|
Video Introduction:
Major: Finance
Job Title: Money Market Fund Operations Analyst
Company: Fidelity Investments
Company Description: Strengthen the financial well-being of our clients and to provide investment strategy and support across our product offerings.
Did you have any initial career goals when you entered Isenberg? Were there any key moments or influences (a guest speaker, course, or extracurricular) during your time at Isenberg that changed or confirmed your career goals?
My career goals were very broad when I entered Isenberg. I was open to any career path, and I feel so lucky that I had various opportunities to find my interests through classroom learning and participating in clubs. During my 4 years at Isenberg, I was heavily involved as a member of the Women of Isenberg Conference Planning committee. My senior year, I served as the Vice President of Operations, Event Management, and Technology. That experience really solidified my desire to be in a role at a firm where I could have endless access to networking and many other opportunities for career growth and exploration. Meeting women who were so motivated and continuously growing in their careers showed me that anything is possible.
Can you share a favorite work assignment that could help a student understand more about what you do?
I was a member of the Fidelity YOU rotational cohort, a 2-year post-graduate Operations program. I had the opportunity to present a 4-month long Action Learning Project on Metadata Management, pertaining to approximately 200 User Designed Applications (UDAs) across Fidelity. I was selected to be a Team lead for this project and was responsible for setting up meetings and continuous follow-ups with our UDA owners and stakeholders. I led all biweekly meetings and was responsible for creating the final formal presentation. My team was able to derive measurable results in the form of a UDA Dashboard, displaying several detrimental factors of active UDAs such as function, run-time, and potential risks. We displayed these analytics by creating graphs and pie charts using multiple data visualization tools. I was able to gain sufficient team and task management skills through balancing multiple priorities, schedules, and deadlines of all team members. It also increased my confidence in a formal presentation setting among senior leaders and executives.
Now that you’re in this position, what aspects have surprised you that you didn’t anticipate before starting?
I now describe myself as highly analytical, which I think in college was not one of my strongest skillsets. After learning about the ins and outs of Fund Accounting, I am more confident in my ability to take the big picture approach when it comes to daily processing.
What inspires you about the work you are doing in your industry?
One thing that surprises me about my role and helps me fulfill my passion, is working with interns and new hires. I am able to network with people globally and help connect them to roles and opportunities that interest them. I thrive off of making connections and creating strong relationships is something that truly inspires me.
What are some daily challenges you experience in your role?
To highlight one specific scenario where my team could encounter daily challenges, is our End of Night processing for Money Market funds. The process starts at around 4:00pm and consists of a zoom call of around 20 associates from various teams including Pricing, Money Markets, Retail, Fidelity Institutional Canada, etc. The end goal of this process is delivering accurate and timely prices, Mil rates, and NAVs to various platforms such as NASDAQ. With 20 people on one zoom call, serious focus is required as people are saying specific call outs triggering next steps for other teams. If one piece of the chain is missed or delayed, it could affect the processing of another team and the reputation of Fidelity overall. This has taught me why independent recognition and escalation of issues is so important and has helped me understand the implications of my work and how it relates to other teams within Fidelity as well as outside institutions.
Is there anything you wish you had done differently while a student at Isenberg?
I wish I had utilized the Chase Career Center more! Isenberg has so many connections with well-known and developing companies, and you never know who may be visiting!
Networking is extremely important but can be intimidating to undergraduates. What tips do you have for getting started engaging with alum or upperclassmen?
I would say if someone were intimated by networking, the easiest way to start is to find someone you trust that you work with in your day-to-day. Whether it’s in the classroom or through a club, someone always has a connection. If one of your friends graduated and works at a company that you’re interested in but perhaps not in a role aligned with you, ask them if they know anyone and see if they can bridge the gap and make the introduction. Then you and your new connection have a mutual ground to connect off of!
