Fitch

Structured Finance - Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities, Associate Director - Chicago

Fitch$110K — $135K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-8 years of experience in RMBS/ABS, mortgage credit, structured finance, or related roles
  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CFA/FRM preferred
  • Strong analytical and quantitative skills with cash flow modeling expertise
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for senior stakeholder engagement
  • Ability to thrive in a collaborative and fast-paced environment, managing multiple transactions and deadlines

Responsibilities

  • Lead primary analysis of RMBS transactions, including collateral, structural, legal, and counterparty assessments
  • Own cash flow modeling, scenario design, and results interpretation
  • Present recommendations and chair rating committees, documenting decisions precisely
  • Drive criteria application and contribute to methodological enhancements
  • Produce high-quality research, market commentary, and communications with issuers/investors
  • Manage relationships with issuers and represent Fitch in external meetings
  • Mentor junior analysts and ensure analytical rigor in their work
  • Monitor market trends and regulatory changes to inform analytical content

Benefits

  • Hybrid Work Environment requiring 3 days in-office
  • Culture of Learning & Mobility with dedicated training and mentorship
  • Retirement planning and tuition reimbursement for future goals
  • Comprehensive healthcare offerings for overall wellbeing
  • Family-friendly policies including generous parental leave
  • Inclusive workplace valuing diverse voices and perspectives
  • Paid volunteer days and matching donations for community support
Full Job Description
About the Team:

The U.S. RMBS group is seeking an Associate Director to help lead transaction coverage and contribute to criteria, research, and market engagement. In this role, you will lead end-to-end analysis and presentation of complex RMBS transactions; independently assess credit, cash flow, legal, and structural risks; chair or present at rating committees; mentor junior analysts; engage with issuers, arrangers, and investors; and contribute to thought leadership and criteria enhancements.

How You'll Make an Impact:
  • Lead primary and surveillance analysis of RMBS transactions, including collateral, structural, legal, and counterparty assessments
  • Own cash flow modeling, scenario design, and sensitivity analysis; oversee model deployment and results interpretation
  • Present recommendations at rating committees; chair committees as needed and document decisions to a high standard
  • Drive criteria application and contribute to criteria development and methodological enhancements
  • Produce high-quality research, market commentary, and issuer/investor communications
  • Manage and deepen assigned issuer and transaction relationships; represent Fitch in external meetings and conferences
  • Coach and review the work of junior and senior analysts to ensure analytical rigor and consistency
  • Monitor market developments, performance trends, and regulatory changes; translate insights into analytical viewpoints


You May Be a Good Fit if:
  • You have 5-8 years of relevant experience in RMBS/ABS, mortgage credit, structured finance, or closely related capital markets roles
  • You hold at least a bachelor's degree; advanced degree and/or CFA/FRM is a plus
  • You possess strong analytical and quantitative skills, including proficiency with cash flow modeling and large datasets
  • You have excellent written and verbal communication skills and are comfortable engaging senior external stakeholders
  • You thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and can manage multiple transactions and deadlines


What Would Make You Stand Out:
  • Direct lead experience on RMBS new-issue and surveillance mandates, including presenting or chairing rating committees
  • Deep knowledge of U.S. mortgage products, origination/servicing practices, due diligence, and performance drivers
  • Hands-on experience with RMBS cash flow engines, loan-level analytics, and scenario/sensitivity frameworks
  • Demonstrated contributions to criteria, methodology consultations, or thought-leadership publications
  • Established relationships with RMBS issuers, arrangers, servicers, and investors
  • Experience mentoring and reviewing the work of junior analysts; strong quality control and documentation discipline


Why Choose Fitch:
  • Hybrid Work Environment: 3 days a week in office required based on your line of business and location
  • A Culture of Learning & Mobility: Dedicated trainings, leadership development and mentorship programs designed to ensure that your time at Fitch will be a continuous learning opportunity
  • Investing in Your Future: Retirement planning and tuition reimbursement programs that empower you to achieve your short and long-term goals
  • Promoting Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive healthcare offerings that enable physical, mental, financial, social, and occupational wellbeing
  • Supportive Parenting Policies: Family-friendly policies, including a generous global parental leave plan, designed to help you balance career and family life effectively
  • Inclusive Work Environment: A collaborative workplace where all voices are valued, with Employee Resource Groups that unite and empower our colleagues around the globe
  • Dedication to Giving Back: Paid volunteer days, matched funding for donations and ample opportunities to volunteer in your community


Fitch is committed to providing global securities markets with objective, timely, independent and forward-looking credit opinions. To protect Fitch's credibility and reputation, our employees must take every precaution to avoid conflicts of interest or any appearance of a conflict of interest. Should you be successful in the recruitment process at Fitch Ratings you will be asked to declare any securities holdings and other potential conflicts prior to commencing employment. If you, or your immediate family, have any holdings that may conflict with your work responsibilities, you may be asked to divest yourself of them before beginning work.

FOR NEW YORK AND CHICAGO ROLES: Expected base pay rates for the role are between $110,000 and $135,000 per year. Actual salaries will be determined on an individual basis and may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, past performance, and other job-related considerations. Base pay is one component of Fitch's total compensation package, which may also include commission earnings, discretionary bonuses, long-term incentives, and other benefits sponsored by Fitch, depending on the position.

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About Fitch

Fitch Ratings Inc. is a credit rating agency and a subsidiary of Fitch Group, which is owned by Hearst Corporation. Fitch Ratings is headquartered in New York City and London. The company was founded by John Knowles Fitch on December 24, 1913 in New York City as the Fitch Publishing Company. It merged with London-based IBCA Limited in December 1997. In 2000 Fitch acquired both Chicago-based Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. (April) and Thomson BankWatch (December). Fitch Ratings is one of the three nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO) designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1975, together with Moody's and Standard & Poor's.
Learn more about Fitch
Size
10,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1913

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