Financial Markets Specialist (Policy, Research and Strategy) - FMD

Job Description

Brief description

• The South African Reserve Bank SARB is seeking a highly analytical and technically skilled Financial Markets Specialist to join the Policy Research and Strategy function of the Financial Markets Department.
• The successful candidate will conduct research and policy analysis related to financial markets, monetary policy implementation and financial market development. The role combines quantitative analysis, financial market research and policy work, with a strong emphasis on the use of data, modelling and modern analytical techniques to support evidence-based decision-making.
• The candidate must be able to translate complex quantitative analysis into clear, concise and well-structured written outputs that can inform senior decisionmakers. The position is therefore ideally suited to an individual who combines strong analytical and coding skills with excellent communication and writing abilities

Detailed description

The successful candidate will be responsible for, among other things, the following key performance areas:

• Conduct high-quality quantitative and qualitative research to inform policy positions and strategic initiatives relevant to the Financial Markets Department.
• Monitor and analyse developments in domestic and international financial markets and assess their implications for monetary policy implementation and financial stability.
• Develop and maintain analytical tools, models and datasets to support evidence-based policy analysis and decision-making.
• Collect, clean, structure and analyse large and complex financial market datasets.
• Apply statistical, econometric and data-science techniques to investigate financial market behaviour and policy questions.
• Undertake research related to money markets, capital markets, foreign exchange markets, market infrastructure, market liquidity and financial market development.
• Support the development of departmental policy positions, strategic initiatives and business methodologies.
• Produce high-quality research reports, briefing notes, policy papers, presentations and other written outputs for senior management and policy forums.
• Translate complex quantitative and technical analysis into clear, concise and policy-relevant insights and recommendations.
• Contribute to keynote speeches, discussion papers and strategic publications.
• Present research findings and analytical work at internal and external forums.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders in financial markets to support research and policy development.
• Ensure that analytical methodologies and research practices reflect local and international best practice.
• Contribute to ongoing innovation in the department's analytical toolkit through the adoption of new methods, technologies and approaches.
• Participate in departmental, Bank-wide and external projects as required.

Qualifications

To be considered for this position, candidates must have

• An Honours degree in Economics or Finance NQF8, or an equivalent combination of education and job-related experience;
• five to eight years of work experience in financial markets, quantitative analysis, economic research, financial modelling or a related field

The following will be an added advantage

• A Master's degree in Economics, Finance or a related discipline;
• Knowledge of monetary policy implementation and financial markets;
• Experience working with large financial market datasets;
• Experience conducting applied research in economics or finance;
• Experience using Bloomberg, Refinitiv or similar market data platforms; and
• A track record of producing high-quality research papers, policy briefs, technical reports or other analytical publications.

Additional requirements include

• Strong programming skills in Python, R, MATLAB, Stata or similar analytical languages;
• Advanced quantitative, statistical and econometric modelling skills;
• Experience working with large, complex and high-frequency datasets;
• Strong research and analytical capabilities;
• Excellent written communication and report-writing skills;
• The ability to synthesise complex qualitative and quantitative information into clear and compelling written outputs;
• The ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences;
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills;
• Conceptual and critical-thinking abilities;
• Planning and organising skills;
• Sound judgement and professional integrity;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive working relationships;
• Intellectual curiosity and a willingness to explore new analytical approaches; and
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team.