Raymond James Financial, Inc

Associate Director | Front Office Trade Desk Applications

Raymond James Financial, Inc$100K — $175K *
Finance & Insurance
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in software engineering and technology management for trading platforms.
  • In-depth knowledge of wealth management trading operations and workflows.
  • Experience with trader-facing applications for equity and options trading.
  • Strong understanding of order lifecycle management processes.
  • Expertise in translating complex trading workflows into practical technology solutions.

Responsibilities

  • Own and provide strategic leadership for the TDOE trading platform.
  • Ensure stability and alignment of TDOE with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
  • Collaborate with multiple teams to gather requirements and enhance trading solutions.
  • Drive the strategic roadmap and automate trading workflows to improve efficiency.
  • Lead technology modernization efforts for TDOE, emphasizing API and service-based architecture.
  • Ensure operational stability across all software engineering and support teams.
  • Build and mentor high-performing technology teams, promoting a culture of improvement.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Life, critical illness, and accident insurance.
  • Disability benefits and retirement savings options.
  • Paid time off including vacation, holidays, and sick leave.
  • Parental leave options.
Full Job Description
Job Description Summary
Note: This position will follow our hybrid work model, we expect the selected candidate to be in office 3 days per week at one of the following office locations St. Petersburg, FL, or Jersey City, NJ.

This role is not eligible for Work Visa sponsorship, either currently or in the future.

Job Description

Serving as a hands-on technology leader for Raymond James' trading platforms, the Associate Director of Trading Technology will help shape, deliver, and continuously evolve mission-critical trader-facing systems that sit at the center of the firm's order entry and trading workflows. This role combines passion for the markets, strong engineering judgment, and disciplined execution leadership to build scalable, resilient, intuitive, and high-performance technology used by traders and financial professionals every day.

The Associate Director will operate at both strategic and hands-on levels-partnering closely with Trading, Product, Operations, Architecture, Engineering, QA, SRE, and Compliance teams to understand real trading workflows, define practical technology roadmaps, and deliver improvements across the full order lifecycle. This leader will play a key role in modernizing legacy capabilities into a more service-based, API-enabled, event-driven ecosystem while protecting the stability, performance, and regulatory integrity of production trading platforms.

The ideal candidate is a technically curious, passionate, and accountable leader who enjoys getting close to business, engaging deeply with engineers and architects, and helping teams turn complex trading needs into reliable technology outcomes. They will mentor and develop high-performing teams, foster a culture of ownership, craftsmanship, collaboration, and continuous improvement, and bring the energy to build great platforms-not just manage them.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Own the Raymond James Trade Desk Order Entry (TDOE) platform, providing strategic and operational leadership for the trader-facing application supporting equity and options trading across the enterprise.
  • Accountable for the delivery, enhancement, stability, and long-term evolution of TDOE, ensuring alignment with business objectives, trader productivity, regulatory requirements, and operational excellence.
  • Partner closely with Trade Desk leadership, traders, operations, compliance, product management, and technology teams to understand business needs, gather requirements, and deliver solutions that improve trading efficiency and client service.
  • Lead business analysis, requirements discovery, and solution design activities for trading workflows, ensuring business requirements are translated into scalable and maintainable technology solutions.
  • Drive the strategic roadmap for TDOE, identifying opportunities to improve trader workflows, automate manual processes, reduce operational risk, and enhance integration with adjacent trading platforms.
  • Provide technology leadership across order lifecycle management, including order capture, validation, routing, execution, allocations, exception management, and post-trade processing.
  • Partner with OMS, COE, Rebalancing, Operations, and Architecture teams to ensure seamless end-to-end trading workflow integration across the trading ecosystem.
  • Lead modernization efforts for TDOE, including UI modernization, API enablement, workflow automation, service-based architecture adoption, and platform simplification initiatives.
  • Ensure platform reliability, resiliency, scalability, performance, observability, and security while maintaining support for critical trading operations.
  • Oversee delivery across software engineering, business analysis, quality assurance, production support, SRE, and vendor teams to ensure predictable execution and operational stability.
  • Build and lead high-performing teams, including Engineering Managers, Software Engineers, Business Analysts, Architects, and QA professionals
  • Establish and reinforce a culture of accountability, ownership, customer focus, engineering excellence, and continuous improvement.
  • Communicate platform strategy, delivery status, risks, and investment priorities to executive leadership and business stakeholders.


Technical Skills/Experience:
  • 10+ years of progressive experience leading software engineering and technology teams responsible for mission-critical trading and wealth management platforms is preferred.
  • Deep knowledge of Wealth Management trading operations, including advisor-directed trading, portfolio trading, rebalancing workflows, block trading, trade desk workflows, and order management processes.
  • Extensive experience supporting trader-facing applications and front-office trading systems used by equity and options traders.
  • Strong understanding of order lifecycle management, including order entry, pre-trade validation, compliance controls, routing, execution management, allocations, exception processing, and post-trade workflows.
  • Proven experience with Order Management Systems (OMS), trade execution platforms, market connectivity, execution venues, and downstream settlement processes.
  • Demonstrated expertise gathering business requirements and translating complex trading workflows into technology solutions that improve trader productivity and operational efficiency.
  • Strong business analysis capabilities, including stakeholder engagement, process mapping, workflow optimization, requirements management, use case development, and solution design.
  • Experience partnering directly with traders, trade desk managers, operations teams, and business stakeholders to design and deliver workflow enhancements.
  • Strong architecture and application delivery experience across distributed systems, microservices, APIs, integration platforms, messaging technologies, and event-driven architectures.
  • Experience modernizing legacy front-office applications while maintaining platform stability and minimizing business disruption.
  • Deep understanding of system performance, resiliency, scalability, observability, and operational support requirements for highly available trading platforms.
  • Experience operating within regulated financial services environments with knowledge of audit, compliance, risk management, supervisory controls, and regulatory obligations.
  • Proven track record leading cross-functional teams consisting of engineering, business analysis, QA, SRE, operations, vendors, and business stakeholders.
  • Strong people leadership experience, including hiring, coaching, performance management, succession planning, organizational development, and leadership mentoring.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with both executive leadership and technical teams while balancing strategic objectives with day-to-day delivery responsibilities.
  • Demonstrated success defining platform strategy and technology roadmaps while maintaining accountability for execution, operational stability, and business outcomes.


Licenses/Certifications:
  • None required.


Education
Bachelor's: Computer and Information Science, Bachelor's: Information Technology, High School (HS) (Required)

Work Experience
General Experience - 10 to 15 years, Manager Experience - 6 to 10 years

Certifications

Salary Range
$100,000.00-$175,000.00

Travel
Less than 25%

Workstyle
Hybrid

The total compensation for this position includes base salary or wages, and may include components such as additional compensation (cash or equity), discretionary bonuses, or commissions. This position is eligible for a benefits package that may include medical, dental, and vision; life insurance; critical illness insurance and accident insurance; disability benefits; retirement savings; paid time off (including vacation, holidays, and sick leave); and parental leave. Eligibility for benefits and specific offerings may vary based on position and employment status. To view more details of the benefits offered, visit Myrjbenefits.com.

About Raymond James Financial, Inc

The Raymond James Technology and Communications Investment Banking Group is a committed and thoughtful partner that provides a full range of investment banking services and best practices. The group is comprised of experienced professionals that have extensive investment banking expertise. They leverage the industry expertise of Raymond James' award-winning research department. The group focuses on key sectors within technology and communications including: communications software, communication towers, defense electronics, enterprise software, internet infrastructure services, homeland security, IT services, mobile technology, semiconductors, software-as-a-service, telecommunications equipment, telecommunications infrastructure and support services, and wireless & wireline telecommunications services. They take pride in a client-centric approach to M&A, with focus on delivering independent solutions that creates value for the long term. The outcome of this unique approach may be seen in the successful transactions of their clients, including over 80 public offerings totaling $17 billion and over 85 strategic advisory transactions totaling over $5 billion in value since 1998.

Raymond James Financial, Inc Careers

Join the vibrant team at Raymond James Financial, Inc, a leading financial services company where innovation, leadership, and professional growth are at the forefront of our operations. As a hub of diversity and expertise, Raymond James offers unparalleled job opportunities that propel your career to new heights. Work You’ll Do At Raymond James Financial, Inc, you’ll collaborate with some of the most talented professionals in the financial industry. Our team is dedicated to providing strategic financial solutions and advice to our clients, helping them achieve their financial goals while fostering economic growth. With a culture rooted in leadership and diversity training, Raymond James is the perfect place to enhance your skills and thrive professionally. Join our market-leading team to assist a diverse range of clients, from individuals to large corporations, in navigating their financial planning with precision and innovative strategies. Lead in a role where your expertise directly influences the success and stability of our clients' financial futures. Work with a dynamic team of advisors and experts who are committed to pushing the boundaries of the financial sector through continuous innovation and exceptional client service. Raymond James Financial, Inc Job Opportunities Introducing the Raymond James Career Development Program We are committed to nurturing talent through our comprehensive career development program designed to provide every employee—from interns to senior leaders—with the tools and training necessary for success. Whether you’re just starting out with an internship or you’re a seasoned professional, Raymond James offers career paths that align with your ambitions and skills. Do Innovative Work Join a company where innovation is part of the daily routine. At Raymond James Financial, Inc, you’ll engage with cutting-edge financial tools and resources that keep you ahead in the industry. Our commitment to technology and innovation ensures that we stay at the forefront of financial services. Be Part of a Great Team Experience a collaborative environment where teamwork and networking are encouraged. Our inclusive culture supports diversity and offers benefits that ensure the well-being of all team members. At Raymond James, you’re not just an employee; you’re part of a family that values your unique contributions and supports your professional journey. Future-Proof Your Career Advance your career with Raymond James, where opportunities for growth are abundant. Benefit from our industry-leading training programs and gain certifications that will elevate your professional standing. With a focus on career longevity and satisfaction, Raymond James ensures that your professional journey is as rewarding as it is successful. Explore Discover the various positions available at Raymond James Financial, Inc that match your skills and interests. We are continuously hiring across multiple disciplines, eager to welcome passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search open positions at Raymond James Financial, Inc and find the perfect match for your career aspirations. Explore a range of opportunities from financial advising to corporate roles that align with your professional skills and goals. Keep Up to Date Stay informed with the latest career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights—all from the professionals who thrive at Raymond James. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding career opportunities waiting for you at Raymond James Financial, Inc. Join Raymond James Financial, Inc today and be part of a company that values innovation, leadership, and professional growth. Your future in the financial industry starts here.
Learn more about Raymond James Financial, Inc
Size
15,000 employees
Market Cap
$22.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$862 million
5 Year Trend
+11.6%
Revenue
$8.3 billion
NASDAQ

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