Fixed Income iShares Product Strategist 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 Fixed Income team offers an array of bond products designed to meet specific risk and return profiles. BlackRock manages a total of $ 1.3 trillion of fixed income investments for our clients. About half is managed passively, including the $ 170 billion of iShares® Fixed Income ETF assets.
Job Purpose/Background:
The position holder will be a member of BlackRock’s Fixed Income Portfolio Management Team, more specifically the strategy team. The strategy team is the main point of contact for BlackRock’s global client servicing group with regards to Fixed Income portfolio management related questions and needs. The role provides an excellent opportunity to build on a career as a fixed income specialist, and gives scope to develop into other specialisations within the Fixed Income Team.
Key Responsibilities:
The position holder will help drive growth by providing support to client functions with a focus on Fixed Income iShares® ETFs. Specifically, the position-holder will be responsible for:
1. Index analysis and comparison
- iShares ETFs track well known bond indices. Comparing these indices and understanding their methodology and performance plays an important role in finding the most suited index and product for our clients.
2. Produce regular client presentations
- The role holder will help collate timely fixed income content. This includes market updates, flow analysis, and product comparisons and is used to support the sale of existing products, new product launches, industry level conferences and client meetings. Ad hoc analysis on market events should be provided to enable short term sales opportunities.
- The role holder will be expected to present this, both to external clients and to the internal iShares sales force
3. Regular internal fixed income ETF related reporting
4. Undertaking ad hoc research and analysis for fixed income clients
- Clients often require us to undertake ad hoc research and analytical work for them. This can include, for example, relatively straightforward data requests, commentary and analysis of market developments, and issues related to risk management of their portfolios. This aspect of client service is an important element of the overall service that clients buy from BlackRock, and plays an important role in building our brand as a trusted advisor on fixed income issues.
5. Analysis of new product initiatives on behalf of the Fixed Income Strategy team
- The iShares Fixed Income Business is in the midst of a major innovation and product-expansion phase. We are committed to building a range of investment products that deliver returns to clients as efficiently as possible; incorporating the broadest range of investment decisions and the most appropriate markets The analytical work that supports this effort plays an important role in this process.
Development:
The role would suit someone who is looking to further develop a career as a fixed income professional. The role will offer the incumbent the opportunity to learn quickly about all facets of fixed income portfolio management. The role holder will have daily exposure to BlackRock portfolio managers, traders, and researchers and gain insights into active and passive portfolio management techniques. Through regular market updates and leveraging the broader BlackRock investment knowledge this role provides an excellent basis to further develop a solid bond market understanding.
The successful candidate will become part of a successful and fast growing Fixed Income iShares team, marketing and developing new products to deliver investment opportunities in iShares Fixed Income markets to clients. He or she will have the ability to:
- Understand the latest iShares investing and portfolio management techniques
- Develop professional relationships with a range of investors from around the world
- Observe at first hand how the evolution of iShares fixed income markets is creating opportunities for investors, and how to deliver those opportunities
Skills/Qualifications/Experience
The position-holder should display the following attributes:
- Good general quantitative skills with a desire to develop them
- Strong Fixed Income and economic knowledge and understanding and proven relevant industry experience
- An ambitious and highly motivated self-starter with a strong work ethic •
- Strong inter-personal skills are absolutely essential. Must be able to build strong personal relationships with internal and external clients. Proven ability to operate globally will be seen positively
- Team approach – able to coordinate between various groups within BlackRock, for example Product Strategy, Portfolio Managers, Global Client Group, Legal etc,
- Ability to grasp and communicate complex concepts effectively.
- Excellent client communication skills
- Good skills in standard Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- An ambition to develop further a career as a fixed income investment professional
CFA qualification, CFA candidacy, IMC qualification, Asset Management experience, sales or client contact experience, or language skills (French, Italian, and German) will be an advantage.
Competencies:
The role holder should:
- Enjoy working in a team and with colleagues from various parts of a large organization
- Deliver client solution focused work
- Be able to meet deadlines and structure work load efficiently
- Enjoy taking on new tasks and respond to requests with a positive, can-do attitude