AVP-Ratings (CRE)

Moody's Investors Service; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 162,000 - 234,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Parental leave

Paid time off

401(k) plan with employer contribution

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Moody's Investors Service is seeking an AVP-Ratings Analyst focused on Commercial Real Estate Backed Securities (CMBS). You will lead credit analysis, model cash flows, and drive rating discussions while engaging with market participants and producing insightful research.

The role requires expertise in structured finance, strong communication skills, and experience with AI-enabled workflows. Base salary ranges include incentives and benefits tied to performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance or related quantitative field required.
• Minimum of three years of experience in credit analysis for structured finance transactions, or five years in general credit analysis.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Proven expertise in CMBS and commercial real estate finance.
• Strong financial modeling and cash flow analysis abilities.
• Ability to lead rating committee discussions and defend opinions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; publication-ready research.
• Experience engaging with arrangers, issuers, investors, trustees, servicers, and external advisors.
• Growing awareness of AI risk management and ethical AI use.

Responsibilities

• Lead analyst for structured finance transactions, analyzing credit, structural, operational, and legal risks.
• Analyze transaction performance, collateral characteristics, and structural features to form ratings and credit opinions.
• Model cash flows and review documents to assess stress scenarios.
• Lead rating committees and present analyses of structures and risks.
• Communicate with arrangers, issuers, investors, trustees, servicers, and external advisors.
• Represent the team in reviews, issuer meetings, and investor forums.
• Publish research including reports, sector commentary, and market analyses.
• Monitor ratings and identify emerging risks across structured finance sectors.
• Participate in projects to enhance analytical frameworks and efficiency.

Skills

Structured finance

Credit analysis

Financial modeling

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

AI tools

Rating committees

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance

Master's degree preferred

Tools

AI tools

Excel

Job description

At Moody's, we unite the brightest minds to turn today’s risks into tomorrow’s opportunities. We do this by striving to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome to be who they are—with the freedom to exchange ideas, think innovatively, and listen to each other and customers in meaningful ways. Moody’s is transforming how the world sees risk. As a global leader in ratings and integrated risk assessment, we’re advancing AI to move from insight to action—enabling intelligence that not only understands complexity but responds to it. We decode risk to unlock opportunity, helping our clients navigate uncertainty with clarity, speed, and confidence.

If you are excited about this opportunity but do not meet every single requirement, we are seeking candidates who model our values: invest in every relationship, lead with curiosity, champion diverse perspectives, turn inputs into actions, and uphold trust through integrity.

Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrated expertise in structured finance credit analysis, with a strong command of commercial real estate finance, CMBS transactions, and related asset classes
• Strong financial modeling skills, including the ability to analyze property-level cash flows, build stress-test scenarios, and evaluate transaction performance outcomes
• Solid understanding of credit, structural, legal, and operational risks inherent in commercial real estate backed securities
• Ability to independently lead rating committee discussions, articulate credit opinions clearly, and defend analytical conclusions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce publication-ready research including presale reports, surveillance commentary, and market analyses
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience interacting with arrangers, issuers, investors, trustees, servicers, and external advisors
• Proven ability to manage multiple transactions and competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Demonstrated proficiency in artificial intelligence concepts, with hands‑on experience using AI tools to streamline workflows and enhance operational efficiency. Proven ability to implement AI‑powered solutions to solve business challenges. Demonstrates a growing awareness of AI risk management and a commitment to responsible and ethical AI use

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Financial Engineering, or a related quantitative field required
• Minimum of three years of experience in credit analysis for structured finance transactions, or five years of experience in general credit analysis
• Master's degree preferred

Responsibilities

The AVP-Ratings Analyst plays a lead role in the rating and monitoring of structured finance transactions, with a focus on Commercial Real Estate Backed Securities (CMBS), delivering high-quality credit opinions and engaging actively with market participants.

• Serve as lead analyst for structured finance transactions, including analysis of credit, structural, operational, and legal risks
• Analyze transaction performance, collateral characteristics, and structural features to formulate rating recommendations and credit opinions
• Model cash flows and review transaction documentation to assess the impact of stress scenarios and performance outcomes
• Lead rating committees and present analysis of transaction structures, legal considerations, and key credit risks
• Communicate effectively with arrangers, issuers, investors, trustees, servicers, and external advisors
• Represent the team in operational reviews, issuer meetings, and investor forums
• Produce publishable research including transaction reports, sector commentary, market trend analyses, and thought leadership pieces related to commercial real estate finance
• Monitor outstanding ratings and identify emerging risks and performance trends across structured finance sectors
• Participate in special projects to enhance analytical frameworks, operational efficiency, and digital enablement initiatives

About the Team

The Structured Finance Ratings Team within Moody's Structured Finance Group is responsible for the analysis, rating, and surveillance of a broad range of structured finance transactions across multiple asset classes. The team delivers timely, high-quality research on market developments and emerging risks, engages actively with issuers and investors, and contributes to industry dialogue through conferences, research publications, and thought leadership. Team members work in a collaborative environment focused on analytical excellence, innovation, mentorship, and long-term career growth — including the continued adoption of data-driven and AI-enabled analytical tools.

For US-based roles only: the anticipated hiring base salary range for this position is$161,500.00-$234,250.00, depending on factors such as experience, education, level, skills, and location. This range is based on a full-time position. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for incentive compensation.

• Moody’s also offers a competitive benefits package, including not but limited to medical, dental, vision, parental leave, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, life, disability, and accident insurance, a discounted employee stock purchase plan, and tuition reimbursement.

Moody’s is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender, age, religion or creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital or familial status,sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Moody’s also provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities or based on a sincerely held religious belief in accordance with applicable laws. If you need to inquire about a reasonable accommodation, or need assistance with completing the application process, please email [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only, and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

For San Francisco positions, qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

This position may be considered a promotional opportunity, pursuant to the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.

Candidates for Moody's Corporation may be asked to disclose securities holdings pursuant to Moody’s Policy for Securities Trading and the requirements of the position. Employment is contingent upon compliance with the Policy, including remediation of positions in those holdings as necessary.

For more information on the Securities Trading Program, please refer to the Securities Trading Policy on Moody’s Compliance Expo page

Please note: STP categories are assigned by the hiring teams and are subject to change over the course of an employee’s tenure with Moody’s.