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Role Mandate

The Head of Product Development & Strategy is accountable for product strategy, pipeline management, product engineering, and commercialization across BMO Global Asset Management's U.S. ETF and SMA platform, with particular responsibility for derivatives-based and systematic investment solutions.

This individual will serve as the lead architect of the derivatives-based ETF platform, translating sophisticated investment concepts into scalable products that address investor needs and support the firm’s growth objectives. The role requires deep expertise in derivatives, structured investment solutions, portfolio construction, and ETF product design, combined with strong commercial judgment and disciplined execution.

Working across Investments, Sales, Marketing, Legal, Compliance, Operations, Risk Management, and external service providers, this leader will set product priorities and drive initiatives from concept and approval through launch, commercialization, and ongoing lifecycle management.

As a member of BMO Global Asset Management’s U.S. leadership team, this individual will play a central role in building a differentiated and commercially successful ETF franchise.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy, Pipeline & Lifecycle Management

• Own and be accountable for ETF product development, including building and maintaining the product pipeline and leading end-to-end launch execution.
• Set the long-term product strategy and roadmap for BMO's U.S. ETF and SMA platform.
• Establish clear priorities across the product pipeline based on client demand, market opportunity, strategic fit, investment merit, operational feasibility, resource requirements, and expected commercial returns.
• Maintain a comprehensive view of ETF industry trends, competitor activity, product flows, pricing, distribution dynamics, and evolving investor needs to inform strategy and pipeline priorities.
• Prepare business cases, revenue forecasts, and strategic recommendations for new product opportunities.
• Define product economics and success criteria, including pricing, revenue expectations, asset-gathering objectives, launch costs, and assessment against the approved business case.
• Lead ongoing product reviews and recommend enhancements, repositioning, pricing changes, mergers, or closures based on investment performance, client adoption, commercial results, and strategic relevance.
• Establish and maintain product governance, approval, and lifecycle-management processes.

Derivatives Strategy & Product Engineering

• Serve as the firm's subject matter expert for derivatives-based, systematic, and outcome-oriented investment strategies.
• Partner closely with Portfolio Management to identify, design, and evaluate innovative ETF and SMA strategies using options and other derivative instruments.
• Assess investment solutions through back-testing, stress testing, scenario analysis, exotic option pricing, and strategy evaluation.
• Analyze payoff structures, volatility assumptions, investor outcomes, implementation considerations, and operational feasibility.
• Evaluate the risk profile, scalability, and commercial attractiveness of proposed solutions.
• Challenge investment assumptions and identify potential investment, operational, and execution risks before launch.
• Maintain expertise in derivatives markets, structured products, portfolio construction methodologies, and ETF innovation.

Commercialization & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Coordinate product development across Investments, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Legal, Compliance, Risk Management, and external service providers.
• Serve as the primary product lead with external platform and service providers, ensuring that requirements, timelines, operating responsibilities, and deliverables are clearly defined and effectively coordinated.
• Partner with Distribution to align product priorities with client demand, channel needs, and market opportunities.
• Support product positioning, advisor education, and key client, consultant, and platform discussions.
• Present product recommendations, business cases, and launch-readiness updates to executive leadership and governance committees.
• Build the product development capability as the U.S. platform expands, establishing clear roles, operating disciplines, and standards of execution.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in product strategy, ETF or ETN product development, derivatives strategy, structured products, investment structuring, portfolio construction, or related disciplines.
• Deep expertise in derivatives, options, volatility products, structured outcomes, and systematic investment strategies.
• Demonstrated experience designing, evaluating, structuring, and launching derivatives-based investment products.
• Strong understanding of complex options strategies, including exotic options, volatility dynamics, portfolio construction, and risk management.
• Experience conducting back-testing, stress testing, scenario analysis, exotic option pricing, and investment strategy evaluation.
• Strong understanding of ETF structures, capital markets, asset management, product economics, and advisor distribution channels.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex investment concepts into commercially successful products.
• Proven ability to lead complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, external providers, and competing priorities.
• Experience working across Investments, Sales, Marketing, Legal, Compliance, Operations, and Risk Management functions.
• Experience in ETF product development, equity derivatives structuring, quantitative investment strategies (QIS), structured products, quantitative strategy, portfolio engineering, or related capital markets functions is highly desirable.
• Candidates from sell-side structured products, equity derivatives, QIS, exotic options, quantitative structuring, and related capital markets businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Computer Science, Quantitative Finance, Economics, or a related discipline preferred.
• MBA, CFA, CAIA, FRM, CQF, MFE, or a similar advanced quantitative designation preferred.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills with experience evaluating complex investment strategies and derivatives-based solutions.

Salary:

Pay Type:

The above represents BMO Financial Group’s pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group’s expected target for the first year in this position.

BMO Financial Group’s total compensation package will vary based on the pay type of the position and may include performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards. BMO also offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. To view more details of our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact.  We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers.  We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at http://jobs.bmo.com/us/en

BMO is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other legally protected characteristics. We also consider applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

BMO is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.