Associate, UK OCIO Client Team

Description

About this role

Business Unit Overview:

BlackRock's institutional business serves corporate and public sector pension funds, charities and endowments, insurers and other financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds as well as governments and official institutions.

Our institutional clients have very specific needs that require genuine partnership. We aim to be that investment partner by listening to our clients, understanding them and by applying our investment expertise across asset classes and markets to solve their needs.

In practice, our commitment to fostering long-term relationships means we can gain a deep understanding of our clients' long-term objectives. Having a culture where we share knowledge across asset classes and regions allows us to create investment solutions that better meet client specific challenges. The third pillar underpinning our offering is our risk management culture and systems: we seek to ensure that every investment position is deliberate, diversified and appropriately scaled.

Job Purpose/Background:

The successful candidate will assist in all aspects of our Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) client relationship and development. They will be involved in the full life cycle of OCIO client relationships, from pre-sale prospecting and support of senior account managers through the sales process and on to the onboarding and ongoing relationship with new and existing clients. The candidate will also be involved in BlackRock's engagement with the pensions industry, covering marketing and interaction with consultants and professional trustees.

The role requires a reasonable understanding of the UK defined benefit pensions landscape and investment strategy for these schemes. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge of key risks and opportunities for the industry and an aptitude for the sales process for this client segment.

Key Responsibilities:

The role is expected to be split into three key areas: relationship management, sales and industry engagement.

Client relationship management

Support of lead client managers on a portfolio 6-8 OCIO clients, responsible for:

• Onboarding coordination of new clients - acting as primary client contact during the process.
• Primary client contact for ongoing relationships with existing clients.
• Coordination of servicing requests - liaising with CEM, MASS and other BLK teams to deliver services/information.
• Assistance with creation of client materials for meetings and portfolio updates.
• Attendance at trustee meetings (during pitch/onboarding process and on an ongoing basis), typically alongside lead relationship manager and/or Client CIO.
• Updating of aCRM pipeline and meeting activities for existing and new clients and prospects.

Sales process and pitching

Ownership of full sales support process from opportunity identification (with account manager) through the RFP and tendering process and on to successful completion. It will involve:

• Research on prospective clients - their current arrangements, key stakeholders and objectives.
• Direct involvement in the RFP process alongside the RFP team, investment team and other sales colleagues - will involve drafting, editing and/or review of the responses.
• Creation/coordination of presentation materials.
• Organisation of internal and external prep calls and pre-pitch rehearsals, and follow-up from each session.
• Participation in pitch rehearsals to hone messaging.
• Responsibility for assembling sales material and briefings for account managers/broader team.
• Assistance in converting key sales messages into creative marketing collateral.
• Feedback of success stories and learning points for future meetings.

Wider industry engagement

Working with Marketing, Corporate Comms, investment, institutional and consultant relations colleagues to promote our brand within the industry, such that BlackRock is known as a market-leading OCIO provider. The role will require the candidate to engage with external parties including:

• Third party evaluators;
• Professional trustees;
• Prospective clients through attendance at conferences and industry events;
• Networking within the industry to promote our OCIO proposition.

Key Requirements:

The candidate is expected to have the following:

• 3 years' industry experience
• Full or partial CFA/FIA qualification preferred
• Ability to explain complex concepts clearly and concisely
• Track record of proactive and high-quality client service and relationship management
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, in particular PowerPoint
• Good presentation delivery skills

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.

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 careers.blackrock.com | www.blackrock.com/corporate | Instagram: @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.