Project Management, Director London, England
Job description
About this role
About BlackRock
Elevate your career by joining the world's largest asset manager! Would you thrive in an environment that fosters positive relationships and recognizes outstanding performance? We know how important it is to feel valued every single day and be recognized for your contribution. At BlackRock, we strive to empower our employees and effectively engage your involvement in our success. With over $9 trillion of assets we have an outstanding responsibility: our technology and services empower millions of investors to save for retirement, pay for college, buy a home and improve their financial well-being.
BlackRock is the #1 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) provider globally with over $3 trillion in assets under management. With more than two decades of ETF innovation and expertise behind us, we serve investors of all sorts, all around the world. We offer clients a comprehensive range of products that provide transparent and cost-efficient access to a full range of asset classes and global markets.
Role Description and Responsibilities
ETF Platform Innovation and Change (EPIC) is a team within BlackRock's Technology & Operations division. We develop strategy and execute initiatives central to our indexing and firm-wide growth aspirations and priorities. In our day-to-day, the team brings together change professionals and domain specialists to deliver scale and innovation to some of BlackRock’s fastest-growing products.
This role sits in our recently formed Virtual ETF Services Team (VEST) which is responsible for building this middle-office function from the ground up. This role will be the EMEA lead and report directly to the head of VEST globally. VEST is responsible for helping insource and run ETF Servicing for the Mt. Sharp program. If you are the type of person who loves to be challenged and work outside your comfort-zone then this unique opportunity may be for you.
In this role, you will straddle both project/change management as well as the BAU. In the initial phase of the engagement, this position is instrumental in helping with the design and roll out of the Aladdin ETF Servicing Platform (ESP) serving as the new service hub for iShares. It’s expected that all VEST team members participate in project initiatives, give thought-leadership, recommend process improvements, conduct trainings, procedure maintenance, provide subject matter expertise, and perform user acceptance testing.
In the post-migration phase, you will be responsible for performing daily BAU workflow oversight, data exception monitoring, and inquiry management for specific VEST-owned tasks as part of the ETF order lifecycle. You can expect to deal with internal and external parties and partners across the ETF ecosystem. Your analytical abilities, problem solving skills and attention to detail will be crucial, while leadership skills and strong client service focus will contribute to your accomplishments in this assignment.
Responsibilities
Short-term Focus
Become highly familiar with BlackRock’s strategic ETF initiatives around middle and back-office servicing
Deepen understanding of the Irish iShares range, emphasis on Global Markets and Portfolio Manager operational responsibilities and workflows, as well as services provided by incumbent 3rd parties and their impacts on market participants
Contribute to target operating model design for EMEA support
Develop relationship with key 3rd party vendors and partners
Participate in platform testing, bug identification, and resolution
Prepare for operational readiness and the creation of an effective oversight layer of 3rd party providers
Identify, recruit, train, and develop EMEA VEST team
Medium-term
Implement core objectives of our ETF operating strategy (conversions, day 1 operations, exception management through burn in period)
Represent ETF Servicing in design and strategy sessions internally with stakeholder teams and externally with key partners and providers
Define and establish the complete/final suite of responsibilities, skills for team (product, technical). Confirm vision for the EMEA VEST employee profile
Long-term
Complete implementation of model (operational, interaction, oversight) along with partners in the firm
Establish EMEA VEST as a globally connected repository of ETF knowledge, function as the nexus for future operational and product requirements as the definitive BlackRock SME on ETF operations, ETF technology and provider capabilities
Participate in expansion of concepts to other ETF ranges globally
Profile Attributes
Understanding of BlackRock's ETF product range, familiar with primary and secondary market activities and workflows
Possess or quickly develop an organizational understanding of BlackRock across its operating units and platform
Past experience with Agile development process (identifying requirements, working with team, testing process, production release and check out)
Project management experience
Familiarity with ETF Servicing and intersections with middle and back-office concepts, applicability to fund structures and services provided via other BlackRock operational units
People leadership skills including remote team management and matrix management
Risk awareness (operational, technology, reputation, etc.)
Forecasts
Role location, close proximity to EMEA Global Markets Team and established Technology & Operations location is preferred
Role projects to manage between 2-5 people longer term
Significant interactions with 3rd parties, oversight of providers
SME skills: ETF technology user, ETF operational design, iShares (structures, behaviors, strengths, opportunities, strategies)
Our benefits
To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of employee benefits including: retirement investment and tools designed to help you in building a sound financial future; access to education reimbursement; comprehensive resources to support your physical health and emotional well-being; family support programs; and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about.
Our hybrid work model
BlackRock’s current hybrid work model is designed to enable in-person connections and collaboration that is core to our culture, while supporting increased flexibility for all employees. In line with local health guidance and regulations, employees are required to work at least 3 days in the office each week, with the flexibility to work from home up to 2 days a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. The health, safety and well-being of our people will always be our top priorities; we will continue to monitor local conditions and health advisories in making decisions about our work environments.
About BlackRock
At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being. Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress.
This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive.
