Senior Criteria Analyst- Rating Methodology

CFA Institute; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

CFA Institute is seeking a Sr. Criteria Analyst in London to manage the Best's Rating Methodology and the related criteria procedures in credit rating analytics. The role includes writing, testing, and reviewing criteria procedures for insurance-related ratings, participating in compliance, and supporting training development. Ideal candidates should have a degree in Business or Finance and preferably hold industry designations like CFA. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential, along with proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree or equivalent required in Business, Finance, Economics or related field.
• Professional industry designation is preferred (CFA, CII, CPCU, Actuarial).

Responsibilities

• Write, test, review existing and new criteria procedures.
• Provide support for documentation in the Methodology Review process.
• Participate in discussions with internal and external constituents regarding criteria inquiries.
• Contribute to benchmarking efforts for consistency in rating assignments.
• Assist in maintaining documentation for external comments received on Criteria.
• Coordinate meetings with Rating Division representatives.
• Assist in the development and training for existing/new criteria applications.

Job description

Overview

The Sr. Criteria Analyst, Credit Rating Criteria is a member of the Credit Rating Criteria, Research and Analytics Group, and is responsible for the application, maintenance and review of Best's Rating Methodology (BRM) and the related criteria procedures within rating analytics. The Sr. Criteria Analyst will be charged with the writing, testing and reviewing of existing and new criteria procedures for insurance-related ratings.

This role is based in London where AM Best has approximately 85 staff, including analysts providing financial strength ratings to the insurance industry within EMEA.

Responsibilities

• Write, test, review in-force and new criteria procedures as well as the overall Best's Credit Rating Methodology and Best's Insurance-Linked Securities and Structures Methodology with a special focus on those linked to the London/EU/Asia offices (e.g., Lloyd's, Takaful)
• Provide support for documentation in the Methodology Review process for existing criteria and assist in authoring/editing of criteria procedures
• Participate in dialogue with internal and external constituents regarding inquiries about criteria
• Participate in Corporate Policy Rating Committee meetings, challenging assumptions and offering thought leadership on items presented at CRPC for review
• Contribute to benchmarking efforts, analyzing the consistency of rating assignments and the application of rating approaches
• Assist in maintaining documentation for external comments received on Criteria/Methodology that have been subject to a public consultation period
• Coordinate and participate in meetings with Rating Division representatives
• Assist in the development of training on existing and/or new criteria applications and provide training to staff as needed
• Handle ad-hoc requests and develop procedures as needed
• Provide support functions for regulatory and compliance fulfilment and assist local compliance with any regulatory related inquiries related to BRM
• Participate in the assembling of documentation for internal validation review and audit

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree or equivalent required- Business, Finance, Economics or related field
• Professional industry designation is preferred (CFA, CII, CPCU, Actuarial, etc.)

Skills

• Experience working in the insurance industry and/or rating agency background
• Additionally, candidates from Regulatory, compliance or risk management will be preferred
• Good knowledge base of the insurance industry/financial markets and principles of finance and accounting
• Strong business and technical writing/editing, communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to coordinate between internal groups to build consensus is key
• Develop and manage professional relationships with external stakeholders including issuers, market participants, and regulators
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, specifically Excel-intermediate level; PowerPoint and Word
• Excellent time management, planning abilities, organizational skills and attention to detail