Role description

With the rapid development of the regional work of the association, ICMA is seeking an Associate-level candidate in its Asia-Pacific team to support market practice and regulatory policy initiatives as well as marketing, events and communication in the region. This is a permanent, full-time role.

The candidate will work from ICMA’s Asia-Pacific Representative Office in Hong Kong with a team of three ICMA staff. The Hong Kong Representative Office covers all ICMA’s global functions, including regulatory and market practice work, research and advocacy, events and education, and media relations. The office is highly dynamic, in line with the growth in regional markets and regional membership, and enjoys a relatively high level of autonomy in alignment with ICMA’s global strategy.

More broadly, ICMA as an association enjoys high-level contact with the leading private-sector practitioners and public sector policymakers in the region and across the world. The candidate will have the opportunity to develop relationships with the wide network of ICMA members and stakeholders, through committees, events, educational courses, and research initiatives.

The candidate will work on a diverse portfolio of long-term and medium-term projects, as well as ad hoc tasks as required by ICMA members and stakeholders. Due to the nature of ICMA’s work in Asia, it will be essential that the candidate be able to prioritise tasks, manage time effectively, and operate with self-sufficiency. Professionals accustomed to a more institutional and structured working environment may consider that the representative office, established in 2013, is relatively new and does not have the same level of local administrative and analytical support of larger financial firms.

The selected candidate will have relevant experience in international capital markets, and will be expected to undertake a diverse range of different tasks relating to ICMA’s core areas of primary markets, secondary markets, fintech, repo and collateral, and sustainable finance (green and social bonds).

The role will be to:

• Monitor, evaluate, and effectively communicate new international, European, or national guidelines, rules and regulations, and fintech solutions, especially with respect to their implications for Asia-Pacific;
• Help manage specific projects related to debt capital market development in Asia, such as guides to best practice in repo and infrastructure;
• Help develop relationships with national, and international financial and regulatory authorities, especially with respect to debt capital markets;
• Help manage the Secretariat of the Asia Bond Syndicate Forum and Asia Legal & Documentation Forum; prepare meeting and conference call materials, relevant presentations and research; participate in meetings and calls, provide coordination and prepare minutes;
• Research and draft articles on market practice and regulatory matters in particular for the ICMA Quarterly Report and ICMA website;
• Participate in events and teleconferences with ICMA members and other market participants;
• Assist to prepare presentations and reports;
• Translate documents between English and Chinese; and
• Cooperate with other industry bodies as necessary.

Required qualifications

The successful candidate must:

• Be native (or equivalent level) English speaker and fluent in written and spoken Mandarin Chinese;
• Have practical knowledge of how international capital markets work and how they are regulated; and
• Be flexible in terms of the role, and in particular to have a willingness to take on tasks at different levels depending on the needs of local and international colleagues.

Preferred qualifications

For this role, ICMA would prefer a candidate with the following qualifications:

• Graduate degree in law, business, or finance;
• At least two years of experience in the financial industry;
• Direct experience working on transactions in the international bond markets, on behalf of underwriters, traders, issuers, investors, and/or legal counsel.

To Apply 

This position is based in Hong Kong and a work permit would be required (for non-permanent residents). ICMA offers competitive remuneration package and comprehensive fringe benefits to the right candidate.

To apply, please send us your CV and cover letter to Mr. Zhang by clicking "Apply Now".

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