable solutions
• Proactively seek opportunities to explore, understand and question People processes before issues arise
• Leverage data to ensure control and advocate for enhancements that align with organizational goals
• Engage with cross-functional teams both locally and in other regions to gather insights and diverse perspectives, driving a deeper understanding of process intricacies, business needs and stakeholder impact
• Inspire confidence in your ability to lead a project through a close attention to detail, open communication and timeline management
• Continuously seek out best practices, emerging trends, and innovative solutions
• Thrive in an environment where direction may be ambiguous and chart a course to address complex challenges
• Validate and maintain accurate employee data records, ensuring consistency and compliance through meticulous data verification and audit processes

Who you are:

• 3+ years of relevant experience in a fast-paced setting, preferably within the Proprietary Trading or Financial Services industry
• Demonstrated experience managing impactful projects on time and within scope
• Proven ability to deliver operational excellence by streamlining processes, cultivating a culture of continuous improvement
• Capable of dissecting complicated challenges, and formulate innovative solutions that drive impactful outcomes and are built to scale
• Experienced in data analysis using Microsoft Excel, including proficiency in functions, formulas and data visualization
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts clearly to a variety of stakeholders
• Self-motivated and driven to take initiative, especially when direction is unclear

What you’ll get:

• Work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• Performance based bonus structure that is unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool fostering a truly collaborative environment to work in.
• Ownership over initiatives that directly solve business problems.  

Alongside this you will get great other benefits such as 25 paid vacation days and market holidays, fully paid commuting expenses and health insurance, daily breakfast and lunch, training opportunities, 401(k) match up to 50% and charitable match opportunities, regular social events and clubs, and many more.

At Optiver, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Optiver recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics.