Fixed Income External Product Strategist EMEA 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.
Business Unit Overview:
The Fixed Income team offers an array of fixed income products designed to meet specific client risk and return profiles. Incorporating the expertise of BlackRock's sector specialists, each client portfolio is tailored to reflect specific investment guidelines and objectives with respect to interest rate exposure, sector allocation and credit quality. Within Fixed Income, there are two core investment processes; our model-driven active business applies cutting-edge quantitative strategies to generate alpha for clients from security selection, macro and relative value opportunities. The fundamental business applies Fundamental investment styles and strategies to generate alpha for clients across Sterling, Euro, Emerging Markets and Global portfolio groups.
The EMEA Fixed Income Product Strategy team is responsible for the development of Fixed Income products for Institutional and Retail clients, and representing these products to internal and external clients including investment consultants, existing clients and prospects. The universe of products includes index, model based active and fundamental active. The team is centrally involved in the firm’s thought leadership agenda. Critical to the success of the Product Strategy team is the maintenance of strong relationships with the Global Client Group who are responsible for managing and developing BlackRock’s client relationships and the Global Consultant Relations team who are responsible for maintaining BlackRock’s relationship with investment consulting firms.
Job Purpose/Background:
The position holder will be an external strategist in the Fixed Income Product Strategy Team., focusing primarily on the commercialisation, growth and development of the European Model Based Active and Index business, primarily focusing on Screened, Core Active and Hedge Funds, and Fixed Income Dublin Funds (pooled index funds).
Key Responsibilities:
• Product Development: work with Global Client Sales Group to identify gaps in product offering, work with the product management groups to prioritise and implement new products. This may include: separate accounts, new share classes, etc.
• Create and maintain product information: capabilities documents, monthly commentary, product presentations. Work closely with other members of the team to create convincing product strategy material.
• Sales Campaigns: work with Global Client Sales Group in developing effective campaigns for growth / target products
• Engage clients: Develop a network of client relationships through a consultative approach with the goal of developing a deep understanding of their needs. Produce client-specific material for customised presentations, in partnership with the Global Client Group.
• Monitor competitive universe: keep track of products and performance of other asset managers.
• Client Account Planning: Work with BlackRock's account managers to identify key client decision makers and determine responsibilities, preferences and touch points with BlackRock and competitors. Distribution channels currently include: defined benefit and defined contribution plans, endowments and foundations.
• Consultant relationships: develop relationships with the consultant community in co-ordination with the Global Consultant Relationship team. Produce education material and relevant product and market data to share with consultants.
• Results Tracking/Performance Monitoring: Develop and maintain metric tracking for production, product pipeline, meeting initiation, quality of interactions and follow-up with existing client relationships.
• Thought Piece Creation/Awareness Efforts and External engagement, including educational sessions for clients: Through working closely with investment teams, the successful candidate will author thought pieces for showcasing with clients and for meeting initiation.
• Provide strategic investment advice to clients and prospects across the European Model
Knowledge/Experience:
• Experience in the money management industry with a good understanding of the asset management sales process as it relates to European institutional investors
• Ability to develop strong and trusting relationships with both internal and external clients swiftly and effectively.
• Evidence of successful client and consultant engagement.
• Strong team player
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills to clearly articulate sophisticated concepts, ideas, and processes
• Presence, maturity and credibility to present effectively to external investors
• Collaborative and cooperative approach to tasks
• Disciplined organisation and project management skills
• Ambitious work ethic and professional disposition
• Ability to develop strategic thinking with commercial market awareness and business acumen
• Experience of managing team members an advantage
Skills/Qualifications:
• Strong knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint essential, in addition to Bloomberg and DataStream.
• European languages an advantage
• CFA qualification, CFA candidacy preferred
• IMC qualification required