Director

The Leveraged Finance Team.  S&P is seeking an experienced leveraged finance professional to join its leveraged finance and recovery team.  Team members are senior experts with respect to the unique drivers and complexities of the leveraged loan and high yield bond markets.  The team helps sector analysts and rating committees develop their view as to how changes in corporate structure and documentation impact a borrower’s credit profile and/or the risk of particular instruments; how to implement S&P’s criteria for assessing the credit impact of variations in shareholder financing structure; as well as how to implement S&P’s criteria to value companies in default/restructuring scenarios and assess recovery prospects across the capital structure.  Team members also help maintain and develop S&P’s relationships with investors, issuers and their advisors.  They publish their insights concerning market trends, drivers and possible turning points and are regular speakers at internal and external seminars and conferences.    

Key Responsibilities: The Director will:

Advise sector analysts with respect to –

• Developing default/restructuring scenarios and applying S&P criteria to assess lender recoveries across capital structure;

• Interpreting loan, bond, inter-creditor, shareholder financing and related corporate documents and their impact on borrower credit profile;

• Assessing the credit impact of variations in corporate structure.

Develop and maintain relationships with borrower management teams, fixed income and private equity investors, sell-side advisors and other market participants, including articulating S&P’s standards and reasons for rating decisions to key stakeholders.

Develop insights concerning leveraged finance market trends and direction for publication via articles and speaking engagements.

Qualifications:

Extensive experience in leveraged credit markets in a buy-side, sell-side, advisory or rating agency role, preferably with exposure to multiple industry sectors.

High-level analytical and modeling skills, including cash flow forecasting and company valuation.

Understanding of leveraged finance documentation and corporate structure, understanding of pertinent insolvency and corporate law concepts would be an advantage.

Familiarity with distressed securities and financial restructuring, direct participation in cross-border financial restructurings would be an advantage.

Experience successfully developing internal and external relationships, a track-record in a client service or negotiating role would be an advantage.

Team player with ability to motivate, develop and elevate junior analysts.

Based in London but willing to travel