Position: Corporate Portfolio Finance Research  – Associate Director (NY)

Entity: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: New York, NY

Summary/Overview

KBRA is seeking an Associate Director to join its Corporate Portfolio Finance Research Group, a highly visible and interconnected team responsible for producing market-facing, data-driven research focused on the private credit ecosystem. The role sits at the center of KBRA’s proprietary data ecosystem and focuses on translating complex datasets into credit-oriented insights for investors, issuers, fund managers, bankers, and internal stakeholders.

About the Job

• Develop research in collaboration with sector experts, leveraging years of proprietary data, including:
  • Corporate research that leverages KBRA’s access to financial statements, lender investment memoranda, and credit agreements for more than 5,300 sponsor-backed middle market companies.
  • Fund research derived from rated note feeders, collateralized fund obligations, private equity net asset value loans, and asset-based finance reporting and performance.
  • Structured credit research, including analysis of collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) and related structured products.
• Develop a deep understanding of the key drivers of credit performance, including how private markets function, risk dynamics, and return generation.
• Collaborate with senior members across the firm on research, database development, and analysis.
• Participate in diligence meetings with fund management teams to understand key themes and risks emerging in private markets.
• Lead the development of thematic, market-facing research pieces that shape external perspectives on private markets.
• Track defaults and recoveries, and research the underlying drivers.
• Write quarterly reports on corporate credit, structured credit, and fund-related topics, as well as intermittent updates based on recent trends or news.
• Develop presentations used internally and for public conferences.

You will be successful in this role if you have

• A keen curiosity about private markets and credit with a demonstrated capability and willingness to learn.
• Attention to detail.
• Demonstrated initiative to explore ideas and develop original, defensible, data-driven views that can be synthesized into public papers.
• Strong understanding of either corporate, fund, or structured credit analysis.
• Strong writing skills.
• Familiarity with generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT). Coding or programming experience is a plus.
• 4-8+ years of experience in credit, research, banking, journalism, investing, or structured finance.
• A bachelor's degree.

Salary Range:

The anticipated annual base salary range for this full-time position is $120,000 to $150,000. Offer amounts are determined by factors such as experience, skills, geography, and other job-related factors.

Benefits:

• A hybrid work schedule (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays in the office)
• Competitive benefits and paid time off
• Paid family and disability leave
• 401(k) plan, including employer match (100% vested)
• Educational and professional development financial assistance
• Employee referral bonus program

About Us

Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA) is a full-service credit rating agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority pursuant to the Temporary Registration Regime. In addition, KBRA is designated as a designated rating organization by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider.

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