Corporate Strategist
New York
We are looking for an experienced market structure professional to join Optiver’s Corporate Strategy team, with a primary focus on cash equities market structure, external partnerships, and strategic business development.
You will work closely with senior leaders across Trading, Technology, Legal, Risk and Compliance, as well as engage externally with exchanges, venues, regulators, and industry participants. The role is highly visible, commercially oriented, and directly tied to Optiver’s long-term growth and market positioning.
The ideal candidate combines deep familiarity with cash equities market structure with strong analytical capabilities and the ability to translate regulatory and structural change into clear strategic and economic recommendations.
What you’ll do:
Market Structure & Strategic Impact
- Monitor and synthesize developments in cash equities market structure, including exchange and ATS rule changes, regulatory developments (SEC, CFTC, etc.), and microstructure innovations affecting liquidity, access and costs
- Assess the commercial, strategic, and operational impact of these developments on Optiver’s trading businesses
- Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis to identify risks and opportunities
- Translate complex regulatory and market structure changes into clear, decision-ready insights for senior leadership
Business Development & External Engagement
- Build and manage strategic relationships with exchanges, trading venues, market infrastructure providers, and industry groups
- Represent Optiver in external discussions on market structure topics
- Evaluate new market access opportunities, product launches, and venue changes from a strategic and economic perspective
Cross-Functional Strategy & Execution
- Partner with Trading, Technology, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Operations to prioritize and execute strategic initiatives
- Align commercial objectives with technical implementation and market access decisions
- Coordinate across control functions to ensure initiatives are delivered effectively and responsibly
Long-Term Strategy & Thought Leadership
- Contribute to Optiver’s long-term equities strategy, including geographic expansion, evolving market models, and competitive positioning
- Develop internal viewpoints on the future of equity market structure and Optiver’s role within it
What you’ll get:
- You’ll join a culture of collaboration and excellence, surrounded by curious thinkers and creative problem-solvers. Motivated by a passion for continuous improvement, you’ll thrive in a supportive, high-performing environment alongside talented colleagues, collectively tackling some of the toughest challenges in the financial markets.
- In addition, you’ll receive:
- The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries
- A highly competitive compensation package
- Global profit-sharing pool and performance-based bonus structure
- 401(k) match up to 50%
- Comprehensive health, mental, dental, vision, disability, and life coverage
- 25 paid vacation days alongside market holidays
- Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch and snacks, regular social events, clubs, sporting leagues and more
Who you are:
- 5–10 years of relevant experience in cash equities markets, gained at a:
- Bank
- Proprietary trading firm
- Exchange or trading venue
- ETF issuers (capital markets)
- Market infrastructure provider
- Regulator or industry body (with strong commercial exposure)
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with equity market structure, such as:
- Exchange models and fee structures
- ATS / dark pool dynamics
- Order types, access models, and market data
- Regulatory frameworks impacting equities trading
Who we are:
- At Optiver, our mission is to improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency, and stabilizing the market no matter the conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we prioritize safeguarding the health and efficiency of the markets for all participants. As one of the largest market making institutions, we are a respected partner on 100+ exchanges across the globe.
- Our differences are our edge. Optiver does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics.
Below is the expected base salary for this position. This is a good-faith estimate of the base pay scale for this position and offers will ultimately be determined based on experience, education, skill set, and performance in the interview process. This position will also be eligible for a discretionary bonus (if determined by Optiver) and Optiver’s benefits package with the benefits listed above.