Senior Analyst/Associate Director - Insurance

Department Overview:

Fitch Ratings’ North American Insurance group provides public and private ratings of insurance companies and their debt instruments in United States, Canada, and Bermuda.

The department employs 18 credit analysts and staff in Chicago and New York, and is part of a global insurance team of approximately 70 staff members across North America, Europe Africa and the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

The department covers insurance sectors including Life, Property/Casualty, Reinsurance, Health, Mortgage, Title, Captives, Financial Guaranty, and Insurance-Linked Securitizations. 

Job Description:

Fitch Ratings is looking for a new Associate Director/Senior Analyst to provide credit analysis for our North American Insurance Group analyzing insurance companies with an emphasis on either Property/Casualty or Life Insurance in either Chicago or New York.

As a member of the North American Insurance analytical team, you will be in charge of a varied portfolio of regulated insurance companies, insurance holding companies, and issuances across either the property/casualty or life space, either as lead or secondary analyst role.  The currently envisaged portfolio comprises approximately 10 insurance organization credits as lead analyst and 4 as secondary analyst.  You will monitor and analyze company news flow and financial results to identify events or trends which may lead to rating changes. You will also conduct meetings with rated company’s senior management.    

You will present and discuss recommendations for new ratings or rating changes, holding internal rating committees as well as communicating Fitch’s credit opinions externally. You will also be involved with ad-hoc sector commentaries and topical research. The role will also involve interaction with investors and bankers, as well as rated insurers.  Some, but not an excessive level, of travel will be required (albeit this is currently severely limited due to the pandemic).

Primary duties:

•    Lead coverage on a portfolio of property/casualty or life insurance companies
•    Interacting with management of property/casualty or life insurance companies
•    Preparing and presenting rating committee packages
•    Participating in rating committees
•    Writing company research
•    Contributing to insurance industry research
•    Participating in analytical projects utilizing industry financial data sources
•    Back-up coverage on selected insurance companies
•    Maintaining files in accordance with company policies

Qualifications and experience:

The role would suit an individual with previous analytical experience looking to develop further in an intellectually challenging, analytically rigorous yet supportive environment.

Fitch’s insurance analysts have diverse backgrounds, including career financial/credit analysts, professional services, or financial/operational roles in companies. Desirable qualities include:

•    Bachelor’s degree 
•    Three years or more relevant experience in property/casualty or life insurance analysis or in a strategic planning, financial management or actuarial position within the insurance industry
•    CFA/MBA/CPA or actuarial designations a plus
•    Self-motivated professional  
•    Strong analytical, quantitative, and organizational skills
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills　
•    Ability to shift fluidly between multiple projects as priorities change 　
•    Ability to excel in a team-oriented environment　
•    Expertise in Excel and Word