Financial Crime Associate – Cash Funds, Digital Assets & Tokenisation

About this role

About the Company

BlackRock is one of the world’s preeminent asset management firms and a premier provider of global investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors around the world. BlackRock offers a range of solutions — from rigorous fundamental and quantitative active management approaches aimed at maximizing outperformance to highly efficient indexing strategies designed to gain broad exposure to the world’s capital markets. Our clients can access our investment solutions through a variety of product structures, including individual and institutional separate accounts, mutual funds and other pooled investment vehicles, and the industry-leading iShares® ETFs

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited (BAMIL) is a regulated fund management firm operating across multiple asset classes, including traditional investment funds, digital assets, and tokenised investment structures. The firm is committed to maintaining the highest standards of regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and financial integrity, ensuring all operations meet CBI and global standards.

Role Overview

The Financial Crime Associate will be based in Ireland and report into the local Head of Financial Crime Compliance (FCC) but also be a critical member of the Global Digital Assets team.  The successful candidate will support the local and EMEA FCC teams in delivering the firm’s financial crime framework across cash funds and digital assets products  as well as  tokenisation initiatives in Ireland and across EMEA. The role demands strong analytical and regulatory knowledge, as well as familiarity with the evolving landscape of virtual assets and blockchain-based finance.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct due diligence and ongoing monitoring on high-risk institutional and individual clients across fund types (including cash, digital, and tokenised funds).
• Support the design, implementation, and enhancement of AML/CTF, sanctions, bribery & corruption, and fraud prevention procedures across cash funds in Ireland and regionally.
• Monitor transactions/escalations and perform investigations, with an emphasis on detecting potential financial crime risks associated with digital assets and blockchain transactions/ products.
• Assist in maintaining and reviewing CDD/EDD files, and corresponding risk assessments, for high-risk investors, predominantly those associated with digital assets.
• Contribute to the development of risk assessment frameworks for tokenised assets and distributed ledger-based products.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders (operations, compliance, investment teams) and external parties (custodians, administrators, regulators).
• Support relevant monitoring & testing, audits, regulatory visits and examinations for financial crime.
• Prepare MI and governance reports and support the escalation of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to the MLRO.
• Keep abreast of evolving financial crime regulation, especially CBI and EU guidance, FATF developments, and key digital asset-related legislation.
• Support training initiatives and awareness programs on financial crime risks associated with emerging technologies.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, law, economics, or related discipline.
• 2–4 years of experience in financial crime compliance, ideally within a regulated financial services or fund management firm.
• Strong understanding of AML, sanctions, anti-bribery & corruption and anti-fraud frameworks.
• Demonstrable experience with fund structures—cash and/or alternative investment vehicles.
• Familiarity with digital assets, blockchain, and tokenisation models, including practical exposure to compliance monitoring in these areas (desirable).
• Working knowledge of regulatory frameworks, FATF Guidance, and MiCA (desirable).
• Experience of policy and procedure writing and confidence in performing risk assessments and undertaking monitoring and testing (desirable).
• Excellent communication, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Relevant financial crime certification (e.g., ICA, ACAMS) is advantageous.

Personal Attributes

• Ethical, detail-oriented, and intellectually curious about technological developments in finance.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive and risk-aware mindset.

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.