Corporate Communications Vice President recruitment
BlackRock® is one of the world’s preeminent asset management firms and a premier provider of investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors around the world.
Our commitment to investment excellence is anchored in a shared culture that always places a client’s interests first, from individual investors to the world’s largest institutions. We act always as a fiduciary for our clients, managing assets on behalf of them and not trading on the firm’s own account. BlackRock is a fully independent firm with no majority shareholders and with a majority of independent board members. BlackRock serves a broad range of clients around the globe. Our client base includes corporate, public, union and industry pension plans; governments; insurance companies; third-party mutual funds; endowments; foundations; charities; corporations; official institutions; sovereign wealth funds; banks; financial professionals; and individuals worldwide.
BlackRock is a truly global firm that combines the benefits of worldwide reach with local service and relationships. We have a deep presence in every major capital market in the world, which gives us greater insight into increasingly interconnected financial markets.
At December 31, 2011, BlackRock’s AUM was $3.513 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange-traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2011, the firm has approximately 10,100 employees in 27 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com.
Department Overview:
The key objective of the team in London is to execute a media relations strategy to help drive the business in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for BlackRock, focusing on the firm’s key themes (Retirement, Alternatives, Income, Solutions and ETFs) in support of the corporate, retail, institutional and iShares businesses.
Role Overview:
The key objective of this role is to work in the Media Relations team in London to execute the media relations strategy as determined by businesses in the UK and Netherlands for BlackRock in support of the retail, institutional and iShares businesses.
The candidate will need to work closely with sales and marketing to define its priorities and expectations for media relations. The role will involve maintaining clear, strong and appropriate communication with journalists by having an established and thorough understanding of BlackRock and the iShares businesses, its products and capabilities.
The candidate will also manage day to day requests from BlackRock’s PR agencies in the UK and the Netherlands. In addition, the candidate will be able to proactively drive articles to position the retail, institutional and iShares businesses, products and capabilities via the appropriate spokespeople ensuring the firm’s share of voice is strategically positioned within the media.
A commitment to work at all times appropriate to the demands of the business, including business travel. For the purposes of attending events, a level of client interaction outside normal office hours is required.
Key responsibilities:
- Work closely with the media relations team, in London and New York to plan and conduct media relations activities that build greater knowledge and recognition of the firm’s brand and the retail, institutional and iShares business.
- Develop strong internal relationships with key stakeholders within BlackRock’s, retail, institutional and iShares businesses (sales, marketing, account management, portfolio management, product development, capital markets, legal and compliance).
- Work effectively with senior management and marketing professionals in Europe sharing information and aligning media activity according to the strategic and tactical plans as directed by the business.
- Target a defined list of core journalists and publications creating and maintaining a process for regular outreach to the media to ensure BlackRock’s retail, institutional and iShares businesses are perceived by journalists as thought leaders on a broad range of topics and themes.
- Manage the handling of all media enquiries in a timely and efficient manner, as directed.
- Coordinate the distribution and translation of a full range of written materials including press releases, by-lined articles and reports relating to the business, tailoring as appropriate according to individual country nuances relating to brand, product and capability.
- Proactively and reactively arrange and facilitate media interviews with trained spokespeople across the firm, ensuring the topic is defined and the spokesperson is briefed in advance with the relevant key messages.
- Develop, foster and maintain strong working relationships with news media (print/broadcast/web) including business/financial media, trade and national across the UK and Netherlands.
- Support the day to day direction of activity and output of the PR agencies across the UK and Netherlands.
- Coordinate the planning and implementation of media events, roundtables, press conferences and educational seminars.
- Develop a deep knowledge of BlackRock and iShares services and products.
- Report on efficiency and effectiveness of the communications strategy, using robust evaluation techniques.
Experience/Qualifications/Skills
- The ideal candidate will have solid experience in corporate or agency financial Corporate Communications.
- A strong and demonstrable background in financial services PR working across multiple markets and/or channels.
- Able to operate in a fast-paced environment with flexibility in regards to changes in strategy and project plans.
- The candidate will be enthusiastic, self-motivated and capable of engaging in high level dialogue with senior executives.
- The ability to build strong relationships with the business, with journalists and within the global communications team will be essential.
- Knowledge of UK and Dutch media is essential.
- Strong experience in brand and reputation management is critical to this role given the size and scale of BlackRock in the marketplace. Strategic and creative thinking are required.
- Project management skills, including an ability to move projects forward in a complex environment.
- Ability to integrate input from multiple stakeholders while maintaining project schedules.
- Excellent verbal communication skills and exceptional writing ability a must.