Fundamental Banking Operations
Information
This is a One-Day programme. In this day and age of high value/high volume business, it is essential that operations personnel have a clear understanding of their responsibilities, and in particular knowledge of what should happen to ensure that tasks are executed in a safe and secure manner, and within the relevant deadlines. As firms grow, the opportunity to convey such fundamental aspects seems to diminish, leaving recent/novice joiners with little context for their responsibilities; this lack of understanding can result in processing risks for the firm.
This course is targeted at a novice operations audience, providing an introduction to topics that are applicable across all financial product processing (including derivatives, securities, FX, money-markets, commodities).
The course contains vital concepts that all operations personnel should be aware of, such as how payments in overseas currencies are made, what needs to be issued in order to effect a payment, the deadlines applicable to numerous essential tasks, the many processing risks and the controls designed to mitigate such risks.
Objectives
The Fundamental Banking Operations training course is designed to provide grounding in the primary aspects of firm-wide operations processing, including a focus on basic processing risks and controls.
Following the course, each delegate will be equipped to apply all concepts to whichever specific operations area they subsequently join.
The objectives of the course are to:
- Highlight banking principles applicable across all banking operations areas
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Identify common and specific risks in processing various financial products
- Understand how & when controls are applied to mitigate internal & external risks
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Emphasise the importance of client service & where client service opportunities arise within an operations environment
- Examine the costs of errors, and how trading & operational errors arise
Each topic (see Schedule) will be expanded and explained to the delegates in a structured manner (via linked building blocks), developing their knowledge through diagrams, ‘live’ drawings and on-the-spot explanations.
Active participation of the delegates will be encouraged, and exercises will be introduced at frequent and appropriate points.
Schedule
Fundamental Banking Principles
Session 1: Introduction: Roles & Responsibilities of Operations
- Responsibilities of All Operations Areas
- Responsibilities of Operations versus FO & MO
- Typical Operations Structure
- Impact of Operations on a Firm’s P&L
Session 2: Bank Accounts
- Types of Bank Account
- Characteristics
Session 3: Bank Interest Calculation
- Day Counts
- Divisor Conventions
Session 4: Unsecured & Secured Cash Borrowing/Lending
- Purpose
- Characteristics
- Risks
- Similarities & Differences
Session 5: Concepts of Collateral
- Purpose
- Types
- Ownership
- Implications of Value Changes
- Margin Calls
Session 6: ISO Currency Codes
- Specific Codes
- Commonality of Use
Session 7: Cash Management Overseas
- Cash Correspondents
- Effecting Cash Movement
- Deadlines
- Time-Zone Differences
Session 8: Standing Settlement Instructions
- Purpose
- Importance
- Origin
- Storage
Session 9: Settlement Instructions
- Purpose
- Content
- Transmission Methods
- Security
Session 10: S.W.I.F.T.
- Purpose
- Participation
- Message Security & Format
- Product Coverage
Session 11: Basic Bookkeeping Principles
- Importance of Accurate Books & Records
- Double-Entry Bookkeeping
Session 12: Late Cash Payment/Receipt
- Impact
- Causes
- Rectifying Measures
Session 13: Interest Claims
- Identifying Claimable Situations
- Valid & Invalid Claim Situations
Financial Products Processing
For each product, explaining the client’s objective, the essential nature of the product, with primary focus on the processing lifecycle, utilizing the principles described within the Fundamental Banking Principles section.
Session 14: Payments (Money Transfer)
Session 15: Foreign Exchange
Session 16: Securities
Session 17: Money Markets
Session 18: Derivatives
The above sections will incorporate the following risks & controls
Primary External Risks
- Acting within Deadlines
- Impact of Missing Deadlines
- Time-Zone Differences
- Free of Payment Settlement
- Servicing of Clients & Operations
- Settlement Risk
Primary External Controls
- Delivery versus Payment
- Payment versus Payment
- S.W.I.F.T.
- Settlement Netting via Central Counterparty
Primary Internal Risks
For example:
- Traders having Access to Operations System
- Input of Incorrect Interest Rates
- Delayed Capture of New Security Details
- Accepting Changed SSI without Verifying Origin
Primary Internal Controls
- Four-Eyes Processing
- Verification/Reconciliation
- Segregation of Duties
- Culture
Course close
Register interest
As every course we run is tailored to meet the specific needs of each client, we can only provide an estimate after fully understanding your specific requirements. Please complete the form below of call +44 (0) 208 894 4977 to discuss how Taylor Associates can help you.