Client Contracting Associate recruitment
BlackRock is one of the world's preeminent asset management firms and a premier provider of global investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors around the world. BlackRock offers a range of solutions -- from rigorous fundamental and quantitative active management approaches aimed at maximizing outperformance to highly efficient indexing strategies designed to gain broad exposure to the world's capital markets. Our clients can access our investment solutions through a variety of product structures, including individual and institutional separate accounts, mutual funds and other pooled investment vehicles, and the industry-leading iShares® ETFs.
The Client Contracting team plays a key role in on-boarding new clients within BlackRock and managing change for existing clients with respect to the contractual set up. The team focuses on the drafting, negotiation, coordination and execution of investment management agreements, investment guidelines or criteria, and other related documentation (Contractual Documentation) for new clients and existing clients. Trading documentation (such as ISDAs) and fund documentation is explicitly out of the scope of this team.
The team is uniquely positioned within the business at BlackRock. You will play an important role in this critical component of winning new business and managing change for existing clients. You will work closely with all Product areas and Sales teams, partner with Legal Compliance, and reach out to all other operational groups such as Reporting, Portfolio Compliance, Billing and Operations. The team presents an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to these areas of the business as well as a wealth of knowledge about the workings of BlackRock and the products it manages.
As an Associate within Client Contracting, you will support a growing area in a dynamic and challenging environment. You will be responsible for your own portfolio of business with minimal guidance, based upon a team of Account Managers and/or specific regions whose clients you will support from a documentation perspective. You will be responsible for providing in depth knowledge of your client's mandates as well as an excellent client focus. Day-to-day responsibilities include:
- Accurate drafting, negotiation and coordination of Contractual Documentation for your portfolio of business.
- Facilitation and coordination of all internal stakeholders involved in the contracting process, ensuring their comments flow through a centralized group, are incorporated where possible and requisite approvals are obtained.
- Partnering with the Portfolio Implementation and Design team to on-board new clients and manage client change as efficiently as possible.
- Ensuring clients meet applicable product eligibility requirements.
- Ensuring that the appropriate contracting process is followed for all new client mandates or changes to existing client mandates to mitigate risk to BlackRock.
- Supporting the Sales team with Contractual Documentation queries.
- Capturing and recording relevant non-standard contractual clauses on an ongoing basis and maintaining the Contractual Documentation database.
- Ensuring that all completed Contractual Documentation is properly filed, stored and retrievable.
- Take the lead on research initiatives or projects that are requested by the Sales, Product or Legal teams.
Skills
Qualifications / Requirements:
The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years' experience of drafting Contractual Documentation within asset management possessing either:
- a legal background or qualification with experience of drafting and negotiating IMAs for an institutional client base; or
- no formal legal qualification but excellent knowledge and proven experience in negotiating investment management agreements and investment guidelines for institutional clients.
In addition:
- Solid knowledge and understanding of investment management (fund types, client base and strategies, operational set up, products) and applicable laws and regulations.
- Ability to independently manage your own portfolio of business with minimal guidance.
- Exemplary communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with both internal and external clients at all levels and regions.
- Strongly proficient on standard software (e.g. Microsoft Office).
- Excellent attention to detail, organization, and presentation skills.
- Team player - both with regard to your direct team as well as with those whom you support.
- Possess excellent time management and prioritization skills with the ability to manage effectively expectations of internal and external clients.
- Flexible and open to accepting new challenges; able to work effectively and efficiently on multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, demanding and ever-changing environment while maintaining the highest standard and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to balance client needs with BlackRock's policies and operational procedures; possess excellent regulatory and technical awareness in order to understand associated risks and provide innovative, risk-free and compliance-friendly solutions.
- Japanese and Mandarin language skills an advantage.