About the Role
Morningstar DBRS is seeking an Assistant Vice President (AVP) to join the Funds Finance credit ratings team, which is part of the U.S. Structured Credit team, focusing on surveillance of existing credit ratings. This credit analyst will support the growing portfolio of investment fund debt credit ratings as a lead analyst.
A successful candidate will have relevant experience in fund finance and/or rating agency work. The role requires sector knowledge, strong analytical and quantitative skills, attention to detail, and the ability to thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
U.S. Structured Credit is a credit rating analytics team that assigns credit ratings, monitors credit ratings, develops research and maintains credit rating methodologies for investment fund debt (including feeder fund debt, subscription lines and collateralized fund obligations (CFOs)), collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), other corporate securitizations and bespoke credit rating opportunities.
Job Responsibilities
Lead analyst responsible for monitoring transaction performance and surveilling existing credit ratings, including but not limited to, feeder fund debt, secured facilities, unsecured debt, subscription loan facilities, and collateralized fund obligations.
Prepare and present detailed discussion and committee materials to credit ratings committees.
Conduct portfolio analysis using Morningstar DBRS developed predictive models and credit rating methodologies.
Draft credit rating letters, press releases, and other relevant disclosures.
Participate in onsite manager due diligence meetings and calls with market participants and issuers.
Assess legal, regulatory, counterparty and other risks related to Funds and US SC credit ratings.
Train and mentor junior analysts.
Collaborate with other Morningstar DBRS credit teams to support credit rating surveillance, analysis, administration and research.
Adhere to compliance, regulatory and company policies and procedures.
Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in finance, accounting, business, economics or a related discipline required.
5–7 years of relevant experience, which may include:
Credit ratings experience covering funds, BDCs, CLOs or related asset classes;
Investment banking or legal experience focused on funds or fund finance;
Credit risk management experience covering credit funds or other private credit strategies; or
Other relevant experience as a market participant within fund finance, private credit or structured credit.
Strong interest in credit funds, BDCs, CLOs, private credit and/or private equity.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including advanced Excel skills such as building complex formulas or models, pivot tables and charts.
Strong research and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, concise and well-supported committee materials and reports.
Ability and willingness to proactively learn new analytical approaches and methodologies.
Self-starter with the ability to prioritize competing demands, work independently and complete high-quality work with a sense of urgency.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams and contribute to timely and accurate work product.
Rating agency experience, including familiarity with credit rating methodologies, committee processes and the broader ratings framework.
Knowledge of analytical programming languages or tools, such as VBA or Python.
About Us
Morningstar DBRS is a leading provider of independent rating services and opinions for corporate and sovereign entities, financial institutions, and project and structured finance instruments globally. Rating more than 4,000 issuers and 60,000 securities, it is one of the top four credit rating agencies in the world.
Morningstar DBRS empowers investor success by bringing more transparency and a much-needed diversity of opinion in the credit rating industry. Our approach and size allow us to be nimble enough to respond to customers' needs in their local markets, but large enough to provide the necessary expertise and resources they require. Market innovators choose to work with us because of our agility, tech-forward approach, and exceptional customer service.
Morningstar DBRS is the next generation of credit ratings.
Compensation and Benefits
At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide:
Financial Health
100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
Stock Ownership Potential
Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission
Physical Health
Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
Emotional Health
Trust-Based Time Off
6-week Paid Sabbatical Program
6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave
Adoption Assistance
Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses
Tuition Reimbursement
Social Health
Charitable Matching Gifts program
Dollars for Doers volunteer program
Paid volunteering days
15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups
Base Salary Compensation Range
$97,854.00-$137,910.00Incentive Target Percentage
20% AnnualIf you receive and accept an offer from us, we require that personal and any related investments be disclosed confidentiality to our Compliance team (days vary by region). These investments will be reviewed to ensure they meet Code of Ethics requirements. If any conflicts of interest are identified, then you will be required to liquidate those holdings immediately. In addition, dependent on your department and location of work certain employee accounts must be held with an approved broker (for example all, U.S. employee accounts). If this applies and your account(s) are not with an approved broker, you will be required to move your holdings to an approved broker.
Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to collaborate in-person each week as we've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis. In most of our locations, our hybrid work model is four days in-office each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you'll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.
R06_DBRSInc DBRS, Inc. - US Legal EntitySkills Required
- Undergraduate degree in finance, accounting, business, economics, or a related discipline
- 5-7 years of relevant experience in fund finance, credit ratings, investment banking, fund-focused legal work, credit risk management, private credit, structured credit, or related markets
- Strong interest in credit funds, BDCs, CLOs, private credit, and/or private equity
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas or models, pivot tables, and charts
- Strong research and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to prepare clear, concise, and well-supported committee materials and reports
- Ability and willingness to learn new analytical approaches and methodologies
- Ability to prioritize competing demands, work independently, and complete high-quality work with urgency
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities and deadlines
- Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
- Rating agency experience and familiarity with credit rating methodologies, committee processes, and the broader ratings framework
- Knowledge of analytical programming languages or tools such as VBA or Python
What the Team is Saying
Morningstar Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off policies include flexible PTO and a paid sabbatical every four years, often highlighted as a standout perk. Feedback suggests this structure supports strong work–life balance and meaningful breaks.
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Parental & Family Support — Policies advertise a global minimum of 16 weeks for primary caregivers, up to 8 weeks for secondary caregivers, and at least six weeks of paid caregiving leave. These offerings signal above-average support for family and caregiving needs.
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs feature employer 401(k) contributions/matching, with some postings citing a 75% match on up to 7% of pay. Feedback suggests these offerings are a strong pillar of the package.
Morningstar Insights
What We Do
We are a global investment research and financial data company with 40-plus offices across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Our products and services are used daily by individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers, and institutional investors. We provide data, research, and analysis across managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. The financial system can have real barriers—hidden information, friction that can slow decisions, and forces that can limit transparency and access. We work to remove them, bringing independent research, connected data, and investor-first tools to a system that needs more clarity. The people doing this work span research, technology, design, product, sales, and functional areas. We build many of our products in-house, so the work can connect directly to the tools investors use to make real financial decisions.
Why Work With Us
Morningstar’s missing is to empower investor success. We can only do that if our people feel empowered. That means finding people who think independently, bring a wide range of backgrounds with analytical rigor and genuine intellectual curiosity to the work.
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