Vice President, Index Research - (London, England, United Kingdom)

About this role

Business Unit Overview:

BlackRock Global Markets and Index Investments (BGM) brings together BlackRock’s Index Investments, Cash Management, Global Trading, ETF Markets, Securities Lending, and Financing & Financial Resource Management businesses. Together, we provide clients with superior market access and index investment outcomes through:

• World class talent, operating at the intersection of investment insight, markets expertise, risk management and process design
• Technology at the heart of our processes, with in-business tech teams that create cutting-edge IP, providing an advantage in quality, scale, and risk control
• A focus on transforming markets, driving and advocating for more accessible, resilient, and transparent markets to deliver more choice and lower costs for investors

About this role:

At BlackRock, we are looking for a seasoned Index Researcher, who likes to innovate and solve complex problems. We recognize that strength comes from diversity, and will embrace your outstanding skills, curiosity, drive, and passion while giving you the opportunity to grow. Being an Index Researcher at BlackRock means you get to work for one of the most advanced financial companies and be part of an innovative community responsible for next-generation investment solutions. The role is part of an established global team managing the World’s largest book of index equity assets, servicing BlackRock’s primary institutional and retail clients. It is an opportunity to work in the premier index equity team globally, using industry leading portfolio management applications.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research expected index changes, upcoming corporate actions, and major index rebalances and conduct statistical analysis to help build and drive our analytical offering.
• Play an integral part in defining and building out a best-in-class Index Research Analytics platform for BlackRock
• Collaborate with Research & Innovation to apply modeling techniques to address index investing challenges and opportunities.
• Be an active voice in our index portfolio management process.
• Partner & support index strategy and product teams with benchmark analysis.
• Apply advanced data science techniques on complex financial data to generate commercial value for our business partners.
• Provide data insights and thought leadership for internal and external client use.
• Build strong relationships with index partners in research, data & technology.  
• Design and implement risk controls to detect anomalies in index data and methodologies

Skills/Qualifications:

• 5-7 years of relevant experience.
• Minimum education requirements: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Finance, Mathematics, Economics, Engineering or related field (STEM).
• Data Science, Data management and Data visualization tools and techniques - a strong plus.
• Ability to demonstrate a blend of technical and analytical skills, with an equally placed importance on communication and presentation.
• Passion for investing and a continuous desire to learn more about financial markets and fund management
• Clear, logical thinker with strong quantitative problem-solving abilities.
• Comfortable at developing cross-functional relationships at all levels.
• Understanding of index engineering & methodology concepts.
• Strong understanding of equity investing.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize assignments while producing high quality work in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, teamwork, and relationship-building skills.
• Programming skills requirement: Python, R, and SQL.
• Experience with Aladdin tools and knowledge of Aladdin data sources are a plus
• Bloomberg & Factset knowledge an advantage.

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.