Director

About this role

About this role

We are hiring for our legal function in Italy. We are looking for a lawyer with a minimum of 5-7 years of work experience in the relevant field. The candidate will deliver the full range of legal support and advice on the services and activities carried out by BlackRock in Italy. As a member of the broader Continental Europe Legal team, the candidate will provide legal support for selected EMEA countries that are covered remotely (currently Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Israel).

The candidate will directly manage and coordinate across a wide range of business and operations teams on legal, regulatory and business issues and risks associated with the ongoing operations in the thriving and growing business of BlackRock in Italy. The role will also include assistance with country management matters, including corporate governance. The legal support includes the drafting and negotiating of a broad range of contracts in Italian and English. Further, participation in the processes for monitoring regulatory change in Italy and in other EU member states is part of the role. The individual will be based in Milan, Italy, reporting into the Director in Frankfurt, Germany, responsible for Legal coverage in Continental Europe. The individual will be expected to work with a certain autonomy and, once familiar with the BlackRock business structures, operating models and documentation, to work with minimum levels of supervision/review of work produced. 

Responsibilities:

• Provide proactive and practical, commercial guidance and legal support to the BlackRock business activities in Italy (including wealth and institutional sales, traditional and alternative products and strategies);
• Draft and implement relevant contracts in the field of funds’ distribution in Italy (e.g. co-marketing agreements, partnership agreements; distribution agreements; local paying agent agreements) investment management and investment advice services to Italian institutional clients and qualified counterparties (e.g. investment management agreements with Italian pension funds, model portfolio agreements, investment advice agreements, license agreements; non-disclosure agreements);
• Provide legal advice to BlackRock’s local MiFID branch and to other EMEA countries that are covered remotely;
• Monitor and ensure timely implementation of impending legal and regulatory developments that affect BlackRock’s business in Italy;
• Actively participate in BlackRock’s processes for monitoring regulatory change across EMEA, in collaboration with other teams based in London and in EU member states;
• Commission external legal advice where appropriate, ensuring quality advice is delivered, manage the local counsel relationships and budget requirements;
• Develop and actively manage internal client relationships;
• Liaise and work closely with the local Compliance team and other members of BlackRock Legal & Compliance globally;
• Provide internal training on legal and regulatory topics;
• Represent BlackRock Italy in relevant industry bodies (e.g. Assogestioni, AIPB, AIFI);
• Work in a fast-paced and business-oriented environment with business groups throughout BlackRock.

Knowledge/Experience:

• Technical expertise and experience in asset management and investment products (ETF, UCITS, AIF, ELTIF);
• Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations for fund management and asset management activities in Italy, including clients’ supervisory laws (Italian pension funds regulation);
• Broad knowledge of UCITS, AIFMD, MiFID, SFDR and local sustainability-related regulatory developments.

Qualifications/Skills:

• Italian law degree, and preferably bar admission, with approximately 5-7 years of experience, ideally at a major law firm (client secondment experience a plus) or in-house within a large financial services company or asset manager;
• Excellent Italian and English language skills (written and spoken).

Competencies:

• Manages multiple time sensitive matters in a demanding, fast-paced and dynamic environment;
• Strong negotiation and presentation techniques;
• Takes ownership of legal matters, checking where appropriate with colleagues;
• Seeks to understand the businesses, products and processes which are supported;
• Communicates complex concepts in an understandable way at all levels of the firm in verbal and written form;
• Coordinates complex projects involving different business groups;
• Takes a business and solution-oriented approach to interacting and working with clients;
• Rejects shortcuts that could compromise quality of service and follows internal policies and procedures;
• Possesses a dynamic and positive personality with networking ability and strong team work skills;
• Demonstrates strong judgment and skills in time management and prioritisation;
• Employs intercultural sensitivity and actively supports Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Our benefits

To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of employee benefits including: retirement investment and tools designed to help you in building a sound financial future; access to education reimbursement; comprehensive resources to support your physical health and emotional well-being; family support programs; 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 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. 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 Employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics at law.