
ETF Markets, Associate
Locations: Tokyo, Japan
Overview of Investment Professional roles
Our investment professionals thrive in a culture that pushes them to question the status quo, overdeliver for clients, and work together to shape the future of the industry. At BlackRock, you’ll forge meaningful relationships within your team and across the firm – expanding your network as you tackle complex challenges with a collaborative approach, integrated research and risk management. In an environment that feels welcoming and inclusive, you’ll discover opportunities to hone your skills, develop new expertise, gain mentorship, and build the investment career you envision.
Job description
About this role
Your team
The BlackRock Global Markets – APAC ETF Markets team is responsible for growing and protecting the trading of the iShares product suite. We are passionate about leading all aspects of primary and secondary market ETF trading! We seek to identify and mitigate trading frictions that could impact the market quality of our products. In addition, we work alongside ETF market participants, such as liquidity providers, exchanges and regulators to strengthen and advance the ETF trading ecosystem.
Your Role and Impact
This individual will support the Japan ETF business and broader APAC initiatives by managing daily primary market operations, monitoring secondary market activity, contributing to platform development, supporting fund launches, and engaging with clients and market participants. Acting as a conduit between external trading firms, ecosystem partners ranging from various exchanges to service providers, and internal portfolio management teams, trading team, fund accounting team, and technology & operation teams, this individual will require outstanding collaborative skills and the ability to partner with a broad range of stakeholders.
Protecting the primary market through risk management, working with the exchange and our liquidity partners to keep improving the secondary market quality, and working with the platform team to keep driving the platform transformation are the core function of the role; this person will be required to lead the team in responding to a broad range of market events and disruptions, requiring the ability to operate and show sound judgement whilst under pressure and a strong understanding of risks across the business to effectively drive solutions.
The individual in this position will also work closely with internal partner teams and externally with ETF liquidity providers to progress critical initiatives, understand trading frictions as well as chances to create changes that increase participation or strengthen the ETF ecosystem.
Your Responsibilities
Act as the primary contact for broker dealers, market makers, stock exchanges, service providers and teams internally for all aspects of primary & secondary trading of iShares ETFs.
Perform and oversight primary market activities (creations/redemptions) between APs, Portfolio Management, Trading, Exchange & ETF Service Providers
Be a risk manager, ensuring our ETFs and their shareholders are protected
Be an ETF trading subject matter expert and demonstrate in-depth product knowledge to promote efficient ETF trading and differentiate iShares from competitor funds and other investment vehicles.
Collaborate with external liquidity providers, grow those relationships, and collectively drive strategies which can improve ETF trading efficiency.
Partner with internal stakeholders including product development teams, portfolio managers, fund account team, and ETF service provider to implement product design and trading process improvements.
Partner with technology and platform teams to manage and support a global technology pipeline and test and implement key enhancements to our primary market platform.
Lead the team in responding to a broad range of market events and disruptions, requiring the ability to operate and show sound judgement whilst under pressure and a strong understanding of risks across the business to effectively drive solutions.
Collect, analyze and extract meaning from ETF trading data to produce relevant market content.
You Have
3+ years industry experience with an understanding of trading and market infrastructure
Risk management mentality, able to identify downstream implications and proactively call out vulnerabilities
Have a high level of motivation, comfort with ambiguity and the ability to function well under time pressure
High degree of professional discretion, accountability, and judgment. Critical that the person is adaptable, flexible and thrives in a team environment
Confirmed relationship-building abilities, particularly influencing, and listening to people across different functions and seniorities
Strong oral and written communication skills—the ability to clearly and accurately communicate information to a wide group of internal and external stakeholders is critical to this function
Prior ETF industry and experience in Digital Assets, Tokenization, and Derivatives products are desirable
Python, SQL, VBA or any coding experience preferred
Local licensing requirements are expected to be fulfilled
Business level fluency in English and Japanese is required
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.
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BlackRock Principles
We look to hire people that will embody our BlackRock Principles:
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We are a fiduciary to our clients.
This is the bedrock of our identity; it reflects our integrity and the unbiased advice we give our clients.
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We are One BlackRock.
We work collaboratively to create the best outcomes for our clients, our firm and the communities where we operate.
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We are passionate about performance.
We are relentless in innovating and finding better ways to serve our clients and improve our firm.
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We take emotional ownership.
We have a deep sense of responsibility to our clients and to each other.
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We are committed to a better future.
We are long-term thinkers, focused on helping people build a better tomorrow.

Career path
Our people drive our business forward every day. That's why we're committed to helping you build an extraordinary career at the firm. In addition to supporting your vertical growth along corporate titles, we’ll help you expand your horizons across the firm – with opportunities to collaborate with unexpected colleagues, take on unique assignments outside of your regular business, and even move internally within BlackRock.
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Analyst
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Associate
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Vice President
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Director
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Managing Director
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Senior Managing Director
Benefits
We care about your overall well-being and design our benefits package to support you in various aspects of your life.
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Financial well-being
We offer resources designed to help you build a sound financial future for you and your family, like retirement savings plans and tuition reimbursement.
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Pay for performance
Our pay-for-performance philosophy includes a base salary and a discretionary annual bonus.
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Physical well-being
Our healthcare plans and resources help you focus on your physical health, so you and your family can feel your best.
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Emotional well-being
We support our people's mental health and emotional well-being by providing access to an Employee Assistance Program and a network of Mental Health Ambassadors.
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Life management
You'll be able to focus on moments that are important to you with benefits designed to support life in and outside of work with Flexible Time Off, parental leave and more.
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