Project Manager

Hybrid role ( 2 to 3 days onsite) Location: Open to London & Edinburgh Project Manager BlackRock Aladdin - Sybase to SQL Server Migration Role Type: Senior Project Manager Domain: Asset Management / Financial Services Primary Platform: BlackRock Aladdin Program: Sybase to Microsoft SQL Server Migration Role Overview

• We are seeking an experienced Project Manager with prior BlackRock engagement experience, preferably with exposure to the Aladdin platform and large-scale application modernization or database migration programs. The individual will lead coordination, planning, reporting, and execution oversight for the migration of Aladdin-related applications from Sybase to Microsoft SQL Server.
• The role requires strong stakeholder management, application portfolio governance, migration planning, dependency tracking, and executive reporting skills across a large and complex technology landscape. Key Responsibilities Program and Project Management
• Lead and coordinate the migration program for BlackRock Aladdin applications transitioning from Sybase to SQL Server.
• Manage project scope, timelines, milestones, risks, issues, dependencies, and stakeholder communications.
• Drive execution across multiple application development, infrastructure, database, and support teams.
• Facilitate governance meetings, steering committees, status reviews, and migration readiness checkpoints.
• Escalate blockers proactively and drive timely resolution. Application Portfolio Assessment
• Manage the inventory and assessment of applications requiring migration across a portfolio of more than 10,000 applications.
• Oversee analysis of application dependencies, database connections, ownership, priorities, and technical readiness.
• Coordinate with application owners and technical teams to validate migration candidates.
• Ensure accurate application ownership mapping and prioritization across technologies including Perl, Java, Python, C++, and others.
• Coordinate the use of discovery and monitoring tools, including linting and Grafana, to identify application connections to database servers. Migration Planning and Execution
• Lead migration-wave planning, release scheduling, and cutover-readiness activities.
• Partner with engineering and platform teams to optimize migration sequencing, minimize operational risk, and maximize delivered value.
• Coordinate migration weekend activities, readiness reviews, go/no-go decisions, issue escalation, and post-migration follow-up.
• Track migration progress and support successful execution across successive migration waves. Reporting and Governance
• Curate and format the validated application inventory for upload into Microsoft Azure DevOps (ADO).
• Assign applications to the appropriate teams and owners, with agreed priorities, milestones, and tracking attributes.
• Develop and maintain executive dashboards and status reports using Microsoft Power BI and other reporting tools.
• Track completion percentages, upcoming deadlines, application readiness, migration status, risks, and dependencies.
• Prepare concise presentations and updates for senior leadership and program stakeholders. Stakeholder and Team Coordination
• Serve as a primary liaison among BlackRock stakeholders, application owners, engineering teams, database teams, infrastructure teams, and program leadership.
• Drive accountability across multiple teams and ensure adherence to migration plans and timelines.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and support informed decisions on scope, sequencing, priorities, and risk mitigation. Required Qualifications
• 8+ years of project management experience delivering enterprise technology programs.
• Prior experience working within BlackRock environments and with BlackRock stakeholder teams.
• Experience managing large-scale application migration, modernization, infrastructure, or database transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle, Agile delivery, governance, and release management.
• Experience managing complex application portfolios involving multiple technologies, owners, and delivery teams.
• Experience using Azure DevOps, Power BI, Microsoft Project or comparable planning tools, and Jira or similar work-management platforms.
• High-risk, issue, dependency, milestone, and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, executive reporting, and presentation capabilities. Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting or working within the BlackRock Aladdin ecosystem.
• Exposure to Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, database migrations, or data-platform modernization programs.
• Familiarity with application discovery, dependency mapping, connection scanning, and migration-assessment tools.
• Working awareness of application technologies such as Java, Python, Perl, C++, and enterprise application architectures.
• PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, Scrum Master, or equivalent certification.
• Financial services, investment management, or asset management domain experience. Key Skills
• Program and Project Management
• BlackRock Engagement Experience
• Aladdin Platform Exposure
• Application Portfolio Management
• Sybase to SQL Server Migration
• Azure DevOps (ADO)
• Power BI Reporting
• Stakeholder Management
• Risk and Dependency Management
• Executive Communication
• Agile / Scrum Delivery
• SDLC Governance
• Release and Cutover Planning
• Migration-Wave Coordination