Vice President, Funds - New Issue and Surveillance Credit Ratings

About the Role

Vice President to support the Funds credit ratings team, which is part of the U.S. Structured Credit team.

U.S. Structured Credit (US SC) is a credit rating analytics team that assigns and monitors credit ratings, develops research and maintains credit rating methodologies for investment fund debt, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), other corporate securitizations and bespoke credit rating opportunities.  

Job Responsibilities

• Lead analyst responsible for assigning new credit ratings.
• Support credit ratings surveillance for existing ratings.
• Prepare for and lead management meetings and maintain issuer/client relationships.         
• Participate in external client calls to discuss methodologies and transaction proposals.
• Prepare and present detailed discussion and committee memos for US SC credit rating committees.
• Draft credit rating letters, press releases, presale reports and rating reports.
• Conduct portfolio analysis using Morningstar DBRS developed predictive models.
• Assess legal, regulatory, counterparty and other risks related to US SC credit ratings.
• Prepare and present new transactions to senior members of the Structured Finance team to determine feasibility and methodology application.
• Support the expansion of the Funds team by championing projects and initiatives.
• Mentor junior analysts.
• Write research and participate in webinars, investor meetings and conferences.
• Respond to client and colleague inquiries regarding methodologies, analysis and research.
• Coordinate with other teams to support credit rating analysis, administration and research.

Qualifications

• Completed a bachelor’s degree.
• 7+ years’ relevant experience, which could include:
  • Funds or Structured Finance credit ratings-related work,
  • Investment banking or legal counsel focusing on funds-related work,
  • Credit or counterparty risk management focusing on credit funds, or
  • Other relevant experience as a market participant
• Strong interest in credit funds, CLOs, private credit and private equity encouraged.
• Advanced knowledge and practical skills in using Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated analytical abilities, with a high attention to detail and producing high quality work.
• Willingness and ability to learn new analytical approaches proactively.
• Willingness and ability to think creatively.
• Curiosity to develop new applications and to perform complex analyses.
• Self-starter with ability to prioritize and complete critical work quickly, independently and with a sense of urgency.
• Capable of developing independent opinions and defending own views.
• Professional, pro-active, flexible, diligent and dependable.
• Must be team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to work on own initiative, without the need for close supervision.

Nice to Have

• Knowledge of analytical programming language (VBA, Python, etc.) is a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide-range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide:

• Financial Health 
  • 75% 401k match up to 7% 
  • Stock Ownership Potential
  • Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission

• Physical Health 
  • Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
  • Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
  • Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance

• Emotional Health 
  • Trust-Based Time Off
  • 6-week Paid Sabbatical Program 
  • 6-Week Paid Family Leave & Paternity Leave 
  • Adoption Assistance 
  • Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
  • Annual Education Stipend 
  • Tuition Reimbursement

• Social Health 
  • Charitable Matching Gifts program
  • Dollars for Doers volunteer program
  • Paid volunteering days
  • 15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups 

Bonus Target %

Morningstar’s hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to work remotely and collaborate in-person each week. While some positions are available as fully remote, we’ve found that we’re at our best when we’re purposely together on a regular basis, typically three days each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you’ll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.