Model Analytics Specialist , Aladdin Financial Engineering - Associate

About this role

About Aladdin Financial Engineering (AFE):

Join a diverse and collaborative team of over 400 modelers and technologists in Aladdin Financial Engineering (AFE) within BlackRock Solutions, the business responsible for the research and development of Aladdin’s financial models. This group is also accountable for analytics production, enhancing the infrastructure platform, and delivering analytics content to portfolio and risk management professionals (both within BlackRock and across the Aladdin client community). The models developed and supported by AFE span a wide array of financial products covering equities, fixed income, commodities, derivatives, and private markets. AFE provides investment insights that range from an analysis of cash flows on a single bond, to the overall financial risk associated with an entire portfolio, balance sheet, or enterprise.

About Core Analytics Solutions (CAS):

The Core Analytics Solutions (CAS) within Aladdin Financial Engineering (AFE) creates and delivers Aladdin’s analytical capabilities to influence better portfolio decisions, differentiate products and solutions, and enable our clients to fulfill their financial goals. Our mission is grounded in our expertise of analytics, Aladdin (the firm’s proprietary platform), and technology. CAS works across our investment teams and client businesses, in partnership with BlackRock’s analytics, data and technology teams, to transform data into intelligence, deploy financial models on Aladdin, address client challenges with innovative technology, and deliver solutions across asset classes and client segments.

Our team is known for:

• Problem solving: We partner with investment, risk and client-facing teams to understand their business problems and provide creative solutions using Aladdin analytics
• Innovation: We sit at the intersection of finance and technology. We conceptualize, design and implement new capabilities to ensure that Aladdin remains the best platform for clients to understand and manage portfolios and risk
• Centralized & scalable operating platform: Aladdin is a global investment platform that helps us solve problems in a scalable and efficient manner

Role Description:

The team seeks a new security valuation & market analytics expert with a focus on public credit and hybrid products along with the related models and analytics. The candidate will be working closely with modelers within AFE to review the existing models to ensure accuracy and coverage focusing on valuation & advanced analytics for these assets. The individual will review the existing model infrastructure, methodology and data flows to ensure our calculation engine’s offerings and capabilities are world class to meet the requirements of both internal and external clients.

Overview of Responsibility:

• In partnership with our Modeling and Research team; design, develop, validate, and deploy financial models that produce cash flows and security valuation and risk analytics with a focus on public credit & credit hybrid products.
• Enhance BlackRock’s Aladdin platform with new security analytic features, models, and processes in response to market demands and industry events, regulatory regime changes etc. in the public credit space.
• Understand rapidly evolving markets & stakeholder needs to influence the analytics roadmap.
• Create frameworks for and directly manage the prioritization of the work, which encompasses models and its analytics capabilities, downstream components and the overall calculation infrastructure which underpins Aladdin.
• Define processes for quality control and maintenance of analytics models to ensure best in class robustness and reliability of Aladdin’s analytics outputs.
• Utilize advanced analytics and communication skills to collaborate with BlackRock’s Aladdin clients, portfolio & risk managers, and articulate clear financial modeling specifications.
• Understand production processes and liaise with partner teams to ensure smooth model deployments and maintenance.
• Create and improve documentation for analytical models and processes for internal and external consumption.
• Resolve complex analytical enquiries with a keen understanding of analytics and models.
• Stay abreast on global finance, capital markets, geo-political scenarios, regulations and technology trends impacting BlackRock.

Experience/Qualifications/Skills:

Candidates should have a demonstrated track record in tackling difficult real-world problems within investment & risk management businesses. The candidate will be expected to leverage extensive quantitative skills to lead complex security analytics projects in an endeavor to evolve the analytics platform within Aladdin. Furthermore, all positions require outstanding quantitative, communication, and presentation skills

Experience

• 3 - 6 years of experience in a highly analytical role, developing, utilizing, validating and deploying financial models.
• Experience with advanced fixed income models, including valuation techniques, cash flows and its risk analytics.  Application of models and analytics within the credit products domain is preferred.
• Proven track record of orchestrating the model development lifecycle for specifications/requirements data and infrastructure planning, user acceptance testing, deployment and release communications.
• Project management expertise with demonstrated ability to spearhead ambiguous cross-functional initiatives with financial modelers, engineers and product managers.
• Agile Product Management experience is a plus.

Qualifications/Skills

• Excellent quantitative and analytics skills. Ability to identify problems, design and articulate solutions, and implement change.
• Advanced degree in Engineering, Finance, Mathematics, Business Management or some other quantitative field of study preferred.  Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Fixed income and Finance knowledge, including an understanding of bond math and risk.
• Previous experience in credit products is a plus.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of financial markets and ability to comprehend the impact of market events.
• Technical aptitude, including experience in C++, XML, Python, R, Linux, SQL and other scripting languages.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills. Ability to collaborate with both technical and non-technical personnel and to explain complex concepts to the non-technical people in simple and intuitive terms.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and committed while leading multiple projects.
• Pro-activeness, ability to multi-task, prioritize, set and meet deadlines, and strong attention to detail.
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designation is a plus.
• Knowledge of PowerBI, Azure DevOps and Aha! is a plus

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, disability, veteran status, and other statuses protected by law.

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 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, family status, gender identity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other protected attributes at law.