Job Abstract

About this role

The Global Insurance Solutions team, within the Financial Markets Advisory group, is a specialist, product agnostic investment strategy and structuring team, which focuses on insurance clients and serves clients through the entire BlackRock platform. The team engages client businesses and portfolio managers across the whole firm to build new and innovative market leading investment solutions and position existing BlackRock products, appropriately for our insurance clients. In addition, we engage with our insurance clients on complex investment strategy advisory engagements on asset allocation, risk and capital management, and peer analysis. 

The Insurance Solutions team is hiring an Insurance Strategist at the Vice President level in New York. Insurance Strategists are regional insurance investment experts who assess local needs and work with client and investment teams to design and deliver appropriate mandates for insurers. While the nature of client engagements will be broad, a key focus of this role will be enhancing and executing our industry leading Peer Risk Study (PRS) of insurance enterprise and investment performance across Life, P&C, and Health insurers. BlackRock’s PRS is a crucial commercial campaign for BlackRock’s insurance business and is a key piece of collateral we use to engage our client base on the latest trends in insurance investment strategy and asset allocation. The production of the study requires coordination across multiple stakeholders and leverages a skillset comprised of advanced knowledge of fixed income and risk analytics, insurance asset management and the US insurance regulatory framework. BlackRock Aladdin is used to both facilitate the production of the study and to deliver differentiated risk and performance insights and analytics.

Responsibilities

• Continuously assess the quality and commercial impact of the BlackRock PRS and drive improvements in coordination with partner teams. Improve the design and documentation of the production process and identify ways to improve efficiency and stability. Develop insightful and relevant analytics and exhibits. Work towards assuming lead responsibility for both delivering and commercializing the PRS.
• Lead the production and client delivery of BlackRock’s PRS in collaboration with multiple stakeholders from BlackRock’s technology, analytics, relationship management and business development teams, leveraging support from a dedicated project manager and insurance strategists.
  • Oversee the onboarding and subsequent analysis of CUSIP-level industry data onto BlackRock’s Aladdin platform, working with internal stakeholders and external data vendors, supporting the work of the Aladdin Data team, and performing quality control checks on the Aladdin portfolio output.
  • Analyze and summarize insurers’ investment portfolios including calculating various portfolio summary statistics, fixed income analytics, and portfolio risk measures across individual company portfolios in a scalable manner.
  • Lead the production of presentation materials in partnership with relationship management and business development professionals and oversee the production of final client materials.
  • Partner with relationship managers in the delivery of peer studies to clients serving as a subject matter expert on our PRS capabilities, trends in insurance asset allocation, industry trends and BlackRock’s portfolio construction capabilities. 
     
• Develop a thorough knowledge of BlackRock’s capabilities, products and investment and portfolio management services.  Integrate this knowledge into our peer analysis capabilities and the broader range of client assignments.  Identify and close gaps in existing capabilities and drive the development of new services.
• Assist with the production of insurance-focused research and thought leadership publications for clients.
• Maintain strong relationships across key stakeholders including Aladdin (portfolio management and analytics), BlackRock Investment Institute (economists), Aladdin Financial Engineering (quantitative modelers), Financial Institutions Group (insurance client relationship managers), and relevant investment teams to generate strong commercial outcomes from our peer analysis capabilities and the broader range of products and services that BlackRock offers to insurers.

Skills / Qualifications / Experiences:

• At least 5 years’ experience in insurance investment strategy or related experience gained via an asset manager, investment bank, consultancy, or insurance company
• Direct experience leading high-profile, sophisticated technology or analytical projects at an insurer, asset manager, or related company is required 
• Practical experience and/or knowledge of insurance regulatory reporting and insurance asset management is required. Practical experience and/or knowledge of Aladdin is helpful
• Some familiarity with the accounting, regulatory, risk management and strategic frameworks under which US insurers operate
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain complex topics to non-technical individuals, both verbally and in writing
• Excellent problem-solving abilities, intellectual curiosity, and experience understanding and solving complex issues
• High level of integrity enabling the candidate to become a trusted partner to clients and peers
• Proficiency in Python, VBA, R, or other programming languages a plus

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 and Affirmative Action Employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, and other statuses protected by law.