Associate, Cash and Asset Reconciliation

Description

About this role

Job Purpose:
The GIO Cash Operations Team is a dedicated group of professionals who ensure that all BlackRock cash & events data are accurate for critical processes including investment management, analytics, compliance, and regulatory. Our team provides information services and solutions in support of all BlackRock and BlackRock Solutions businesses. The roles and responsibilities will include actively managing risk and exposure for BlackRock by ensuring the investment book of record reconciled with external providers daily. The role requires an understanding of the mechanics of the reconciliation process, exception management, troubleshooting issues, driving innovative enhancements, data analysis, maintaining documentation, assisting management in leading processes, and recommending improvements to ensure efficiency. Possess solid understanding of Trade life cycle. Comprehension of Cash management operations & OD tracking, differential treatments on Corporate actions as per market products of Fixed Income/Equity is important. Understand the role of external parties involved Custodian/Brokers/Market Data providers etc.

Key responsibilities:

- Ensure reconciliations are effectively completed and troubleshoot any discrepancies, ensure accuracy of published cash.
- Review cash & income exceptions daily including researching differences, resolving them in an accurate and timely manner.
- Tasks and their procedures to be accurately followed resulting in appropriate exception investigation and assignment (internal or external) including all follow-ups until the exceptions are resolved. Ensure appropriate escalation protocols are followed, and we are intensifying timely in alignment with increasing age / risk.
- Establish stake-holder ownership - coordinating with up/down stream teams for Income & Cash exception mgmt. Leading the conversation, formulating plan of action and follow through on action points.
- Document and provide feedback for custodian/Broker reviews. Push for better service and data and hold our providers accountable to deliver. Escalation to Management for issues that need focus / remediation or if meeting engagement do not meet standards. Instances of delayed reporting, lack of conformity to set standard, latency in response time, delaying exception resolution should be tracked by stake-holder owner and shared on timely intervals.
- Demonstrate understanding of how daily activities impact KRI volumes and what criteria deems an exception to be high risk and controllable. Be able to articulate impact on the KRIs and quantify how to positively contribute to the numbers through both quantitative and qualitative analysis.
- Consistent, concise MI to be provided to appropriate audience. Agenda points to be communicated prior to each call with metrics produced to show progress and takeaways aligned with the frequency of the stake-holder engagement.
- Participate in various efficiency and capacity-building initiatives, including automation/ standardization efforts. Review available data reports and look out for trends/activities currently performed manually that can be proposed for enhanced auto match/auto post/autocode rules, also should know methods that will help quantify the impact of proposed automation.
- Identifying, leading and mitigating operational risks. Raising risk and service issues on a timely basis, ensure issues are called out to management have been properly researched and reviewed. This includes providing details around investigation/steps taken so far, demonstration of engagement with relevant stake-holders and suggesting potential paths to resolution.
- Understand and adhere to all regulatory requirements impacting the reconciliation process.
- Understand upstream processes impactful to the reconciliation and develop ability to correlate the effect of change.

Qualifications:

- Strong experience of 5+ years in cash operations/cash recon/exceptions management
- Understanding of financial instruments with an emphasis across asset classes is preferred.
- Strong, effective analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Data Analytics skills preferred including exposure to SQL/VBA/ PYTHON and/or understanding of data science methods & implementation.
- Organized approach to ensure follow up on outstanding issues and identify appropriate action to be taken.
- Attention to detail to ensure a high degree of accuracy for all deliverables
- Excellent verbal, written and communication skills including ability to clearly articulate results of financial analyses as wells as issues to senior management and external parties;
- Ability to multi-task and balance requests without losing sight of overall objectives and deadlines.
- Exceptional decision-making skills and ability to communicate effectively with senior management.
- Ability to work in a team environment and build strong relationships with colleagues and external contacts.
- Ability to work in a fast paced, rap