At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the architecture and delivery of a cutting-edge analytics platform for alternative investments.
- Company: Join BlackRock, a leader in financial services dedicated to employee growth and well-being.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible time off, education reimbursement, and comprehensive health resources.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in finance while mentoring a talented engineering team.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in Java software engineering and 5+ years in technical leadership roles.
- Other info: Hybrid work model promotes collaboration and accelerates your learning experience.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
PACE (Private Asset Calculation Engine) is BlackRock's strategic analytics engine powering alternative investments performance and risk analytics across eFront tools. Built on a Java/Spring Boot microservices architecture with gRPC communication, PACE processes billions in fund performance data, IRR/TWR calculations, and risk metrics for private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and private credit portfolios. The platform consists of multiple interconnected services including Fund, Asset, Portfolio, Transaction, Benchmarking, ESG, and Holding services—each responsible for specific calculation domains while maintaining consistency through shared libraries and Protocol Buffer contracts.
Role Overview
Lead the architecture, delivery, and operational excellence of the PACE platform. You will mentor a team of 8–15+ engineers, drive technical strategy, and collaborate with senior stakeholders to scale our platform for alternative investment professionals. This role demands deep technical expertise in the Java/Spring ecosystem, strategic thinking, leadership capability, and business acumen in alternative investments. You will be accountable for critical platform components, technical decisions with firm-wide impact, and the professional development of your team.
Key Responsibilities
- Technical Leadership (35%) – Define platform architecture, lead calculation engine direction (IRR/TWR/NPV), drive gRPC API design, champion engineering best practices.
- Team Leadership (30%) – Build and mentor engineering team, conduct performance reviews, recruit talent, foster technical excellence culture.
- Delivery (20%) – Ensure timely delivery, manage production operations, drive >90% test coverage for critical paths, balance tech debt vs features.
- Stakeholder Management (15%) – Partner with Product, communicate to senior leadership, build relationships with Portfolio Managers and Fund Analysts.
Required Qualifications
- Experience – 10+ years Java software engineering experience. 5+ years in technical leadership roles. 3+ years leading teams of 5+ engineers. Track record delivering large-scale distributed systems. Background in financial services technology (alternative investments preferred).
- Technical Expertise – Core Stack: Java 17+, Spring Boot 3.x, gRPC, Protocol Buffers, Maven. Infrastructure: Azure, AKS, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD. Architecture: Microservices, DDD, API design, high availability. Domain: Alternative investments, IRR/TWR, fund accounting.
- Leadership Competencies – Strategic Thinking, People Leadership, Communication, Business Acumen, Delivery Excellence.
Preferred Qualifications
- BS/MS in Computer Science or related field.
- Experience with eFront or Aladdin platforms.
Note: Role requires background checks and compliance with firm policies.
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. 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.
VP, Software Engineering - PACE Platform employer: LGBT Great
Contact Detail:
LGBT Great Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land VP, Software Engineering - PACE Platform
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work at BlackRock or similar firms. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about the role and even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into the PACE platform. Understand its architecture and how it impacts alternative investments. Show us you’re not just a tech whiz but also someone who gets the business side of things.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! We want to hear about times you’ve mentored teams or driven technical strategy. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your people skills and technical expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at BlackRock.
We think you need these skills to ace VP, Software Engineering - PACE Platform
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the VP, Software Engineering role. Highlight your Java/Spring expertise and any leadership roles you've held. We want to see how you can drive technical strategy!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about alternative investments and how your background makes you the perfect fit for leading the PACE platform. Let us know what excites you about this opportunity!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves mentoring a team, be sure to include examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. We love to see how you've fostered a culture of technical excellence and delivered results!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you're serious about joining our team at BlackRock!
How to prepare for a job interview at LGBT Great
✨Know Your Tech Stack Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Java 17+, Spring Boot 3.x, and gRPC. Brush up on your knowledge of microservices architecture and how it applies to the PACE platform. Being able to discuss specific examples of how you've used these technologies in past projects will show your technical expertise.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in leading teams, especially in a technical context. Think about how you’ve mentored engineers and driven team performance. Be ready to share specific instances where your leadership made a difference in project delivery or team dynamics.
✨Understand the Business Side
Since this role involves significant stakeholder management, brush up on your business acumen related to alternative investments. Familiarise yourself with key concepts like IRR, TWR, and fund accounting. This will help you communicate effectively with Portfolio Managers and Fund Analysts during the interview.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking. Prepare scenarios where you had to balance tech debt with feature delivery or make critical architectural decisions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses clearly.