Business Manager, Europe & Africa Institutional Client Business (Associate)

About this role

Business Unit Overview:

BlackRock stands as a premier Institutional manager in Europe, overseeing assets exceeding $1 trillion. It serves a diverse clientele of approximately 2,000, encompassing public and private pensions, insurers, multinational corporations, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and foundations.

The Europe & Africa Institutional Client Business (EAI ICB) COO team play a pivotal role in driving strategic alignment and operational efficiency within the business. They develop business strategies informed by market insights, aligning with firm-wide objectives, and partner with sales and firm leadership on strategic initiatives. In sales management, they provide actionable insights, oversee sales planning and governance, and enhance reporting automation.

Additionally, the COO team ensures business operations run smoothly by managing risks, supporting logistics, and spearheading technology advancements like CRM development. They also cultivate a strong team culture, focusing on talent management, learning and development, and internal communications, making them a cornerstone of the business's success and growth.

Job Purpose/Background:

The Europe & Africa Institutional Client Business currently seeks to hire an Associate for the EAI COO Business Management team based in Budapest. As a regional team, the EAI ICB COO function is focussed upon collaborating with regional COOs and partners across Europe & Africa to bring cohesiveness, consistency and scale to the ICB business. This position will have a key focus on supporting the EAI COO in overseeing day to day commercial execution, resource allocation and operational effectiveness across the EAI sales organisation.

The candidate will know how to navigate a global and highly matrixed organization and be able to effectively manage multiple, sometimes competing priorities, without compromising on quality of execution. In addition the candidate will develop strong partnerships with the leadership team and relationship managers across the region to ensure the business operates effectively and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial support and operational effectiveness

• Support commercial approval processes including non-standard or complex business, non-standard fee proposals, client accommodation payments, fee waivers etc.
• Assist operating event management and resolution, ensuring timely remediation including following up with the business, action tracking, ensuring key stakeholders are engaged and senior leadership remain informed
• Support process improvements to help mitigate operational risk, collaborating with the Central COO teams to identify trends and working with partners to resolve
• Assist with ad hoc requests, becoming the key link between the business and partners, prioritising requests and managing stakeholders

Oversight and management of resource allocation and business costs

• Collaborate with FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis) and Central COO teams to implement frameworks for headcount monitoring and cost budgeting and forecasting
• Support the processes and controls required to check and approve headcount travel and entertainment expense requests and design processes to track adherence to travel expense sign-offs and policies
• Support the process of setting of the annual headcount and travel and entertainment budget, including gathering requirements from Country Sales Heads and supporting analysis required to determine the appropriate resource allocations across the business.
• Work with senior leadership on people-related activities including, hiring prioritisation, graduate and intern allocations, help organize talent management programs, succession planning, Employee Opinion Survey action plans etc

Channel governance and communications

• Forums to support include regular calls run by EAI ICB sales leadership, COO and business partners: GPS, FP&A, Marketing, Client Experience team etc.
• Presentations and meetings: support management in organizing and preparing presentations, prepare agendas, coordinate presenters, record minutes
• Support reporting for Sales Leadership weekly meetings including one-on-one’s with GEC level audience, prepare content for senior leadership and executive committees
• Prepare and contribute to memos for e.g., Operating Review, Global OpCo, and ad-hoc requests
• Work with the COO team to organise town halls, team meetings and information cascades that drive messaging on critical priorities

Experience and competencies required:

• 3+ years’ relevant work experience, ideally in asset management, investing / private equity, consulting, or investment banking.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: able to grasp concepts quickly, gather and analyse relevant information
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal (Fluency in English is essential)
• Proven execution with acute attention to detail and high standard of delivery. Highly motivated with an ability to balance multiple tasks and work with a degree of uncertainty.
• Strong organisational skills with proven ability to manage diverse set of partners and stakeholders
• Intellectually curious, comfortable challenging the status quo and the ability to take initiative and deliver results.
• Ambitious and proactive, taking initiative and come up with ideas without prompting
• Proficiency in MS Office suite (including Excel, PowerPoint and Word)
• Ability to work in a small, focused team with extensive day-to-day contact with senior business leaders and stakeholders across BlackRock
• The team operates across both London and Budapest, and it is essential for the candidate to be a collaborative individual who can thrive in a remote working environment.

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.