VP of Product Development

The Tidal Financial Group is a leading ETF investment technology platform dedicated to creating, operating, and growing ETFs. We combine expertise and innovative partnership approaches to offer comprehensive, value-generating ETF solutions. 

Our platform offers best-in-class strategic guidance, product planning, trust and fund services, legal support, operations support, marketing and research, and sales and distribution services.

About the role

The Vice President of Product Development will play a critical role in driving Tidal’s ETF innovation by focusing on the quantitative, creative, and technical aspects of product creation. This individual will lead initiatives to backtest investment strategies, develop and enhance tooling for quantitative analysis, and build robust frameworks for risk assessment. They will also have the ability to independently conceive and champion new product ideas, with a strong appreciation for the retail market and a passion for ETFs.

What you'll do

Quantitative Strategy Development:

• Design, backtest, and refine ETF investment strategies using quantitative methodologies.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Legal, Compliance, Capital Markets, Trading)  to optimize strategies for performance and scalability.

Tooling and Technology Development:

• Develop and maintain proprietary tools for strategy simulation and performance analysis.
• Implement coding solutions to automate and streamline quantitative workflows.

Derivatives Expertise:

• Integrate options and other derivatives into product strategies and risk management frameworks.
• Build models to assess derivative-based strategies for ETFs, ensuring alignment with market opportunities and client objectives.

Risk Management Expertise:

• Utilize Value-at-Risk (VaR)-based frameworks to assess and manage product risks.
• Conduct scenario analysis and stress testing for ETF strategies to ensure robust risk mitigation.

Creative Product Innovation:

• Independently generate and propose innovative ETF product ideas tailored to evolving market trends and client needs.
• Demonstrate a deep appreciation for the retail investor market and its unique opportunities.
• Showcase a love for ETFs by continuously seeking ways to push boundaries in product design and delivery.

Market & Competitive Intelligence (40 Act / ETF Landscape):

• Monitor and identify emerging trends across the U.S. ’40 Act ETF landscape, including competitor launches, product structures, and market positioning, to proactively inform Tidal’s product roadmap and ideation pipeline.

Prospectus & ETF Regulatory Fluency:

• Draft and review prospectus language and ETF strategy disclosures, with a strong understanding of key ETF regulatory requirements (including 1940 Act and RIC considerations), to support efficient execution from concept to filing.

Collaboration and Leadership:

• Partner closely with Business Development and Client Success teams to ensure product development priorities are aligned with overall business objectives and growth initiatives.
• Mentor and guide junior team members, fostering a collaborative and innovative team environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative discipline such as Finance, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering; CFA or advanced degree (MBA, MS, or PhD) preferred.

• 10+ years of experience in financial product development, quantitative research, or a related field, with a focus on ETFs and derivatives.

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or C++ for financial modeling and tool development.

• Extensive experience with options, futures, and other derivatives, including modeling and strategy implementation.

• Strong understanding of risk management principles, including VaR and stress testing methodologies.

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex quantitative models into actionable investment strategies.

• Proven creativity and entrepreneurial spirit in developing new financial products.

• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

We are prioritizing candidates who are located within proximity to Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; New York City, NY; and West Palm Beach, FL.