Project Manager

About Akuna:

Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm with a strong focus on collaboration, cutting-edge technology, data driven solutions, and automation. We specialize in providing liquidity as an options market maker – meaning we are committed to providing competitive quotes that we are willing to both buy and sell. To do this successfully, we design and implement our own low latency technologies, trading strategies, and mathematical models.

Our Founding Partners first conceptualized Akuna in their hometown of Sydney. They opened the firm’s first office in 2011 in the heart of the derivatives industry and the options capital of the world – Chicago. Today, Akuna is proud to operate from additional offices in Sydney, Shanghai, London, and Singapore.

What you’ll do as a Project Manager at Akuna:

The Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing multiple projects at once, driving timelines, motivating our teams, and achieving project execution. This person will have no problem diving in headfirst and holding employees accountable to their commitments, responsibilities, and deadlines. A technical background, or the ability to communicate effectively with technical team members, will be imperative in understanding the mechanics of putting projects together. In this role, you will:

• Ask insightful and targeted questions to determine project scope, goals, timelines, resourcing needs, and deliverables
• Proactively identify potential risks and challenges ahead of time to keep projects on track and prevent unforeseen obstacles
• Make teams more efficient by streamlining workflows and enabling engineers to focus on execution
• Coordinate and schedule necessary project-level meetings and other activities to promote active and productive communication amongst project teams, stakeholders, and management
• Work with technology managers to automate and streamline existing processes and future initiatives
• Communicate and present project and program status to multiple departments, including senior executives and shareholders
• Facilitate and drive strategic goal-setting initiatives using OKRs
• Develop and enforce Akuna’s project procedures and rules on multiple projects
• Establish and maintain relationships with the Trading, Operations, and Engineering teams

Qualities that make great candidates:

• 4+ years of professional project or program management experience
• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or similar
• Familiarity with Jira is required; experience with other Atlassian tools like Confluence is a plus
• Background in software development, IT, and/or finance is a plus
• Familiarity with Agile development
• Experience establishing and tracking OKRs that drive performance, with the ability to coach teams on defining measurable outcomes
• Outstanding organizational skills, close attention to detail and the ability to multitask are must haves
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to set clear and realistic goals
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing business requirements, manage conflicting priorities, and respond well to a fast-paced work environment
• Experience creating and refining processes rather than just following them

In addition to technical skillsets, Akuna values the unique perspectives people can bring to the table to collaboratively solve complex problems and drive Akuna forward. We want everyone to feel empowered to apply. We welcome your application and encourage you to take the first steps toward your future with us!

In accordance with Illinois Equal Pay Act, the minimum base salary starts at $120,000. Exact compensation offered may vary based on many factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and skill set. This role is also eligible for a discretionary performance bonus as part of the total compensation package and includes a comprehensive benefits package that may encompass employer-paid medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other benefits. The minimum base salary herein was determined in good faith by Akuna Capital LLC.