Credit Risk Management - Executive Director, Americas Team Lead, Hedge Funds + Private Equity

Nomura Holdings, inc.•New York, NY

148d•Onsite

About The Position

Credit Risk Management (CRM) is a key function in protecting the Firm and ensuring prudent risk-taking. CRM is responsible for analyzing counterparty creditworthiness, assigning internal credit ratings, establishing and managing credit credit risk limits in accordance with the risk tolerance. In addition, CRM measures and controls credit exposure associated with lending, financing and trading activities. CRM is a “Second Line of Defense” control function. Within CRM, the Hedge Funds (HF) and Private Equity (PE) credit team is responsible for managing all credit risk involving this large and diverse set of clients. The HF & PE Team sits within the Counterparty Credit Risk silo organizationally and works closely with colleagues in other areas of risk and other functions globally including, Front Office, Legal, Finance, Operations and Collateral Management.

Requirements

12+ years of relevant experience in managing credit risk to Hedge Funds and/or Private Equity Funds at a major financial institution, with proven team management experience including application of delegated approval authority
Deep understanding of alternative investment strategies and well-versed in leading client due diligence meetings; experience in both hedge funds and private equity transactions/structures strongly preferred
Strong knowledge of all major derivative instruments and Prime Brokerage products/services with full understanding of their respective risk characteristics; thorough understanding of master trading documentation (ISDA, CSA, GMRA, F&O, Prime Brokerage agreements)
Strong quantitative skills with ability to interpret complex risk metrics for informed credit decision-making; comprehensive understanding of portfolio trade risks and credit risk frameworks
Proven ability to lead, develop and mentor analysts in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with ability to prioritize and complete tasks according to project needs
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with demonstrated ability to engage effectively with Sales teams, Front Office, and external clients at all levels; strong negotiation and consensus-building abilities
Experience working closely with various business partners such as sales/trading, market risk, legal, operations and client integration; demonstrated business and project management acumen with executive presence
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, or related field required; advanced degree

Nice To Haves

experience in both hedge funds and private equity transactions/structures strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the Americas Hedge Funds and Private Equity Funds Credit Risk team in New York, providing day-to-day oversight and guidance to a team of VPs, Associates and Analysts
Review and approve credit memos, ratings and limits under delegated authority; assess creditworthiness of hedge funds and private equity funds through comprehensive analysis of fund strategy, performance attribution, liquidity profile, leverage, and manager or sponsor strength
Conduct due diligence visits and calls with HF and PE clients; analyze trading strategies, risk management frameworks, performance metrics, operational controls and governance structures to produce high-quality credit assessments
Collaborate with Front Office Risk and other risk functions to understand stress loss scenarios; perform ongoing monitoring including monthly/quarterly NAV reviews, performance attribution analysis, and proactive identification of deteriorating credit quality; review credit limit breaches and recommend appropriate credit actions when risk appetite thresholds are exceeded
Review and approve trading activity, margin requirements and structural enhancements to transactions; oversee daily trade approvals in coordination with other risk teams and establish appropriate margining requirements
Define credit terms and covenants for legal documentation including Prime Brokerage agreements, ISDA/CSA, GMRA, and negotiate legal documentation while maintaining thorough understanding of associated covenants
Maintain close communication with HF and PE team leads globally and monitor international risk developments; present comprehensive Americas portfolio risk summaries at global risk review calls and regional/global risk committees
Establish and maintain constructive relationships with Front Office, Market Risk, Legal, Operations, Compliance and Finance; oversee client engagement and credit standards in coordination with key firmwide stakeholders
Support enhancement of specialized data analytics and portfolio monitoring tools; lead or participate in firmwide projects such as credit policy development, system implementations, and regulatory