Ratings Specialist – International Public Finance
Standard Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the world's foremost provider of financial market intelligence, including independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. With approximately 7500 employees, including wholly owned affiliates, located in 23 countries, Standard Poor's is an essential part of the world's financial infrastructure and has played a leading role for more than 150 years in providing investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more confident about their investment and financial decisions.
Standard and Poor's Sovereign and International Public Finance team in Europe is made up of 50 analysts. This includes 30 analysts in the International Public Finance (IPF) team, located in 7 different offices around Europe.
We currently have an opening for a Rating Specialist position in our International Public Finance team. The position will be based in London and the role will include analysis of local and regional governments, housing associations, universities, and healthcare providers and other not-for-profit entities in the U.K and the Netherlands. The team works on a combination of issuer and transaction ratings, providing an interesting mix and opportunities to learn different skills.
The job encompasses a wide array of analytical tasks, including handling a portfolio of public finance related credits (including on-going interface with clients), ad hoc research, attending meetings and rating committees, frequent interactions with investors, financial intermediaries, and the media. The job also involves the participation in global research and criteria projects in the public finance group. The successful candidate will possess the ability to undertake rigorous analytical work and will be proficient at doing research and writing well-structured analytical reports.
Core Responsibilities and Job Functions
- Primary analytical responsibility for local and regional governments (LRGs) as well as government-related credits (GREs), mainly in the U.K and the Netherlands;
- Act as a backup analyst and support the primary analyst when requested to do so;
- Perform credit analysis by demonstrating the ability to understand and identify key factors that affect an issuer's credit rating;
- Ensure that databases and other analytical information/tools on the portfolio of credits are kept current at all times and that all material is published to a predetermined schedule;
- Participate in cross-regional rating committees and present well-articulated opinions to rating committees;
- Participate in global research and criteria projects;
- Plan and write relevant and timely market-focused commentaries and research on the sector that will enhance Standard Poor's reputation for thought leadership in the region;
- Ensure a high level of service to rated issuers, including responsiveness to issuer queries and preparation for issuer meetings;
- Otherwise enhance the IPF group's reputation by engaging in a range of media interviews, investor contacts, conferences and board meetings to become a leading voice in the analysis of key credit issues in U.K. public finance.
The applicant is expected to have at least 2-3 years of prior work experience in the public sector or with a public policy institution. This might include experience with central government, local government, a think tank, university, bank, or accountancy/consulting firm providing services to the public sector.
She/he should ideally also boast:
- A post-graduate degree in Public Finance/Economics or another relevant subject area;
- Solid knowledge of credit analysis mechanisms, accounting principles, ability to understand legal and fiscal documentation;
- A strong and demonstrable interest in public finance and public policy;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to represent Standard Poor's at meetings and conferences;
- Ability to demonstrate independence and objectivity, to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines, while being proactive and rigorous;
- Fluency in English, and proven ability to write clearly in English - other languages would be an advantage;
- Strong Excel/Word/PowerPoint and database application skills;
- Ability to prepare forecasts based upon reasoned assumptions will be required. Familiarity with financial models is also a plus.
The successful candidate should be able to work independently within a team and multi-cultural environment and be motivated, well-organized and flexible to adapt to changing work requirements.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.