At Franklin Templeton, we believe success is built through powerful partnerships. As a forward thinking asset manager, we build dynamic relationships with clients, understand their goals, and navigate complex markets together. We leverage cutting edge strategies and deep insights to unlock opportunities for long term wealth creation. Our talented, global teams bring expertise that is both broad and unique.
From our welcoming, inclusive, and supportive culture to our globally diverse business, we offer opportunities not only to help you reach your potential, but also to contribute to our clients’ success.
About the Department
The Franklin Innovation Research, Strategies and Technologies (FIRST) team serves as Franklin Templeton's hub for innovation, helping the firm identify, develop, and advance opportunities at the intersection of investment management and emerging technologies. The team plays a key role in shaping the firm's digital assets strategy and bringing innovative solutions to market, while fostering collaboration across business, investment, and technology functions. Through thought leadership, strategic initiatives, and experimentation with next-generation technologies, FIRST helps to position Franklin Templeton at the forefront of the evolving financial services landscape.
The Emerging Solutions team within FIRST manages the earliest stage ideas through to MVP execution, identifying high-potential, innovative opportunities arising from industry trends, client demand, and technological change, and develops them into validated business cases and scalable offerings.
Working in close partnership with investment, distribution, technology, and strategy teams as well as external partners, Emerging Solutions enables these initiatives to be implemented by FIRST and the broader organization. Through this work, the team helps Franklin Templeton to navigate a rapidly evolving industry landscape and lead in the development of next-generation solutions and capabilities.
Role Summary
This role is for a versatile senior operator who can help identify opportunities, build business cases, manage client/partner relationships, navigate internal resources and prioritization, and own initiatives through to execution.
This is a strategic role, operating in a startup-like environment, and the right candidate will have the skills and ambition to think big, set strategy and roll up their sleeves to execute in a fast-moving, highly matrixed environment.
What is the Senior Associate responsible for?
You will work across multiple initiatives simultaneously, supporting the validation, development and MVP launch of new solutions and capabilities, particularly in areas such as digital assets, AI, tokenization, and other next-generation categories. Key tasks include:
Opportunity identification and insight development
- Conduct research on industry trends, emerging technologies, and client demand. Track key developments and synthesize insights into actionable opportunity areas, building market sizing, competitive landscapes, and ecosystem analyses
Business case development and solution design
- Translate insights into structured opportunity hypotheses. Develop financial models and scenario analyses. Support the design of product structures, economic models, and operating frameworks.
- Partner with internal stakeholders across legal, technology, investment, and distribution to ensure concepts are scalable, credible, and aligned with FIRST and Franklin Templeton’s strategy
Strategic Execution
- Identification, evaluation, and structuring of partnerships with fintechs, distributors, infrastructure providers, and other ecosystem players, as well as navigating internal resourcing, prioritization and alignment
- Manage workstreams across multiple initiatives, ensuring progress, coordination, client / partner relationship management, expectation setting and and timely delivery
- Translation of validated ideas into commercialization roadmaps and go-to-market strategies, and partnering with the team to build out positioning, engagement materials and full go-to-market plans
What Will Help You Be Successful in This Role
- 7-10 years of experience in consulting, investment banking, asset management, or a related field
- Experience with financial modeling and structured analysis
- Demonstrated interest in digital assets, fintech, and evolving asset management industry developments
- Excellent communicator and natural storyteller, with the ability to deliver compelling presentations, command a room and gain buy-in
- Natural networker and relationship builder with strong EQ, able to work cross-functionally to gain support and collaboration from key stakeholders and partners
- Must be willing to push the envelope and cut red tape where present, blazing new paths and serving as a champion for new ways of working and building
- Highly adaptable, with the ability to transition to/from different initiatives and projects as opportunities and risks emerge. Able to articulate a vision and keep the team on track, focused and aligned to strategy, even as programs evolve in real time
- Start-up experience welcome, and innovative, self-organized leaders with an entrepreneurial itch to scratch are encouraged to apply
Work Location: This is a hybrid role working 3 days per week onsite out of our NYC, Short Hills (NJ), Baltimore (MD), Stamford (CT) or Boston (MA) office.
Franklin Templeton offers employees a competitive and valuable range of total rewards, monetary and non-monetary, designed to support their well-being and recognize their time, talents, and results. Along with base compensation, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, a 401(k) plan with a generous match, and recognition rewards. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a range of competitive healthcare options, insurance and disability benefits, an employee stock investment program, learning resources, career development programs, reimbursement for certain education expenses, paid time off, and a motivational wellbeing program. We expect the annual salary for this position to range between $150,000 - $195,000 depending on location and level of relevant experience, plus discretionary bonus.
At Franklin Templeton, we believe your benefits should support your life, your goals, and your future. That’s why we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package designed to help you thrive both personally and professionally.
Highlights of our benefits include:
- Paid Time Off: Three weeks of PTO in your first year
- Health Coverage: Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance to support your well-being
- Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with an 85% company match on pre-tax and/or Roth contributions, up to IRS limits
- Equity & Investing: Employee Stock Investment Plan (ESIP) with discounted share purchase opportunities
- Learning Education Assistance Program (LEAP): To support your ongoing growth and career advancement
- Employee Investment Benefits: Opportunity to purchase company funds with no sales charge
Franklin Templeton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation.
Artificial intelligence or automated tools may be used to assist in the screening, assessment, or selection of applicants for this position.