Trade Support Investment Banking Salary Guide UK Operations Compensation
Operations Focus: Operations departments are primarily concerned with the settling and clearing of trades. Clearing trades involves looking at the records made by banks’ traders when they buy or sell stocks or other financial products and checking that they match the records kept by those from whom the securities were bought to whom they were sold. Operations confirms that each trade is reported accurately to the buyer, the seller, the firm and the regulators. Along the way, Operations looks for anything that could expose our clients or the firm to financial loss, penalty or other risks.
2025 Trade Support IB Salaries
Analyst/Associate: £35,000 – £65,000
Manager (AVP): £65,000 – £75,000
VP: £85,000 – £100,000
Director/MD: £120,000+
Compensation Overview
Investment Banking Trade Support Salary Table
| Position Level | Title | Base Salary Range | Daily Rate (Contract) | Experience Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry/Mid Level | Analyst/Associate | £35,000 – £65,000 | £200 – £350 | 0-5 years |
| Manager | Manager (AVP) | £65,000 – £75,000 | £350 – £400 | 5-8 years |
| Senior Manager | Senior Manager (VP) | £85,000 – £100,000 | £425 – £575 | 8-12 years |
| Director | Director/Managing Director | £120,000+ | £700+ | 12+ years |
🔧 Trade Support Specializations (ETD/OTC, FX Options)
| Product Area | Salary Premium | Complexity Level | Market Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exotic Derivatives | +15-25% | Very High | High |
| FX Options | +10-20% | High | High |
| OTC Derivatives | +10-15% | High | Moderate-High |
| ETD (Exchange Traded) | Baseline | Moderate | Moderate |
| Fixed Income | +5-10% | Moderate-High | Moderate |
| Prime Brokerage | +15-20% | High | High |
Bank Tier and Compensation Comparison
| Bank Tier | Examples | Salary Index | VP Range | Bonus Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulge Bracket US | Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley | 115-130% | £97,750 – £130,000 | 25-50% |
| Bulge Bracket European | Deutsche Bank, UBS, Credit Suisse | 100-115% | £85,000 – £115,000 | 20-40% |
| UK Major Banks | Barclays, HSBC, NatWest | 95-110% | £80,750 – £110,000 | 15-35% |
| European Banks | BNP Paribas, SocGen, Nomura | 90-105% | £76,500 – £105,000 | 15-30% |
| Regional/Tier 2 | Jefferies, Piper Sandler | 85-100% | £72,250 – £100,000 | 10-25% |
⚡ Trade Support Market Drivers 2025
- Regulatory Complexity: T+1 settlement reducing timeline pressures
- System Modernization: Legacy system upgrades creating project roles
- Automation Impact: Straight-through processing reducing routine roles
- Risk Focus: Operational risk management becoming critical
- Data Quality: BCBS 239 compliance driving data specialists
Essential Skills and Salary Impact
| Skill Category | Specific Skills | Salary Premium | Market Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Knowledge | Derivatives, FX, Fixed Income | +10-20% | Essential |
| Systems Expertise | Murex, Calypso, Summit, Kondor+ | +15-25% | Critical |
| Programming | SQL, Python, VBA | +15-20% | Growing |
| Regulatory Knowledge | EMIR, MiFID II, BCBS 239 | +10-15% | Important |
| Data Management | Trade reporting, reconciliation | +10-15% | High |
Total Compensation Analysis
| Level | Base Salary (Mid) | Typical Bonus % | Total Cash | Benefits Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst/Associate | £50,000 | 10-25% | £55,000 – £62,500 | £5,000-8,000 |
| AVP | £70,000 | 15-30% | £80,500 – £91,000 | £7,000-10,000 |
| VP | £92,500 | 20-40% | £111,000 – £129,500 | £10,000-15,000 |
| Director/MD | £140,000 | 25-50% | £175,000 – £210,000 | £15,000-20,000 |
Career Progression Path
| Years | Typical Role | Key Responsibilities | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | Graduate/Junior Analyst | Trade verification, basic settlements | £35,000 – £45,000 |
| 2-5 | Trade Support Analyst | Complex trade support, system queries | £45,000 – £60,000 |
| 5-8 | Senior Analyst/AVP | Team coordination, process improvement | £60,000 – £75,000 |
| 8-12 | VP/Team Lead | Team management, stakeholder liaison | £75,000 – £100,000 |
| 12+ | Director/Head | Strategic planning, vendor management | £100,000+ |
Geographic Salary Variations
| Location | Adjustment Factor | Example (£70k London) | Market Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (City/Canary Wharf) | 100% | £70,000 | Very High |
| Edinburgh | -15 to -20% | £56,000 – £59,500 | High |
| Birmingham | -20 to -25% | £52,500 – £56,000 | Moderate |
| Manchester | -18 to -23% | £53,900 – £57,400 | Moderate |
| Offshore (India/Poland) | -60 to -75% | £17,500 – £28,000 | Growing rapidly |
Technology Impact on Operations
| Technology Trend | Impact on Roles | Skill Requirements | Salary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automation/RPA | Reduces routine processing | Process design, exception handling | +10-15% for specialists |
| Cloud Migration | System transformation projects | Cloud platforms, data migration | +15-20% for experts |
| AI/ML Integration | Intelligent exception handling | Data science, algorithm design | +20-30% for specialists |
| Blockchain/DLT | Settlement transformation | Distributed ledger knowledge | +25-35% for pioneers |
Contract Market Analysis
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Contract rates for trade support professionals:
- System Implementation: £500-800/day for VP level
- Regulatory Projects: £400-650/day
- Data Migration: £350-550/day
- BAU Coverage: £300-450/day
- Crisis Resolution: £600-1,000/day (premium rates)
Future Career Paths
- Middle Office Risk: Natural progression to market/credit risk
- Technology Teams: Business analyst, project management roles
- Product Control: P&L attribution and valuation
- Compliance: Trade surveillance and regulatory reporting
- Client Services: Prime brokerage and institutional services
- Vendor Management: Fintech and service provider relationships
Data reflects January 2025 market conditions. Automation trends may impact future compensation levels.
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