Market Data Manager

We are seeking an experienced Market Data professional with a strong understanding of financial markets, market data architecture and the global market data vendor landscape, ideally within a High-Frequency Trading (HFT) environment. This role will focus on owning and managing the full lifecycle of market data projects, from comprehending complex trading use cases to the acquisition and integration of external data sets and their ongoing day-to-day management.

As part of our global market data team, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple offices to collectively manage Optiver’s comprehensive global market data footprint. This role is critical in driving the effective use of market data to support trading strategies and ensure alignment with our broader organizational goals.

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 and oversee the U.S. Market data footprint at both a strategic and tactical level.
• Own and drive market data-related projects in alignment with the company’s goals.
• Identify, evaluate, and select external market data sets that enhance specific trading strategies, ensuring that the data adds measurable value to trading decisions and outcomes.
• Provide high level technical guidance on how market data solutions should be utilized within the company.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external data vendors and partners.
• Provide training and mentorship to junior team members on core market data topics.
• Liaise regularly with internal stakeholders, including trading, compliance, and IT teams (both locally and globally), to ensure smooth integration of market data practices and strategy across the U.S.
• Ensure that market data practices align with compliance standards and monitor data usage to adhere to both regulatory and company policies.
• Contribute to the creation and application of market data quality and governance frameworks.
• Support data governance by contributing to data quality initiatives and frameworks.
• Ensure that data usage complies with relevant policies and contributes to cost-effective and risk-managed market data practices.

Who you are:

• 10+ years of relevant market data analysis experience.
• Strong market data analysis and financial markets skills, particularly in use cases related to utilization of market data within trading firms.
• Detailed knowledge of both core and alternative market data sets, including security master data, pricing, reference data, and alternative data across all markets (particularly derivatives).
• Proficiency in high-frequency trading systems and their technical integration with market data.
• Deep understanding of market data management practices and platforms.
• Tenured experience in managing external data vendor and exchange relationships.
• Competence in handling complex data compliance considerations, particularly regarding adherence to exchange policies and other regulatory requirements.

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.