Credit Risk Manager, US

JERA Global Markets; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

JERA Global Markets in Houston is building its North American Gas Trading presence, and seeks a Manager, Credit Risk to lead the US risk team. The role will oversee credit assessments, limit management, and credit support negotiations as part of a growing trading platform.

The successful candidate will coordinate with Legal and Front Office, monitor market developments, and contribute to risk reporting and policy development in a fast-paced energy environment.

Qualifications

• Around 15+ years of experience in a credit analyst/manager/senior manager role within a commodities trading environment or financial institution.
• Experience in leading teams, managing junior resources and overseeing projects.
• Professional experience in US Gas and Power; exposure to Coal, LNG and Freight is a plus.
• Experience negotiating contractual terms with Legal support and crafting credit documentation.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Credit Risk team in the Houston office and collaborate with Singapore-based Senior Manager, Credit Risk.
• Oversee global credit risk requests, risk rating, limits, and mitigations for new and existing counterparties.
• Review and approve counterparty proposals and ensure outputs are complete, relevant, and insightful.
• Coordinate with Legal on credit terms, covenants, and credit supports (LCs, guarantees, insurances).
• Monitor market trends and emerging events affecting credit standings and exposures.
• Develop and implement new policies, qualitative and quantitative risk frameworks and IT tools.

Skills

Credit risk

Leadership

Negotiation

Financial analysis

KYC/AML

English fluency

Education

Degree holder

Tools

CubeLogic

Job description

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

About the Company

The JERA Global Markets Group (JERAGM) is a leading utility-backed energy trader specialising in LNG, power,coaland freight.

As JERA’s exclusive trading and optimisation platform for majority shareholder, JERAGM operates one of the most exciting energy portfolios in the world, which gives it an in-depth understanding of the way local,regionaland international energy markets behave. Thisexpertiseenables us to capture trading opportunities, optimise portfolios, createvalueand enhance security of supply for our customers.

Headquartered in Singapore, JERAGM has a global talent pool of about 400 people across officeslocatedin five strategic locations: Singapore, the UK (London), Japan (Tokyo), the US (Houston)and Australia (Brisbane).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Position Description

This role forms part of JERA's growing North American Gas Trading business, which is expected to transition onto JERAGM’s trading platform. This business is wholly owned by JERA Co., Inc. and will focus on US natural gas trading,optimisationand market development across North America. Successful candidates will join during the build-out phase ahead of the business's planned operational launch.

Within JERAGM’s US business, the Credit functionis responsible forall aspects of credit risk management including pre-deal counterparty assessments, contractual and credit support negotiations, portfolio credit exposure management (including mitigation), default probability assessments, and credit risk capital assessments.

As a global trading business, JERAGM has counterparty exposure in Asia, EMEA, the U.S., and Latin America. The quality of our counterparties ranges from large,listed utilities and global trading companies to small single ship owning organisations. Trading relationships range from bilateral commodity sales and purchases to complex structured transactions with SPVs (IPPs for example).

The current position willbe located inHoustonoffice.TheManager,CreditRiskin Houston officewill reportinto theSenior Manager, Credit Risk in JERAGM,who is basedin Singapore, and indirectly intothe Head of Risk,in Houston office.

Key Role Responsibilities

As part of the Credit team, theManager,CreditRiskwillbe responsible for:

• Working closelyand collaborativelywith JERAGM’s Senior Manager, Credit Risk, based in Singapore, to ensure consistencyin approach,platformand output for allCredit assessmentsandreportsin Houston office;

• Leadingcredit risk related requestsgloballybut primarily from US offices,overseeing risks, rating,limitand mitigation assessmentsfornew and existing counterparties.Overseeing(but at times being directly involved in)the review process and write-ups, and reviewing outputs to ensure that credit risk assessments arecomplete,relevantandinsightful;

• Reviewing and approving limit and counterpartiesproposalsunder delegated authority,or escalating appropriatelyin accordance withinternal risk mandate;

• LeadingtheCredit Riskteamin Houston office, and asappropriate, providing guidanceand oversightfor the Credit Risk teammembers;

• Managing relationship withGMAFront Office (Originators &Traders) ensuringcommercial and credit risk interests are understood and reconciled;

• Understanding,shapingand supporting the modelling of potential credit exposure of new and existing transactions;

• Working with the Legal team in the negotiation ofcredit terms and covenants in commodity tradingand serviceagreement (NAESB,ISDA,transport agreement,etc.) as well as credit supports (letters of credit, parent company guarantee, insurances, etc.) directly withcounterparties,credit support providers,in collaboration withand support ofJERAGM/ GMA’s Legal andthe CommercialOrigination teams;

• Identifyingand monitoringmarkettrends and emergingeventsthat couldpotentiallyimpactthecredit standingofentities within thecounterparty portfolioand/or credit exposures andidentifyactions to mitigate risks;

• Overseeing and supportingthe computationand reportingofkey credit risk indicators (creditreserves, credit risk capital, etc.) toJERAGM’sVP, Risk and SeniorManagement andShareholders on aperiodicor ad hocbasis, asrequired;

• Contributing to the development of newpolicies,qualitative andquantitative credit riskframeworksand IT tools.

QUALIFICATIONS

Key Qualifications and Experience

Experience

• Around15yearsor moreof experience in a credit analyst/manager/senior managerposition gained within a commodities trading environment or financial institution;

• Experience inleading teams,managing junior resources andoverseeingprojects;

• Professional experienceinat least one of ourenergy products,specificallyUS Gas and Power,is a requirement, andexposure toCoal, Dry-bulkfreight,LNGand/orLNGfreightwillbe a strong advantage;

• Professional experience in negotiating contractualterms (supported by the Legal team)andin craftingrelevant, insightful, andconcisecredit documentations will be a strong advantage;

Technical

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification;

• Excellent financial, qualitative and credit analysis skills;

• Good negotiation skills and understanding of contractual frameworks;

• Knowledge ofUS Gas and Power,and knowledge ofCoal,LNGand Freight productsas a plus;

• Understanding of KYC and AML processes and requirementsand the inter-dependencies with the Credit Process is key;

• Fluency in English – both written and verbal compulsory;

• Understanding ofCubeLogicsystem is a plus;

• Experience and understanding of S&P IQ capital is a plus;

Person Specification

• Ability tobring leadership to the role, managing various internal and external constraints, whileremainingself-aware,tactfuland authentic;

• Ability to absorb pressure,transmitclarityand communicate the path forward;

• Organised and accountable;

• Capable to work autonomously is important but also to function as part of a team;

• Able to work within strictand tightdeadlines and within policies;

• Confident personality with the ability to communicate and write effectively as well as interact with a variety of JERAGM functions and external counterparts;

• Attention to detail and the ability to work logically, consistently, and accurately;

• Computer literate, numerate, and comfortable handling varied and complex data sets;

Role Opportunity

This role offers an excellent opportunity tolead, andfurtherapply anddevelop skills and responsibility within a growing and successful commodity trading business.