Regulatory Lawyer, EMEA Legal & Compliance

About this role

The role will involve providing legal support in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) region to BlackRock’s business across a range of asset management related regulation and broader regulation impacting the financial services industry such as AI regulation. There will be a focus on sustainability, but the role will also cover a wide range of other topics such as product, distribution, operational resilience and systems and controls.  With regard to sustainability, the role will involve regulatory analysis, drafting and advising on a range of regulations such as SFDR 2.0 and SDR. The candidate will advise on the impact of these regulations on products and services and BlackRock’s operating platform in EMEA and more broadly. The role will also involve supporting BlackRock’s regulatory horizon scanning and regulatory change processes in partnership with Compliance, Public Policy, Risk, project managers and other stakeholders. Whilst based in London, the role will involve working with Legal and Compliance colleagues in BlackRock’s EMEA offices on jurisdiction specific gold-plating, labelling and industry trends. The candidate will work within the Corporate and Regulatory Legal Team and alongside lawyers supporting products and solutions, trading, digital, litigation and employment within the broader EMEA Legal & Compliance department (which comprises qualified lawyers, compliance professionals and administrative staff).

The individual will be expected to be self-motivated and work with a good degree of autonomy once familiar with BlackRock’s business structures, operating models and documentation, and to produce high quality work output with relatively low levels of supervision/review of work produced. The candidate will be expected to take on a complete workload as soon as possible after joining and partner closely with other Legal and Compliance colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise on a range of sustainability related regulation including SFDR and SDR
• Assess and advise on impact of sustainability related regulation on disclosures and support drafting.
• Review and interpret new regulation, draft written analysis to help the businesses navigate the fast-evolving regulatory environment.
• Partner with BlackRock’s business transformation office to support efficient implementation of regulatory changes impacting BlackRock.
• Partner with Compliance on a wide variety of activities including review of internal and external client communications, engagement with investment teams, training, regulatory implementation projects.
• Develop skills and knowledge to identify, address and manage legal and regulatory risk arising in the sustainability space, and BlackRock more generally.
• Provide proactive legal and regulatory support to the EMEA businesses (including sales, marketing, product and strategy) and practical guidance concerning related activities outside the UK (including in the US, Asia and other regions working in conjunction with colleagues in such locations).
• Liaise with external legal counsel where appropriate on areas of law and regulation that impact the business concerned.
• Assist on ad hoc projects (EMEA or firm-wide).
• Manage and document internal know-how and other material for ease of access by colleagues and successors.
• Develop and actively manage internal client relationships within the EMEA businesses supported, other internal stakeholders and with external advisors.

Development Value

• The candidate will gain extensive and thorough knowledge and experience of sustainability related regulation and a broader range of asset management focused regulation and its impact on a range of product types, investment services and the operating platform across multiple jurisdictions, multiple business channels, Management Companies and investment firms.
• The candidate will gain experience of advising and supporting Boards and governance committees.
• The candidate will develop and enhance their skills in regulatory interpretation, drafting, fund structuring and investment strategies, operational resilience, advising and stakeholder relationship management, organizational skills in context of regulatory project implementation, and work with a wide variety of subject matter experts in the businesses and other support functions in BlackRock.

Knowledge / Experience

• Relevant post qualification experience gained either in medium/large private practice in regulatory or financial services work in investment management and/or investment products or in-house in financial services and investment products in Europe.
• 5 years’ + relevant post qualification experience.
• Technical expertise and experience in regulation of investment management and funds (particularly SFDR, UCITS, AIFMD, MiFID, outsourcing and operational resilience).
• Solicitor qualified in England and Wales or other jurisdictions.

Competencies

• Ability to analyse and interpret technical regulation and assess its practical impact on investment products, services and business functions.
• High degree of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Interest in sustainability and a wide range of regulation.
• Persuasive and influential on a high-performing internal client base in the provision of regulatory advice.
• Ability to work in a team in a collaborative way and personable.
• Ability to explain complex legal and regulatory concepts to non-lawyers.
• Ability to actively manage client expectations.
• Commercial outlook, motivated, resilient and enjoys challenges.
• Ability to clarify tasks and requirements, organise time and manage workload to ensure deadlines are met.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage own workload but also know when to escalate issues where appropriate.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the firm in verbal and written form.
• Seeks to understand BlackRock’s businesses, products and the regulatory framework it operates in within EMEA and more broadly.
• Develops solutions to problems, checking where appropriate with senior lawyers.
• Takes ownership of problems/requirements and ensures they are resolved to meet objectives, checking with senior lawyers when appropriate; and
• Rejects shortcuts that could compromise quality of service and follows internal policies and procedures.

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.

Additional Information On 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.

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.