GTS Operations & Client Delivery > Analyst

Roles of an Analyst

To give you a better understanding of what you can expect if you join Global Transaction Services, we asked for some input from our Analysts. Here they describe the some of the roles they have undertaken throughout the Program.

Roles an Analyst may undertake:

Operations
This is what makes the transactions services business ‘tick’ behind the scenes. In this team you will be a core part of our infrastructure and ensure we have the processes in place to deliver on the deals we make. You will learn how to effectively support a complex product in a high-volume production environment. Working in Operations helps develop your project management, process management and analytical skills.

Client Delivery
This is where the deals won by the Sales and Client Coverage team move into action. From the minute a deal is won, the Client Delivery teams take over, managing the implementation and day-to-day processing. Working in Client Delivery, you will see how things work on the ground with the client. You will see how a solution is implemented with the client, how we work with clients on the application of solutions and how we advise clients on how to optimize their business practices. In addition, you will interface with our internal Product and Sales teams to help facilitate client solutions.

Product Management
Manage and develop the products that GTS sells to our clients across the three product areas of Cash Management, Trade Services and Finance and Securities and Fund Services. You will develop detailed knowledge of the products and work on projects to analyze business opportunities and associated financial impact. For example: analyze revenue streams and the wallet-size of a particular market to aid in the implementation of new products.

Sales and Client Coverage
This is your chance to get first hand experience of working with Citi's clients. You will learn to understand a client's needs and work across the businesses in GTS to structure solutions to meet their requirements. You need the ability to build strong, long-term relationships with clients and develop your understanding of the market your client is operating in.

Examples of what their areas do:

Cash Management
Example:
A corporate customer operating globally faces numerous financial challenges. Citi can offer these companies a solution that will help them optimize their working capital. For example, our payments products will help them manage how they pay employees, vendors and account holders. Our liquidity products will help them to invest any surplus cash. And our technology platform, including CitiDirect® Online Banking and TreasuryVision®, provides visibility and equips them with a powerful interface to monitor their cash accounts and execute transactions.

We provide cash management and processing services to governments and public sector entities including the delivery of pension and welfare payments to beneficiaries around the world. Citi efficiently handles the execution of these payments globally.

Trade Services and Finance
Example:
International trade is the cross-border movement of goods and services that develop from a business transaction between a buyer in one country and a seller in another country. Facilitating cross-border trade has always been one of the most important and traditional roles of the bank - and today, more than ever trends demonstrate that this role has taken on even greater significance:

Global Trade has quadrupled in the past 20 years, and doubled in the past 10 years.
9 out of 10 mid-size and large global companies state that they now do business in China.
Companies are most concerned about the longer and more unpredictable lead times of going global - and these lead times are making them less responsive to market demands.
The second biggest worry is unanticipated supply chain costs, which are often caused by documentation errors and logistics "hiccups." Supply chain management costs represent more than 10% of cost of sales. Citi plays a role in all of this as we help bring together buyers and sellers to supply needed goods and services across cities, states, countries, and continents. With the decline of the traditional documentary methods of trade such as letters of credit, clients increasingly call upon us to add value by managing and reporting on information flows, by assessing and mitigating risk, and by providing new forms of financing.

We come to our customers with extensive knowledge of trade flows, legal and regulatory requirements, and country specific information. Trade Services and Finance offers the broad range of solutions that meet our global trade customers' needs – all delivered by our global team of trade experts and an array of products that help importers and exporters conduct, monitor, and control international commercial transactions as well as mitigate their associated risks.

Securities and Fund Services
Example:
Investment companies manage mutual funds, trust investments, separately managed accounts and pooled institutional assets. Investment companies manage these assets in a series of portfolios, but execute trades simultaneously. We offer clients like these a suite of Asset Manager Solutions that automate or outsource all or some of their operations, which enable the company to focus on their core competency (managing money). Through our Asset Manager Solutions we are able to partner with our clients to improve efficiency, meet regulatory requirements and provide access to new markets.

A client of Citi (i.e. corporation, investment manager, government agency etc.) is a participant in several financial markets around the world. This client needs to buy and sell securities, collect income (i.e. dividends and interest payments) and respond to corporate actions for the securities they own. Citi has clearinghouse memberships with all major financial institutions around the world and a host of developing markets. Citi also has the largest network of banks or agent banks with locations in 110 countries. This elaborate infrastructure allows our clients to perform securities transactions around the world from one location or multiple places if needed.

Our Programs

Global Transaction Services North American Client Delivery and Operations has one program you can apply for:

Full time Program

The Global Transaction Services Operations and Client Delivery Analyst Program commences in July and spans three years. The program is designed to focus on the development of personal and business skills, a well as product knowledge in order to full prepare an analyst for a career in Global Transaction Services.

The analyst will be directly hired into an Operations or Client Delivery role, and will be exposed to functional responsibilities, projects, and assignments.

There will be four training sessions held over the course of the program: in New York, Delaware, Buffalo, and Tampa. Each session is designed to introduce product and professional skills concepts, as well as networking opportunities with senior management and other analysts. Formal mentors also assigned to incoming analysts as well.

As part of ongoing development, Analysts will rotate for approximately one month through a product or product sales division, appropriate to the business line in which they are placed.

At the end of the second year, successful analysts will have the opportunity to apply for another position within a different product line, or to remain in their current division with an expanded role and increased responsibilities.

Who we are looking for

We asked our GTS recruiters to describe what makes a strong candidate and what specific skills they are looking for.

We are seeking candidates who are highly motivated and have superior academic achievement in a wide variety of disciplines. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. In order to succeed, you will need to use your business awareness, analytical and relationship building skills and be self–motivated, pro-active and independent. You will thrive on change, have a capacity for incorporating ever-broader areas of knowledge and enjoy networking.

Some of the key attributes of a qualified candidate are:

• Innovative thinking
• High level of productivity and personal initiative
• Ability to work on projects independently and within a group
• Strong interpersonal skills
• High organizational skills and ability to think ahead
• Effective written and oral communication skills; strong analytical skills
• Must be able to work effectively in a team environment under changing business conditions
• Leadership potential

Recruitment Process

Full Time Analyst

Markets & Banking begins the formal full-time recruiting process in early September in the form of an on-campus presentation. All students are invited to attend this event to learn more about the culture, the business and the people at Citi.

Following that, job descriptions are posted through university career centers. After all resumes have been collected, a closed, targeted list of first round interview candidates is compiled.

First round interviews take place on-campus in mid to late September and successful interviewees are invited directly to final round interviews (Super Days) in October. Citi on-campus interviews are typically 30 minutes; Super Days typically consist of three, 30-minute interviews. Offers are extended as soon as possible after the Super Day concludes.


The following summarizes the stages of the Analyst recruitment process:

Stage 1: Application is reviewed by Graduate Recruitment and the Business

Stage 2: First round on-campus interview. 
               One, 30-minute interview

Stage 3: Final round interviews (Super Day) 
               Three, 30 minute interviews

Stage 4: Offer extended by Graduate Recruitment team

Please note: Final round interviews (Super Days) take place in the office where the position is located (i.e. if applicant is interviewing for a position in Delaware, the final round interviews will take place in the Delaware office).

Where

Opportunities available across North America including:

• New York
• Chicago
• Los Angeles
• Delaware
• Buffalo
• Tampa

Our People

Michele Pitts BS University of Connecticut Vice President/ Business Unit Manager

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

Take in as much as possible, ask questions and most importantly build your network. The important thing is to get engaged, offer your fresh perspective and add input to the processes. We want to find talent that can question the processes, offer solutions and bring about change. It is not only having the technical knowledge, it is about having the drive and the willingness to do it.

Describe the most memorable experience you've ever had at Citi.

I participated in the Woman’s Council Developing Talent Program – a program for 30 Vice President woman a year that takes them on a 6 month journey on various leadership training, personal and professional training skills. The best part was to participate in a project to refine another business process for which you knew nothing about – you were really stretched and taken out of your comfort zone. This allowed me to rely on the fundamentals of analyzing, observing and questioning where I did not have the subject matter expertise. At the conclusion of the program the projects were presented to senior managers in NY – the best part was meeting up with our Senior Sponsor 6 months later and saying they were actually utilizing the model we recommended in our project.

What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?

I love the fact that everyday brings new challenges and never see the same thing day in and day out. Also the fact that we have such a global reach allows us to interact with so many individuals across the globe and to see that coming together for our end clients is very exciting.

What other groups do you liaise with regularly within the Firm?

I interact with individuals all over the globe. I have extensive dealings with various partners such as operations, product, technology – I think it is important to realize we are all working for the common goal and that we have to do it together. It is so much easier to accomplish your objectives when you have built your network and know who to reach out to and maintain that working relationship with them.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Given that I manage a number of projects, I have to say my organizational skills, abilitiy to prioritize and project management skills. I think these 3 are paramount to ensuring that I delivered what I need to deliver. Also the ability to look at the bigger picture and provide solutions to issues.

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

I actually participate in the mentoring program through the Diversity University – it is nice to work with someone that is taking charge of their career and interested in taking it to the next level and needs advise from a more senior member of the organization. I am paired with someone from a different business so it offers both of us the ability to expand our network and to get exposed to other people and ideas.

Daniel Whiting BA, Colby College Department Manager

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

Start your experience from the outset by approaching your job with a positive attitude at all times. Focus on what you can learn and how you can develop yourself and don’t fall prey to the negativity that can sometimes be present in a work environment. Become the person that people want to go to because you’re always willing to take the extra step and help someone even if it’s not your job.

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

I have had an amazing experience working with, for, and on behalf of wonderful people throughout my career. I have developed many skills such as organization, communication, goal setting, etc that have made me a well rounded individual both professionally and personally. I have learned that hard work, honesty, and integrity count for a lot in any professional work environment.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

As one of the largest financially capitalized companies in the world, Citi has unbelievable credibility and name recognition in the market place. Also, Citi is so large that we are in almost every financial service market segment that exists. It is always easier to upsell existing clients with additional products, so we also have a competitive advantage with this regard.

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

My direct reports are all subject matter experts in their areas of expertise and are go to people for the clients we support as well as the rest of the organization. Above all else, they take ownership of the client experience and provide ultimate accountability of issues they receive. My direct manager is an extremely supportive and empathetic person. She allows me substantial latitude to run my team.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Good communication and follow up skills are very important in both the client facing and operational management roles I have been in. It is imperative to be able to clearly articulate your thoughts to clients, staff, and management. Without this ability, you will never instill a confidence in your ability to handle situations no matter how competent you are. You will need to be able to vary your communication style based on your audience and what you are trying to accomplish. Above all else, it is ALWAYS best to be honest and open (to the extent possible) with everyone that you deal with. Open and honest communication builds trust with all of those around you.

How do you see the your business group/the Firm/the industry changing in the future?

I see Citi becoming a substantial player in my specific area of the firm (mutual fund servicing) through both acquisition and organic growth. I believe that as regulatory oversight becomes increasingly strict, only a few of the top firms with substantial financial capital will be able to keep pace with requirements. For this reason, I believe that Citi will gain substantial market share of this business in the next 5 years.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I enjoy spending time with my wife and three young children (ages 6, 4, and 2). Additionally, I have been working for the last couple of years finishing a vacation home that is on a small pond in the western mountains of Maine. I find that working on this manual labor project is very cathartic and gives me a lot of time to spend thinking and reflecting.