Associate, Risk and Controls

As a Risk and Controls Associate, you will be embedded within the business, responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational and strategic risks across key business processes. You will partner with cross-functional teams including Client, Portfolio Management, Operations, Technology, and Compliance to ensure effective control design and operation. This role is crucial for maintaining BlackRock’s high standards of governance, transparency, and fiduciary responsibility within the SMA Solutions team, which helps clients customize portfolios.

Must Have

• Maintain ongoing engagement with business stakeholders to monitor emerging risks and operational changes
• Interpret company policies and procedures and implement them within the business unit
• Develop business process, policy, risk management, and controls documents
• Support audit preparation efforts and serve as point of contact for Internal Audit
• Ensure timely responses to audit requests and track remediation actions
• 3+ years of experience in risk, audit, or business management in financial services
• Strong project coordination, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to design, develop, and draft high-quality policy and procedure documents
• Exemplary communication and superior interpersonal skills

Good to Have

• Experience with data visualization tools
• Innovative and entrepreneurial "can-do" attitude
• Ability to manage multiple deliverables in a fast-paced environment
• Committed to a culture of excellence and a positive, inclusive experience
• Team player who is inquisitive and comfortable with ambiguity

Perks & Benefits

• Annual discretionary bonus
• Healthcare benefits
• Leave benefits
• Retirement benefits
• Strong retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Support for working parents
• Flexible Time Off (FTO)
• Hybrid work model (4 days in office, 1 day work from home)

About this role

Team Overview

BlackRock 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 wealth advisors to family offices to endowments and foundations.

About this Role

As a Risk and Controls Associate embedded within the business, you will be responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational and strategic risks across key business processes. You will partner closely with cross-functional teams – including, but not limited to Client, Portfolio Management, Operations, Technology and Compliance teams to ensure that controls are effectively designed and operating as intended. This role is central to maintaining BlackRock’s high standards of governance, transparency, and fiduciary responsibility.

We work hard and move quickly as a well-coordinated, collaborative team whose exceptional people are focused on providing extraordinary client service. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow and contribute in a fun, industry-disruptive, fast-paced environment, SMA Solutions is the place for you.

Key responsibilities

Risk Aware Culture

• Maintain ongoing engagement with business stakeholders to monitor emerging risks, operational changes, and control enhancements in real time
• Interpret company policies and procedures and implement them within the business unit
• Develop business process, policy, risk management and controls documents
• Develop bespoke training to build deep understanding of firm policies and procedures
• Support culture of continuous improvement; identify opportunities to automate controls, streamline processes, and enhance risk visibility through data and analytics
• Support the opportunities for improvement (“OFI”) process and provide connectivity across relevant teams to address critical events and resolution
• Contribute to quarterly risk and control updates and leadership briefings
• Be a key contributor to a risk aware culture

Internal Audit Support

• Support audit preparation efforts across the business unit, including documentation, stakeholder alignment, and pre-audit assessments
• Serve as point of contact for Internal Audit and ensure timely responses to audit requests
• Act as a subject matter expert on risk and control themes within the business, translating audit findings into actionable business insights
• Facilitate cross-team collaboration during audit cycles and leverage learnings
• Support business leads to ensure all internal audit requirements are delivered timely and accurately
• Track and validate the implementation of agreed-upon remediation actions, ensuring timely and sustainable resolution of audit issues

Qualifications

• 3+ years of relevant experience in risk, audit or business management within the asset management or broader financial services industry with a particular focus on risk and compliance frameworks
• Strong project coordination experience
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to synthesize information, summarize issues and think creatively
• Strong proficiency and demonstrated experience working in all Microsoft Office applications, particularly Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with data visualization tools is a plus
• Innovative – always looking for ways to improve and enhance delivery, exuding an entrepreneurial “can-do” attitude
• Ability to design, develop and draft high quality policy and procedure documents
• Ability to manage multiple deliverables in a fast-paced environment
• Committed to a culture of excellence and a positive, inclusive experience for all
• Team player who can work collaboratively and is inquisitive, comfortable with ambiguity
• Exemplary communication skills (verbal and written)
• Superior interpersonal skills; able to communicate and partner at all seniority levels and regions
• High degree of professional discretion, integrity, and discernment
• BS/BA required

For Atlanta, GA Only the salary range for this position is USD$95,000.00 - USD$127,500.00 . Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, and benefits including healthcare, leave benefits, and retirement benefits. BlackRock operates a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy and your total compensation may vary based on role, location, and firm, department and individual performance.

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.