Structured Finance - ABS, Director

The Structured Finance - ABS, Director role at Fitch Ratings involves leading the Asset-Backed Securities team to analyze transactions and author market commentary. Candidates should have a BA/BS degree, at least 7 years of related experience, and strong communication skills. Leadership abilities and a deep understanding of credit fundamentals are essential for success.

Fitch Ratings is seeking a Credit Professional to join the Asset-Backed Securities Group in our Chicago or New York offices.

Fitch Ratings is adding a highly motivated credit professional to the Asset Backed Securities (ABS) team as a Director. The position will be responsible for a wide range of projects including assuming a role in rating ABS transactions and authoring market commentary and research.

Successful candidates should demonstrate an ability to lead new transaction analysis and apply macro trends impacting consumers to develop credit views. In this leadership role strong communication skills are essential to the role with broad internal and external responsibilities to disseminate credit views. The position covers North American ABS, with initial emphasis on consumer sectors such as auto loan and lease and unsecured installment loans.

• Ability to grow your presence in ABS credit, along with the breadth and depth of your reach across different sectors, asset classes, structures and markets.
• An opportunity to be a lead coverage analyst in a growing and dynamic group at a global rating agency;
• A rewarding leadership role leading new rating analysis that is essential for the debt capital markets to make more informed decisions.

• Lead deal teams to analyze critical credit, legal and structural elements of ABS transaction structures;
• Contribute to dynamic rating workflows by leading rating analysis on a portfolio of ABS transactions and participating externally with investors, issuers and bankers;
• Deploy and implement various credit tools and cashflow models to form analytical views and recommendations;
• Stay abreast of sector trends and communicate views internally and externally;
• Assist in the development of ratings criteria, including forming recommendations to bolster analysis and iteratively improve; and
• Lead and/or support sector trend research reports and projects.

• We are looking for a credit professional with a BA/BS degree and a minimum of 7-years work experience with previous experience rating ABS transactions.
• Experience managing a team, ability to inspire and strategically plan workflows and progress on multiple projects in parallel.
• Fitch is a team-oriented work environment, so excellent interpersonal skills are essential, as is a high productivity work-ethic and a results-oriented mindset.
• Knack for communicating credit views (particularly in writing) and ability to analyze large data sets and form conclusions are required.
• Strong understanding of credit fundamentals and current economic conditions, combined with a willingness and ability to quickly learn new concepts and techniques.

• Direct experience in evaluating new ABS transactions, either buy-side or sell-side is prized;
• CFA candidate, or other professional designations highlighting strong capacity for the role;
• Thoughtful views on economic trends in north America and expected impacts to consumer households and credit;
• Passion for cash flow modeling and loss forecasting analysis, with practical experience;
• Desire to expand your capabilities and expertise across ABS asset classes with a leading team in the credit markets.

At Fitch Group, the combined power of our global perspectives is what differentiates us. Our global network of colleagues comes together to accomplish things greater than they ever could alone.

Every team member is essential to our business and each perspective is critical to our success. We embrace a diverse culture that encourages a free exchange of ideas, guaranteeing your voice will be heard and your work will have an impact, regardless of seniority.

We are building incredible things at Fitch and we invite…