Associate Principal, Credit Analyst at Standard Chartered Bank

JOB SUMMARY

To provide insightful, relevant, succinct and timely credit analysis of a portfolio of SCB’s clients (current or prospective).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy

• This includes responsibility for proposing counterparty credit grades via the relevant scorecard, and ongoing monitoring for credit-material events. While the portfolio will be industry / geography specific in focus, the role extends to analysing other clients as may from time to time be required
• Insightful: Attuned to the needs of two audiences – Client Coverage and Risk - the analysis should provide a forward-looking, focused opinion on the likely development of both business and financial risk elements in their industry / geographic context together with a calibrated articulation of key risks and potential mitigants thereto.
• Relevant: As well as a holistic counterparty assessment, analysis should comment on structural elements relevant to SCB’s existing or proposed exposure such as guarantee and security arrangements
• Succinct: While always providing sufficient granularity to substantiate its conclusions and observations, the analysis should present opinion in as structured and succinct a manner as is practical
• Timely: While focused on the prescribed annual review cycle, analysis will also be required where material new exposure is being considered by Client Coverage. In addition, more summary analysis should be produced and disseminated quickly, where relevant.

Business

• To partner the team’s two key stakeholder communities, Client Coverage and Risk, supporting the former in developing and executing their client strategies and both in respect of credit analysis-relevant matters.

Processes

Timely drafting of credit analysis as directed by the relevant Team Leader. Such analysis should be Insightful, Relevant and Succinct (see Strategy) and include the following, inter alia:

• Discussion of the dynamics and nature of the Client’s industry, including key risk aspects;
• Assessment of the Client’s competitive positioning within its industry;
• Discussion of management strength, experience and track record and corporate governance more broadly;
• Articulation of the Client’s strategy and an assessment of its clarity and associated execution risks;
• Assessment of funding strategy, financial policy, treasury activity (hedging, cash management) and liquidity;
• Development of a current / forward year base forecast performance expectation;
• Assessment of balance sheet strength, alongside cashflow and profitability vulnerability, via ratio analysis and/or stress testing;
• Discussion of other pertinent risk aspects, including country risk, parental and/or governmental linkage/support, relative ranking of indebtedness, Fraud risk;
• Evaluation of risks associated with particular proposed transactions, where required;
• Completion of Group Mandate/BCA Part 1, Part 2, financial analysis/spreads, scorecards;
• Ensure use of appropriate calculator in alignment with Credit Policy for relevant approvals (e.g. Raptor, Group Aggregation Calculator);
• Complete ESRA (Environment and Social Risk Assessment) Checklist;
• For Cat 2 lines, complete Financial Markets Appropriateness and GWWR Attribute checklist;
• For Cat 2 lines, Credit Term Sheet updates based on RM/Risk feedback;
• Supporting business on structuring deals;
• Documentation support on credit aspects and working with IMO on BCA reworks;
• Testing and Monitoring Covenants & Risk Triggers;
• EAR & ASTAR reporting/updates to credit;
• Seek pre-approval endorsements(where applicable);
• Preparing country specific regulatory check-lists (where applicable);
• Credit stress testing
• CCC Certification
• Preparation of other analysis as directed by the relevant Team Leader, such as Industry specific reviews, portfolio reviews, assessments of new prospects etc.

People & Talent

• Support CA Team Leaders and others in the team on ad hoc projects, strategic initiatives and exercises aimed at improving or enhancing the team’s activities
• Continually strive to share key relevant knowledge and learnings with others across the team
• Provide credit specific coaching to newer or less experienced members of the team

Risk Management

• In respect of Clients where the role-holder is assigned as analyst:
• Proactive monitoring of key entity or industry wide events and/or developments, as well as of covenants and risk triggers where applicable
• Partnering Relationship Managers in pursuing their client strategies through proactive idea generation, support in preparing materials for client discussion and through ensuring they are always fully briefed on key risk aspects
• Partnering Risk through clear presentation of credit analysis and proposed credit grading, as well as through proactive and considered discussion of key risk aspects
• Accompanying Relationship Managers on client visits, as part of general due diligence in respect of credit analysis
• Acting as a broader point of expertise in respect of credit aspects with Product and others across SCB

Governance

• Maintaining integrity in analysis at all times is critical. This includes frequent and iterative discussion with both Client Coverage and Risk around draft analysis, key sector / geographic trends, as well as discussion of covenants, risk triggers and the like. It involves proactive idea generation and discussion with Client Coverage around potential business opportunities for SCB, assisting both Client Coverage and Risk around transaction structuring and execution, where relevant, and identifying and alerting stakeholders of emerging risk aspects on a continuous basis. 

Regulatory & Business Conduct

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.
• Lead to achieve the outcomes set out in the Bank’s Conduct Principles
• Exercise authorities delegated by the Board of Directors and act in accordance with Articles of Association

Key stakeholders

Internal Relationships:

• GAMs, RAMs, FAMs
• Risk
• Product partners
• CDD, where relevant
• Legal, Audit and Compliance, where relevant
• Physical Commodity Operations, where relevant

External Relationships:

• Clients
• Rating Agencies
• Market Data Services providers

 Our Ideal Candidate

• Education     Graduates / graduate calibre
• Sound knowledge of accounting and financial principles gained by experience or qualification
• MBA or CFA qualifications advantageous, but not required
• Languages     English

Role Specific Technical Competencies

• Credit Analysis
• Industry knowledge
• Business risk Analysis
• Review of financial statements
• Financial projection and modelling