Public Credit Quant Senior Analyst

Just Group plc; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company is seeking a PC Quant Senior Analyst to join their Public Credit team. This role involves enhancing technological capabilities for investment opportunities, collaborating with portfolio managers, and designing quantitative models. The ideal candidate will have a strong quantitative background, programming skills, and experience in investment strategies. Join a purpose-driven organization committed to sustainability and diversity.

Qualifications

• Degree in a quantitative field, ideally with a Masters.
• Strong analytical skills and programming experience.
• Several years in quantitative modeling and investment.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing & executing public credit assets.
• Designing quantitative models for TAA and portfolio optimization.
• Performing market analysis using statistical methods.

Skills

Analytical skills

Programming (Python, VBA)

Statistical analysis

Market dynamics understanding

Financial products knowledge

Education

Degree in a quantitative field (Mathematics, Statistics, Finance, Engineering, Physics)

Masters degree (preferred)

Certifications like CQF or CFA (desirable)

Job description

We’re a FTSE 250 Financial Services company specializing in retirement solutions, experiencing rapid growth as the defined benefit buy-in/buy-out market expands. Just continues to grow annually by over £4bn of assets.

We are a purpose-driven company with clear goals: helping people achieve a better later life through innovative products, services, financial advice, and guidance to ensure security and peace of mind in retirement.

Our mission is to become a leading figure in the retirement industry, advocating for fair, secure, and fulfilling retirements for all.

Purpose

The Public Credit (PC) team, part of Just Group’s investment division, focuses on deploying capital into PC markets from new bulk and individual annuity policies and assessing the risk profile of the PC portfolio, including credit, liquidity, and responsible investing, aiming for sustainable capital growth through back book optimization.

The PC Quant Senior Analyst is a new role within the PC team, supporting the newly established PC Quantitative pillar that assists the PC Trading & Portfolio Management Pillar in fulfilling its mandate.

This role involves working closely with the PC Quant manager to enhance technological capabilities for systematic evaluation of investment opportunities and risks, as well as portfolio optimization. Collaboration with PC Portfolio Managers and Traders is essential to align technological improvements with commercial needs. A key aspect of the role is generating new ideas and applying analytical techniques to improve origination and optimization processes.

The individual will also coordinate with teams such as ALM, Investment Actuarial, and Capital Management to ensure PC models are optimized within Just’s broader technological ecosystem.

Job Role Accountabilities

Responsibilities are divided into the two main verticals of the Public Credit team: Trading & Portfolio Management. Note that not all workstreams are listed below.

1. Sourcing & executing public credit assets: Identifying tradable value, executing flows within governance controls, supporting pre- and post-trade processes, and providing technical support for pricing complex structures.
2. Price discovery for new issues/illiquid bonds: Understanding market premiums, developing automation tools, and providing market insights.
3. Market information and TAA: Building tools for evaluating market trends, supporting the setting of pricing curves, and communicating views across the organization.
4. Investment Strategy & Portfolio Management: Deriving TAA views, understanding balance sheet needs, monitoring investment performance, and building analytical models for decision-making.
5. Maintaining PC governance & technology: Ensuring governance and technology are aligned with strategic objectives, evaluating new technologies, and maintaining the PC handbook.

Key Activities

• Designing quantitative models for TAA and portfolio optimization
• Performing market analysis using statistical methods
• Integrating models into Just’s tech framework and presenting findings to stakeholders

Qualifications

Essential: Degree in a quantitative field (Mathematics, Statistics, Finance, Engineering, Physics), ideally with a Masters. Certifications like CQF or CFA are desirable. Strong analytical skills, programming experience (Python, VBA), understanding of statistical analysis, market dynamics, and financial products, and knowledge of pension schemes or Solvency II are required.

Experience: Several years in quantitative modeling, programming, and investment, with a proactive mindset, attention to detail, and a strong work ethic.

Why Just?

We are committed to sustainability, aiming for Net Zero emissions by 2050 (scope 3) and 2025 (scope 1 and 2). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are core to our strategy, with initiatives supporting underrepresented groups and fostering an inclusive environment. At Just, we truly care about our customers, purpose, environment, and each other.