Support Analyst 2 recruitment

ABOUT PATSYSTEMS

Patsystems delivers tailored solutions, built from modular components, to enhance derivatives trading performance and trade processing. Our solutions include real-time risk management tools, comprehensive exchange systems and robust trading systems with extensive market connectivity. 

We work in partnership with our customers to deliver robust systems that align with their business strategies – and have done since our foundation in 1994. 

The world's leading banks, trading houses, hedge funds and professional traders rely on Patsystems technology for electronic trading in derivatives, FX, energy and other asset classes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

We are seeking an IT professional to work as Second Line Support Analyst on the Patsystems Global Support Desk (GSD). GSD has an excellent reputation across our customer base, which includes many of the world’s biggest financial institutions.

Supporting the various Patsystems components is a challenging role and after 6 months working in this environment you’ll be an important member of GSD and be able to support a wide range of software running on a variety of platforms. You will have a good understanding of electronic derivatives trading, exchange connectivity and risk management.

The position will require out of normal office hours support; currently the day shifts are 7.5 hours with support teams covering from 08:00 - 20:00 Tokyo time Monday to Friday. There is also a requirement for scheduled weekend work. This essential work usually involves remote upgrading of customer’s software. Engineers are typically required to work an average of one day per month, paid at weekend overtime rates.

MAIN ACTIVITIES:

All support is provided through remote connectivity to customer installations and with this access, GSD are able to provide temporary and permanent software fixes, log file analysis, software upgrades and general system monitoring.

The application support requires a thorough understanding of electronic Futures trading. Patsystems customers trade on most of the principle derivatives Exchanges. These include TSE, OSE, TOCOM, Liffe, Eurex, Chicago Board of Trade (eCBOT), and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). In order to provide a good quality of support a good understanding of the different products, order types, trading mechanisms and exchange connectivity is necessary. Trade investigations require a sound knowledge of SQL as Oracle database queries are often undertaken. We also represent our customers when liaising on their behalf, directly with the Exchange.

Support Activities:

  • Take ownership of customer technical issues managing them through to resolution – including post mortem for improvement ideas.
  • Ensure customer contacts are kept updated on ongoing issues in line with severity of problem.  
  • Work with other GSD locations and GSD management to ensure that customers get one, consistent, view of Patsystems
  • Adhere to team and company procedures for performing work and maintaining records. Contribute to the improvement of working procedures and systems.
  • Ensure feedback is presented in a professional and accurate way.
  • Provide an effective handover at the end of each shift to GSD London and receive handover from GSD Chicago at the start of each day.
  • Maintain an understanding of customer environments and architecture.
  • Perform Work Requests such as installations, upgrades and contract configurations.
  • Identify process and procedural improvements for GSD relating to upgrades / operational practice.
  • Sanity check new major releases to ensure all documentation / software and configuration files are all fit for production.
  • Provide Operational input for all SDS signoff of new released components.

SKILLS/ EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

The following attributes are essential:

Unix

Candidate will need to have strong Unix troubleshooting skills. Skills needed include installation and configuration of Solaris/Linux O/S, system monitoring, faultfinding, understanding simple shell scripts.

Windows

Candidate will need to have a good understanding of how to install, configure and troubleshoot Windows Server (2000/2003). Additionally the candidate must have strong Windows troubleshooting skills.

Networking

The candidate must posses a good general understanding of TCP/IP. Skills required include the understanding of IP addressing and simple routing over Windows and Unix servers and basic network troubleshooting.

Communication Skills

The candidate must possess very strong spoken and written communication skills in both English and Japanese. The calls and mails dealt with by GSD are complex and wide ranging so it is a key requirement to be able to identify from a written or verbal description, the severity and source of the issue. Reassuring customers when they call with production issues is also a very challenging task and being able to interact with them and make them feel confident that the issue is in hand is a demanding but also vital skill. Candidate will be comfortable working in a multi-cultural environment across multiple countries and time zones.

IT Helpdesk Experience

Candidate must have significant previous IT helpdesk experience supporting customers in both English and Japanese (i.e. managing helpdesk calls, keeping customers updated and escalating where necessary). This experience needs to include a significant remote support component.

The successful candidate will also need to possess at least one of the following:

Market Knowledge

Display a strong understanding of electronic derivatives trading and have an understanding of the major derivatives exchanges. As this is such a broad category, it is hard to be specific, but to qualify in this respect the candidate must have a good understanding of the various exchange connectivity methods and trading terminology.

Application Support Knowledge

To have supported a server based mission critical application. They need to have demonstrated an ability to learn a complex piece of software (not Excel, Blackberry, Exchange rather more specialist) and support users on it. Ideally this would be some sort of trading package but not necessarily.

COMPETENCIES:

We are looking for a candidate with the following skills and experience:

HOURS OF WORK:

GSD provides a 24x6 ‘follow the sun’ support model using 3 shifts across the Asia Pacific, UK and US. GSD shifts follow our EOD/SOD period defined in GMT and will therefore move to align with London DST changes.

The Support Analyst will work on an equal rota basis Monday through Friday. Currently, the day shifts are 7.5 hours with support teams covering from 08:00 – 20:00 Tokyo time Monday to Friday.

There is also a requirement for scheduled weekend work. This essential work usually involves remote upgrading of customer’s software. Engineers are typically required to work an average of one day per month, paid at weekend overtime rates.

LOCATION:

Tokyo, however from time to time the jobholder may be required to visit other patsystems offices and customer sites for short periods.

The details contained in this job description may change from time-to-time in-line with company requirements.

Kindly note that only successful candidates will be notified.