Voting Operations Analyst, Analyst/Associate - Blackrock Investment Stewardship

About this role

Team Description:

As an independent, fiduciary asset manager, BlackRock is committed to acting at all times in the best long-term interests of our clients. The work of BlackRock’s BIS team is an investment function. We undertake our BIS activities to protect and enhance the economic value of the companies in which we invest on their behalf.

The team operates in six offices across three regions – the Americas (New York and San Francisco); Europe, Middle East and Africa (London); and Asia-Pacific (Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney) – and undertakes engagement with and proxy voting at portfolio companies on behalf of clients globally.

BlackRock aims to take a common view in-house regarding our engagement and voting policies and uses the BIS group to coordinate, communicate and carry out these policies across the 95 markets and approximately 15,000 shareholder meetings at which the firm votes each year.

Role description:

The Analyst / Associate will support BIS Voting Operations and client reporting. You will be responsible for supporting BlackRock’s Investment Stewardship program by implementing control processes, generating reports, and onboarding new accounts for voting, among other tasks. Over time, the Analyst / Associate will take on more strategic projects including the development of new processes and procedures to ensure BIS continues to deliver best in class Stewardship services to BlackRock clients. In this role, the Analyst / Associate will impact and interact with a wide range of key functions and teams ranging from client reporting, corporate communications as well as certain third parties.

The successful candidate possesses a strong attention to detail, a passion for creative problem solving, project management skills, as well as a desire to learn about ESG data and financial research. Engineering skills / data infrastructure knowledge is a plus.

The role reports to the Director of the voting operations function and is based in Wilmington, Delaware.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop expertise of the proxy voting infrastructure and be able to answer questions and address problems that may arise in the submission of proxy votes
• Work closely with other functions across BlackRock (Securities Lending, Corporate Actions, Client Business) to support the proxy voting program and deliver best in class client reporting
• Support ad-hoc requests as needed for clients, voting analysts and corporate communications
• Support the next generation of client reporting by developing specifications for new reporting options and delivering value to clients by connecting our stewardship activity to third party data
• Support voting operations and client reporting
  • Develop expertise in third party vendor platforms and how they interface with BlackRock’s in house system known as, Aladdin and other external parties
  • Develop expertise of the proxy voting infrastructure and be able to answer questions and address problems that may arise in the submission of proxy votes
  • Work closely with other functions across BlackRock (Securities Lending, Corporate Actions, Client Business) to support the proxy voting program and deliver best in class client reporting
  • Support the next generation of client reporting by developing specifications for new reporting options and delivering value to clients by connecting our stewardship activity to third party data
  • Support ad-hoc requests as needed for clients, voting analysts and corporate communications
• Develop expertise in third party vendor platforms and how they interface with BlackRock’s in house system known as, Aladdin and other external parties

• Develop new control processes as needed to ensure regulatory and client obligations are met
• Work with portfolio onboarding to ensure proper setup of new portfolios for voting
• Ensure integrity of the BIS operating environment
  • Implement standardized control and reconciliation processes
  • Work with portfolio onboarding to ensure proper setup of new portfolios for voting
  • Develop new control processes as needed to ensure regulatory and client obligations are met
• Implement standardized control and reconciliation processes

Skill sets to be successful:

• Is a self-starter and can self-motivate
• Experience with ESG data, corporate reference data, proxy voting or corporate governance topics a plus
• Is highly process driven with a willingness to add value to enhance or create new processes
• Working knowledge and experience with relational databases and Sybase SQL or other scripting and programming languages eg. R, Python, or C# a plus
• Undergraduate degree is required

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 current hybrid work model is designed to enable in-person connections and collaboration that is core to our culture, while supporting increased flexibility for all employees. In line with local health guidance and regulations, employees are 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. The health, safety and well-being of our people will always be our top priorities; we will continue to monitor local conditions and health advisories in making decisions about our work environments.

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.