Equity Derivatives & Tactical Equity Strategist (Director/VP)

Role Overview

We have partnered with a leading global bank looking to hire a Tactical Equity & Derivatives Strategist (Director/VP) in London. This senior hire will sit within a high-performing team that operates at the intersection of research and trading, functioning as a hybrid between desk strategy and research, with a strong emphasis on short-term, actionable trade ideas.

The group is highly integrated with Sales & Trading, sitting on the trading floor and engaging directly with traders and execution desks. This hire will play a key role in strengthening the team, with scope to shape the role based on the candidate’s background.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate short-term, high-conviction trade ideas across equity markets (typical horizon: 2-8 weeks), grounded in flow, positioning, volatility, and catalyst analysis.
• Deliver timely and actionable strategy content to traders, sales, and execution desks, contributing directly to revenue-driving decisions.
• Partner closely with trading desks to enhance internal idea generation, leverage existing desk resources, and drive commercial outcomes.
• Communicate views clearly and confidently, walking through trade rationales, risk/reward setups, and supporting analytics.
• Adapt strategy focus depending on background - either through differentiated flow and positioning analysis or via structured, derivatives-based idea generation.
• Contribute to cross-desk collaboration
• Operate in a fast-paced environment where tangible value-add is expected.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Background in tactical equity strategy or equity derivatives, volatility, and options structures
• Strong ability to generate trade ideas grounded in sentiment, positioning, and short-term catalysts.
• Comfortable with short-term investment time horizons (2–8 weeks).
• Prior experience in a trader-facing, commercially focused research or strategy role preferred.
• Ability to support trading desks with structuring, hedging, and volatility-based strategy ideas.
• Strong technical toolkit and understanding of derivatives markets.
• Must be tactical, commercial, and focused on short-term actionable trade ideas - not long-dated research.

General Requirements

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to articulate views clearly and defend analysis
• A strategic mindset paired with hands-on execution ability
• Comfortable sitting on the trading floor and working in a highly integrated Sales & Trading environment
• Preference for Director level, but strong upper-end VP candidates will be considered if they demonstrate autonomy and credibility
• A clear tactical edge, with differentiated thinking and relevance to current market dynamics