About the Role:
Grade Level (for internal use):
09
The Role: Rating Analyst - Americas Public Finance, Local Government Group, West (Grade 9)
The Team:
The Local Government, West Region provides credit ratings for counties, municipalities, and school districts throughout the western United States. You'll join a professional team of analysts that maintains a strong culture of analytical excellence and customer service in a supportive and collegial environment. We highly value effective teamwork, collaborative problem-solving, and the ability to actively participate and contribute towards shared team goals.
The Impact:
Americas Public Finance is a critical sector of the capital markets and serves as a key funding source and growth driver for many areas of the economy. If you're interested in helping facilitate this growth while challenging yourself in a fast-paced environment, this is the right position for you. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to a strong talent development culture that values integrated analysis, service excellence, global mindset, and professional empowerment.
What's in it for you:
This is a junior position with high expectations for upward mobility. You'll work in a collegial culture with excellent potential for professional development and career growth. Advancement opportunities are available for those who demonstrate strong aptitude and embrace the municipal finance sector. While career development depends on individual performance and business needs, this role rewards skills and dedication with clear advancement pathways.
Responsibilities and Impact:
- Conduct in-depth research and prepare comprehensive documents and presentations for rating committees, demonstrating exceptional attention to detail and ability to identify potential issues that others may miss
- Attend rating committee meetings alongside senior analysts, actively listening to understand different perspectives and providing technical information to support team decisions
- Apply strong knowledge of rating criteria and financial statement analysis, using previous experience to identify appropriate courses of action and improve existing analytical approaches
- Assist in collecting and analyzing data for special projects, resolving issues that are often varied and non-routine while bringing new ideas to support team objectives
- Collaborate with analysts to publish periodic thought leadership articles, interpreting and clarifying technical information to aid broader understanding
- Support and exchange technical information with immediate team members and routine stakeholders, ensuring effective communication across all interactions
- All employees are required to work from the office a minimum of 2 days per week
- We require all candidates who reach the final stage of our interview process to attend at least one in-person interview, which is ordinarily at your nearest S&P Global Ratings office. This must be completed before we can proceed to an offer
What We're Looking For:
Basic Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, government/public policy, or related field
- 1+ years of relevant work experience in finance, analysis, or related field
- Demonstrated interest in local government operations and municipal finance
- Strong analytical mindset with ability to prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency, focusing first on high-priority, high-impact work
- Proficiency in financial modeling and data analysis, including cash flow and credit models
- Excellent communication skills with ability to actively listen, seek to understand different perspectives, and engage confidently with clients and colleagues
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with programming languages, data analytics, and AI/automation tools is advantageous
Additional Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with municipal bond analysis or public sector financial evaluation
- Knowledge of government accounting principles and financial reporting standards
- Familiarity with credit rating methodologies and analytical frameworks
- Proven ability to work effectively under general guidance while taking initiative to support team success
