Associate , Investment Operations Specialist, SMA (Separately Managed Accounts) Solutions

About This Role

Team Overview

BlackRock Separately Managed Accounts (SMA) Solutions helps clients customize portfolios for unique tax, values-alignment, or investment exposures across direct indexing, fixed income, active equity, and multi-asset. We deliver world-class service to all of our clients, from wirehouses and wealth advisors to family offices to endowments and foundations.

About The Role

BlackRock SMA Solutions empowers clients to customize portfolios for tax efficiency, values alignment, and unique investment exposures across direct indexing, fixed income, active equity, and multi-asset strategies. We serve a diverse client base from wealth advisors and family offices to endowments and foundations. As we continue expanding globally, we're seeking an Investment Operations Specialist who can support middle office functions for our tax managed strategies.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end account lifecycle activities, including onboarding, maintenance, transitions, terminations, and operational readiness reviews for SMA platforms.
• Perform daily cash, position, corporate action, and data integrity reconciliations, investigating exceptions and partnering with custodians, clients, sponsors, portfolio managers, and internal teams to ensure timely resolution.
• Oversee corporate actions and data quality controls, including validation of mandatory and voluntary events, monitoring custodian data feeds, and maintaining data integrity through SQL-based reviews and exception management.
• Demonstrate strong ownership and leadership by managing priorities independently, executing maker-checker controls, mitigating operational risks, maintaining documentation and SOPs, and fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Deliver exceptional client experience by responding to client inquiries, managing operational requests, and building strong relationships with clients and business partners.
• Drive operational excellence and process improvements through automation, data analytics, control enhancements, workflow optimization, and the development of scalable operating procedures.
  
  

Requirements

• 3-7 years of experience in client service, operations or portfolio management support.
• Background in client service and accounting experience in Aladdin is preferred.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships with senior management, key clients, and internal/external stakeholders (e.g. Portfolio Managers, Custodians, Brokers).
• Exceptional attention to detail and problem solving abilities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and comfort in working closely with clients and colleagues at all levels.
• Graduate degree in finance or higher would be preferred.
• Working knowledge of investment-operations concepts, including trade lifecycle, positions, cash, securities, corporate actions, tax lots, pricing and reconciliation; experience supporting separately managed accounts is preferred.
• Ability to analyze and resolve reconciliation breaks and data discrepancies across internal books and records, custodians and investment platforms, with clear documentation and escalation.
• Strong risk and control mindset, including experience following SOPs, executing maker-checker reviews, maintaining audit-ready evidence and handling sensitive client and portfolio data.
• Proficiency with Excel for operational analysis and reporting; familiarity with VBA, Python, workflow tools or other automation technologies is advantageous.
  
  

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.

Guidance on AI use for candidates

At BlackRock, AI has long been part of how we work – enhancing decision-making, improving operations, and helping us deliver better outcomes for clients. We encourage candidates to use AI thoughtfully to learn, prepare, and work more effectively; but during our interview process, we want to focus on getting to know you through your own experiences, thinking, and judgment. To support you, we've provided guidance on when and how to use AI during our hiring process so you can approach each step with confidence and showcase your best self.

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.

To learn more about BlackRock, please visit Careers.BlackRock.com. We also encourage you to get to know us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok.

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.