Associate, Fixed Income Product Strategist

R231793

Description

About this role

The Fundamental Fixed Income (FFI) platform 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 security selection.

The Product Strategy team is responsible to providing a link between the investment team and various client groups and internal stakeholders. The team is also responsible for the development and commercialization of Fixed Income products for Institutional and Retail investors, overseeing the distribution and management to various sales channels, including investment consultants, bank platforms as well as existing clients and prospects. The universe of products includes comingled products and customized separate managed accounts (SMA). The team is also centrally involved in the firm’s thought leadership agenda and publishes periodically market insights and product focus pieces. Critical to the success of the Product Strategy team is the maintenance of strong relationships with the Americas Institutional Business (AIB), and iShares & Wealth (iSW) Sales groups, who are responsible for managing and developing BlackRock’s client relationships.

BlackRock’s Fundamental Fixed Income Business is looking for an Associate in Fixed Income Product Strategy to support and promote the commercialization of the Securitized Assets business, which contributes to the diversification and alpha generation across various actively managed fixed income portfolios invested in Commercial Mortgage-Back Securities (CMBS), Asset-Backed Securities (ABS), Non-Agency Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (NA RMBS), Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs) and Mortgage Loans.

The primary responsibility of the role will be to support the senior product strategists, portfolio managers, institutional and retail sales teams in helping to promote BlackRock’s global securitized product platform. The individual will work in partnership with fixed income product strategists, sales, global marketing, and other key stakeholders to support and position the comingled and SMA strategies. This will include working on presentations, marketing materials, RFPs, white papers, commentary, reports and respond to internal and external queries. The successful candidate will possess a basic understanding in fixed income and the US and global securitized market, including the major sectors, and the role these markets play for investors and the US and global economy. The successful candidate will also possess a very good understanding of the needs of the broad spectrum of client types. In addition, a firm understanding of market trends, global economics and monetary policy would be a plus. Finally, the candidate must have exceptional communication skills and the ability to form trusted relationships and work across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and collaborate with the fund managers and other strategists across fixed income and firm wide.
• Work alongside Senior Product Strategists and Portfolio Managers and to represent the securitized assets platform to internal stakeholders.
• Regularly communicate with stakeholders to understand sales and client feedback around the reception of product messages and positioning.
• Develop written investment commentaries and outlook materials and collateral with a strong attention to detail.
• Support and further enhance our internal and external reporting infrastructure for the securitized business and its respective products in collaboration with our dedicated technology and reporting teams.
• Support Sales & Marketing activities including development and updating presentations, respond to RFPs, draft market commentaries, and generate thought leadership verbally and in written format. Complete a wide variety of ad hoc client requests and strive to deliver a superior level of client service.
• Maintain a complete understanding of the team’s investment philosophy, current positioning and risk exposures, and product suite so as to be a credible team representative.
• Provide continued business support as directed by the senior product strategists on the team in pursuit of commercializing the securitized assets platform that will lead to business growth.
• Be responsive to client requests and queries, including supporting often very complicated and deep due diligence processes.
• Help define and position BlackRock’s competitive advantage in securitized investing to internal and external stakeholders, including understand industry dynamics, drivers of growth and undertake competitor analysis.

Knowledge/Experience/Qualifications Required

• Post graduate qualifications favorable (CFA, CIMA, etc.)
• Ambitious work ethic and professional and courteous disposition.
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills to clearly articulate investment concepts, ideas, and processes.
• Working knowledge of Aladdin, or other investment management tools, an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint essential; Bloomberg and other market data systems useful.
• BA/BS required with strong quantitative skills.
• Ability to provide business support processes with input and feedback from senior strategists.
• Coding capabilities an advantage.
• Growing knowledge of global economics and interest in current affairs and events.
• Basic ESG knowledge an advantage.
• Proven financial services experience and a strong understanding of the asset management industry and capital markets, particularly in fixed income.
• Disciplined organization skills, including time management and project prioritization.
• Excellent commercial mindset and track record.
• Robust knowledge of US and global securitized assets, types of investment strategies (benchmark orientated, absolute return), and the regulatory framework and the role it plays in the securitization process and investing.
• Solid interpersonal skills and ability to quickly form meaningful working partnerships across the FFI platform and teams.

Measurement Of Success

• Establish a position as a credible and reliable member of the securitized assets investment and the fixed income product strategy team.
• Successfully integrate into the portfolio management team and develop rapport with the relevant portfolio managers and other members of the investment team(s).
• Display receptivity of product positioning and strategies by sales teams and clients.
• Ability to drive, develop and innovate client support and reporting tools.
• Contribute to the creation of industry leading fixed income thought leadership.

For New York City only: The salary range for this position is $118,750 - $140,000. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, and benefits including heath care, leave benefits, and retirement benefits. BlackRock operates a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy and your total compensation may vary based on role, location, and firm, department and individual performance.

Our Benefits

To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of benefits including a strong retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive healthcare, support for working parents 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 hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently 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. Beginning in September, all employees will shift to at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock.

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.

For additional information on BlackRock, please visit @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

BlackRock is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, and other statuses protected by law.

BlackRock will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of the law, including any applicable fair chance law.