Operational Infrastructure for Scalable Broker-Dealers

We map, measure, and redesign operational workflows to eliminate manual touchpoints and drive straight-through processing. From trade operations and client onboarding to corporate actions and reconciliation, we identify where your firm is burning hours on processes that should flow automatically. Every redesign is documented with scalable SOPs, exception handling procedures, and clear escalation paths — so the improvement sticks after we leave.

T+1 settlement compressed every post-trade window. Firms that haven't rebuilt their operational workflows around same-day allocations, confirmations, and affirmations by 7:00 PM, 9:00 PM, and end-of-day cutoffs are absorbing avoidable settlement risk. We design operations that meet SEC Rule 15c6-2 requirements without adding headcount.

FINRA Regulatory Notice 21-29 outlines a four-phase vendor oversight framework: the decision to outsource, due diligence on prospective vendors, onboarding with proper contractual controls, and ongoing supervision. Most firms we encounter have gaps in at least two of those phases. We build the full lifecycle — financial stability assessments, cybersecurity posture reviews, SLA structures with enforcement mechanisms, right-to-audit provisions, and sub-vendor (fourth-party) risk evaluation.

FINRA's CORE program now delivers thousands of cyber vulnerability notifications about vendors directly to member firms. We help you build the intake process to receive, triage, and act on CORE intelligence — and integrate it into your existing vendor risk management program so nothing falls through the cracks.

Outsourcing can cut operational costs by 40–60%, but only if the transition is managed properly and the ongoing oversight model is built before day one. We design outsourcing strategies that distinguish between business activities you can outsource and regulatory obligations you cannot — a critical distinction under FINRA guidance. Then we manage the transition: vendor selection, contract negotiation, parallel run planning, knowledge transfer, and cutover.

Whether you're evaluating BPO providers like Broadridge, Wipro, or Infosys for back-office processing, or considering nearshore operations for middle-office functions, we bring vendor-agnostic advisory that protects your firm's interests. Post-transition, we build the supervisory framework to ensure you're meeting your ongoing oversight obligations — because outsourcing the work doesn't outsource the responsibility.

Large-scale operational transformations fail without governance. We stand up program management offices with defined decision rights, RACI matrices, milestone tracking, dependency management, and executive reporting. Whether you're migrating clearing platforms, implementing a new OMS, integrating an acquisition, or rolling out a firm-wide compliance program — we provide the structural discipline that keeps complex programs on track and on budget.

93% of PMOs cite lack of executive support as their primary challenge. We solve that by building governance frameworks that give leadership the right information at the right cadence — so they can make decisions instead of sitting through status updates.

FINRA Rule 4370 requires every broker-dealer to create and maintain a business continuity plan. But a BCP that sits in a binder doesn't protect your firm when systems go down. We build continuity programs that are tested, updated, and operational — covering critical business functions, alternative communication protocols, data backup and recovery, customer access to funds, and regulatory reporting during disruptions.

With Reg S-P's updated cybersecurity incident response requirements (smaller firm compliance deadline: June 2026), operational resilience now extends well beyond traditional BCP. We design incident response playbooks, vendor contingency plans, and crisis communication protocols that satisfy both FINRA and SEC expectations.

New processes and systems only work if your people adopt them. We build change management programs with stakeholder mapping, impact assessments, communication plans, training curricula, and adoption tracking. Every operational improvement we deliver includes documented SOPs, role-based training materials, and KPI dashboards so your team can measure performance and sustain the improvements independently.

Back-office turnover in financial services exceeds 30% annually. We design operations that are resilient to turnover — with documented procedures, cross-training programs, and knowledge management systems that prevent institutional knowledge from walking out the door.