Compliance Monitoring and Testing, Vice President

Compliance Monitoring and Testing, Vice President: 

As a Vice President (“VP”) in the Compliance Monitoring and Testing team (“CMT”) you will be responsible for executing against the annual testing plan to identify potential regulatory and/or conduct risks in certain areas of the firm. You will be responsible for coordinating with your teammates and stakeholders across the firm to cover compliance reviews that assess adherence to policy requirements, regulatory requirements and effectiveness of overall governance and control frameworks. These tests and reviews focus on specific regulatory implementations, elevated risk focus areas, risk themes or business units.  

The expectation is that the candidate will have previously held relevant senior roles within a Compliance function, a leading consultancy firm or a regulator, and demonstrates asset management/financial services expertise across a wide range of products and functions. The candidate will ideally have relevant, hands-on experience leading and executing deep dive regulatory compliance reviews and targeted testing as well as an understanding of regulation and risk assessment methodologies. 

The successful candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills and confidence engaging with and managing relationships with a broad range of stakeholders across business areas and leadership roles.  We are looking for a candidate who is enthusiastic, collaborative, creative, diplomatic, decisive, self-motivated, and thrives in a fast paced, deadline-oriented environment.  

Key Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will:

• Assist in the planning, preparation, and socialization of the annual compliance monitoring and testing plan, including performing compliance risk assessments in collaboration with regional and global L&C stakeholders.

• Execute key components of the CMT Team’s monitoring and testing programme, e.g., delivering the scoping, execution and reporting of CMT test and reviews. This includes: 

(i) undertaking extensive scoping and planning activities to develop comprehensive test plan/testing matrix; 

(ii) drafting cohesive reports/working papers for CMT reviews;

(iii) presenting findings and recommendations to senior management within L&C and senior business stakeholders.

• Assist in the tracking of identified issues and action plans to validate remediation efforts, as well as escalate to relevant stakeholders where required.

• Prepare and deliver management information used for senior management, boards and committee postings.

• Develop strong partnerships and collaborate with key stakeholders within business as well as L&C department both regionally as well as globally.

• Lead/deliver strategic projects and initiatives as part of ongoing programme enhancements.

• Build an understanding and awareness of BlackRock’s business, product platform and its operational and regulatory control environment. 

• Develop strong subject matter expertise on specific regulations, particularly relevant to BlackRock’s business activities regionally and globally, including maintaining an up to date knowledge of changes in key regulatory requirements, regulatory focus and risk themes impacting BlackRock. 

• Proactively identify, analyze and escalate key regulatory risks identified as part of risk assessment and/or compliance monitoring activities. 

Knowledge/Experience and Education

The knowledge and experience required includes: 

• Minimum 7 years relevant experience.

• University degree or other equivalent professional qualification.

• Proven track record of leading deep dive regulatory or compliance reviews and targeted testing at a regulated firm, a regulator or leading consulting firm. Candidates with internal audit or other testing experience preferred.

• Understanding of the asset management sector.

• A strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and focus areas in the UK and European Union.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a track record of drafting high impact and high-quality reports.

• Project management skills and experience delivering projects in a complex organization.

• A proven track record in producing high quality deliverables under competing priorities and adherence to deadlines.

• Knowledge of other key Compliance and risk management topics would be beneficial, for example risk assessment methodologies and developing management information.

• Motivated, action-oriented and adaptable.

• Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills with the ability to exercise sound and balanced judgement.

• Proactive identification of risks and ability to propose solutions.