Position Title: Corporate Credit Funds - Director (Chicago)
Entity: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC
Employment Type: Full-time
Location: Chicago, IL
Summary/Overview:
KBRA (Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC) is seeking a Director to join our growing Corporate Credit Funds team in the Chicago office. The Corporate Credit Funds team assigns and monitors credit ratings on various debt instruments backed by portfolios of middle market corporate loans, including senior secured direct lending investments, along with other corporate loans, notes, and bonds.
The team focuses on private credit and direct lending transactions, including feeder fund rated notes, master fund credit facilities, middle market CLOs, corporate loan and bond portfolios, and select synthetic risk transfer structures. The team evaluates financing solutions that enable capital formation, fund investment, and liquidity management for private credit managers and institutional investors.
A strong candidate will have significant experience in corporate credit, private credit, direct lending, or structured credit, with a deep understanding of portfolio construction, asset performance, structural protections, and cash flow dynamics. The primary focus of this role is fund debt transactions supported by portfolios of middle market direct lending investments, primarily senior secured corporate loans, as well as other corporate credit instruments; however, experience in CLOs or structured credit is highly relevant, as the analytical skills, including collateral pool assessment, tranche risk analysis, cash flow modeling, and structural review, are transferable.
About the Job:
- Lead the new issuance rating process, including evaluation of transaction capital structures, legal protections, collateral quality, portfolio composition, asset performance, and cash flow dynamics.
- Analyze portfolios of corporate loans, bonds, and other credit instruments, including middle market and sponsor-backed exposures.
- Conduct due diligence meetings with asset managers, direct lenders, arrangers, and issuers to assess underwriting standards, portfolio management practices, risk management frameworks, and performance history.
- Prepare rating memoranda and new issuance reports, and present recommendations to rating committees.
- Lead ongoing monitoring and surveillance of outstanding transactions, tracking portfolio performance, credit migration, and concentration trends.
- Develop and maintain complex financial models to assess collateral performance, cash flow coverage, stress scenarios, and structural resilience.
- Collaborate with KBRA experts across structured credit, corporate finance, financial institutions, and ABS to evaluate cross-sector and hybrid portfolio transactions.
- Supervise and mentor junior team members, fostering strong analytical development and professional growth.
- Lead or assist in developing analytical tools and standardized frameworks to enhance consistency, transparency, and efficiency in new issuance and surveillance processes.
- Represent KBRA at industry conferences, panels, and investor meetings, sharing insights on private credit, direct lending, and portfolio finance trends.
- Contribute to credit research and publications related to corporate portfolio finance, direct lending, and structured credit markets.
You will be successful in this role if you have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics or Math related fields.
- Eight (8) or more years of work experience in corporate credit analysis, private credit, direct lending, fund investing, CLO analysis, or structured finance.
- Experience reviewing legal documents and strong understanding of liability structures, LTV/advance rates, payment priorities, and structural protections.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel is required to build and analyze excel based financial models to assess asset cash flow projections, and debt repayment under stress scenarios
- Ability to assess creditworthiness of funds, assets, and counterparties; understanding how this applies to rating methodologies.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to prepare clear, concise, and well-reasoned credit memos and reports and present them to committees in an efficient manner.
- Strong interpersonal skills to work as an integral part of a highly collaborative team and across disciplines in a challenging and dynamic environment and effectively manage internal and external relationships.
- CFA or MBA is a plus
- Ability to manage time and resources in fast-growing company.
- Familiarity with Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT for research, data insights, and general productivity is a plus.
Salary Range:
The anticipated annual base salary range for this full-time position is $150,000 to $175,000. 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.
More Info:
KBRA encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.
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