Client Contracting - Associate

About this role

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, our clients turn to us for the solutions they need when planning for their most important goals.

About Client Experience

Client Services & Solutions is comprised of Outsourced Platform Services and Client Experience Delivery teams (CXD). Our mission within the Client Service and Solutions organization is to make it easier for clients to do business with BlackRock, making service so simple it becomes a source of alpha. CXD is responsible for the delivery of all elements of client experience, including onboarding, contracting, and ongoing client servicing, combining client-facing and operational teams across EMEA with primary locations in Edinburgh, London, and Budapest.

Team Overview

The Contracting team partners closely with Relationship Managers, Client Service Officers, Legal and Compliance, Onboarding teams and other internal groups to ensure BlackRock’s contracts balance commercial outcomes with appropriate risk management and fiduciary obligations. We cover a broad range of investment management clients including sovereign wealth funds, central banks, pension funds and insurance companies each of whom may transact in different investment strategies, products, instruments and markets offered by BlackRock.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the contracting process for investment management agreements (IMAs) and all other ancillary legal documentation and contract types – from the initial legal drafting stage, through contract negotiations, to successful execution
• Manage and support activities for both new BlackRock clients and change events for existing clients, meeting client expectations at all times.
• Support the work of one, or several client types or regional channels, own and deliver the contract lifecycle management of your activities, and find opportunities for process and client experience improvements
• Facilitate and coordinate with internal partners across global functions involved in the contracting process, ensuring their comments flow through to the contract with any legal drafting updated accurately, and requisite approvals are acquired
• Manage client and stakeholder expectations throughout the negotiation process
• Engage with proprietary BlackRock document platforms and case technology, and ensure that the appropriate contracting processes are followed to mitigate risk to BlackRock
• Identify potential issues that are disseminated to potentially impacted internal stakeholders for review, discussion, negotiation and resolution
• Capture relevant non-standard contractual clauses and support the maintenance and build-out of contractual documentation databases, FAQs and playbooks.
• Ensure all completed contractual documentation is properly filed, critical sign offs captured, and circulated to relevant groups to support all downstream functions
• Support internal stakeholder and client-facing teams with legal or contractual queries relating to contractual documentation

Proficiencies

• 1-4 years PQE, OR several years’ working experience in a legal environment or contracts role
• Candidate must be able to demonstrate track record of drafting and negotiating sophisticated legal contracts
• Ability to perform and deliver high quality legal contracts in a fast-paced environment whilst managing competing internal and client demands
• Relevant legal qualifications at higher education level
• Investment management industry or other financial services working experience preferred, but not essential
• Knowledge of the asset management industry (fund types, client base and strategies, operational set up and products) and applicable law and regulations also preferred
• Comfort in working with multiple systems and document management platform types to supervise and handle the contract negotiation lifecycle
• Ability to independently handle tasks and workload with some guidance and oversight
• Ability to think out of the box, to navigate sophisticated internal processes and functions, and be able to offer practical, contractual solutions of mutually benefit to both the client and Blackrock
• Demonstrated ability to balance client needs with internal policies and operational procedures
• Ability to be a great teammate and stakeholder is crucial
• Strongly proficient in standard software (e.g. Microsoft Office) and interested in new technologies such as AI

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.