Head of Algorithmic Trading Governance

About the Role

Alpiq believes that algorithmic trading and automation will play an increasingly important role in the future of energy trading. While traders remain fully accountable for commercial decisions, risk‑taking, and portfolio performance, algorithms are expected to become a core capability supporting execution, optimization, analysis, and decision‑making across the trading value chain.

The Head of Algorithmic Trading Governance is responsible for establishing, governing, and scaling Alpiq's algorithmic trading framework across Asset Trading, Merchant Trading, and Structured Energy Management activities.

The role does not manage a proprietary trading book. Instead, it acts as the business owner and governance lead for algorithmic trading initiatives, ensuring consistency, transparency, performance measurement, risk oversight, and adoption across all trading activities.

Initially focused on intraday and day‑ahead algorithmic initiatives supporting Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Renewable Energy Sources (RES), the mandate will progressively expand to additional portfolios, including hydro assets and future algorithmic trading applications across Alpiq's European trading activities.

The position sits within the Quantitative Analytics team and operates at the intersection of Trading, IT, Risk Management, Compliance, and Data & Analytics.

Establish and maintain Alpiq's governance framework for algorithmic trading across all trading value chains.

Develop standards, controls, validation processes, approval mechanisms, and documentation requirements for algorithm deployment.

Ensure clear accountability principles whereby traders remain responsible for trading decisions and portfolio outcomes while leveraging algorithmic tools.

Work closely with Risk and Compliance to develop robust controls around algorithm usage and automated execution activities.

Define model governance and review processes covering algorithm development, testing, approval, monitoring, modification, and retirement.

Create a consolidated overview of all existing algorithmic initiatives across Trading.

Assess and document desk‑level developments currently operating within Intraday, Day‑Ahead, BESS, RES, and other Gas Merchant trading activities for Long term.

Identify duplication, inconsistencies, and improvement opportunities.

Drive harmonization of algorithmic approaches across portfolios while preserving local optimization needs.

Support the extension of successful approaches to additional portfolios, including Hydro and future flexibility assets.

Develop a framework of KPIs and performance metrics for algorithm assessment.

Monitor algorithm effectiveness under different market environments and liquidity conditions.

Conduct regular performance reviews and recommend improvements, recalibration, suspension, or retirement of underperforming algorithms.

Capture and document lessons learned to support future strategy development and knowledge sharing.

Establish transparency on value creation and operational performance of algorithmic initiatives.

Lead the adoption of algorithmic trading capabilities across the Trading organization.

Develop training programs, best practices, user documentation, and onboarding materials.

Promote a culture where traders understand, monitor, challenge, and effectively utilize algorithmic trading solutions.

Build an algorithm‑enabled trading organization where algorithmic tools become part of every trader’s standard toolkit. The ambition is that within two years, all Alpiq traders are proficient in the use, supervision, and interpretation of algorithmic trading solutions, while retaining full accountability…