Business Analyst (Charles River IMS)

Title: CRD BA - Data Support Location: Hybrid (London) Duration: Long-term Contract Overview We are seeking an experienced Charles River Development (CRD) Business Analyst to support our Front Office users across Portfolio Management, Trading, and Investment Operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the investment management lifecycle, hands-on experience with Charles River Investment Management System (CRIMS), and the ability to bridge the gap between business requirements and technology solutions. Key Responsibilities • Serve as the primary liaison between Front Office users (Portfolio Managers, Traders, Compliance, Risk) and the technology teams supporting the Charles River platform. • Gather, document, and analyze business requirements related to portfolio management, order management, compliance, and trading workflows. • Support day-to-day CRD production activities, including issue triage, system monitoring, and escalation to vendors or internal support teams as needed. • Partner with Portfolio Managers and Traders to enhance workflows, optimize system usage, and ensure data integrity across positions, orders, and executions. • Participate in system upgrades, configuration changes, and testing (UAT, regression, and integration testing). • Maintain and enhance compliance rules, workflows, and user configurations within CRD. • Collaborate with data management and middle/back office teams to ensure consistency in reference data, market data, and trade processing. • Work closely with the Charles River vendor on defect management, enhancements, and patch implementations. • Develop and maintain documentation, including process maps, configuration details, and support procedures. • Provide training and support to end-users to increase adoption and efficiency. Qualifications & Skills • Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Computer Science, or related field. • 5+ years of experience as a Business Analyst in the asset management or investment banking domain, with at least 3 years of hands-on CRD (Charles River IMS) experience. • Strong understanding of Front Office workflows, including portfolio management, order generation, trade execution, and compliance monitoring. • Experience supporting or integrating with OMS, EMS, FIX connectivity, and market data systems. • Knowledge of financial instruments (equities, fixed income, derivatives, FX) and portfolio analytics. • Familiarity with SQL for data analysis and troubleshooting. • Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills. • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with strong attention to detail. Preferred Qualifications • Experience with Charles River versions 19R3 or higher. • Exposure to integration with Bloomberg, Aladdin, or other OMS/EMS platforms. • Working knowledge of Python, Power BI, or automation tools for reporting and workflow optimization. • Prior experience in investment management IT support or Front Office technology.