Associate, Corporate Banking Leveraged Lending- Chicago

BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service financial services provider. We offer corporate and investment banking, treasury management, as well as research and advisory services to clients around the world. #bmocapitalmarkets

The Leveraged Lending group within Corporate Banking underwrites and manages the firm’s private equity backed syndicated loan and direct lending portfolio. The team supports both our product and coverage partners by allocating capital to both revolver and term loan holds in syndicated private equity backed transactions. Leveraged Lending is involved all aspects of an underwriting and manages the credit and corporate banking coverage post deal closing.

Leveraged Lending also participates in direct lending transactions and commits capital to the entire capital structures including Unitranche Term Loans, Delayed Draw Term Loans, and 2nd Lien Term Loans.

The associate will serve as a key member of the deal team in the underwriting, credit approval, and portfolio management of Financial Sponsor backed transactions, supporting the deal team by analyzing financial and operating data for trends in financial performance of companies and industries. The Associate will be involved in the initial screening of transactions, due diligence, credit approval, and negotiation of legal documentation.

The Associate will help assess BMO’s hold appetite across revolvers and term loans in both syndicated and direct transactions. Experienced Associates will participate in client pitches to help support cross-selling opportunities for hedging and other traditional corporate banking products.

• New Underwritings: 60%
• Portfolio Management: 40%

• Digest comprehensive data rooms and use critical thinking to pull out and analyze key files
• Work across groups to compile diligence lists; lead diligence calls with financial sponsors as well as with company management teams
• Collaborate with colleagues on different teams (Leveraged Finance; Industry Coverage; Sponsor Coverage) on materials for committee meetings attended by senior leaders across the bank
• Create LBO Models based off Management / Sponsor projection models to use in Credit Memos
• Use independent critical thinking skills to analyze and sensitize financial models, develop risks and mitigants, business strengths, and credit rationale for completing a transaction
• Complete risk / return models for new deals
• Address questions from the Investment Committee and Credit team to support new transactions

• Review and monitor Borrowers’ financial statements for potential changes which may affect the Borrower’s performance through detailed review of quarterly financial statements, participation in quarterly lender calls, and ongoing dialogue with sponsor/management teams
• Prepare concise credit analysis and other correspondence on a quarterly basis for certain Borrowers, and on an annual basis for all Borrowers
• Assess Borrowers’ internal risk rating on a regular basis based on their financial performance and changes to the qualitative aspects of the business
• Conduct ongoing analysis of amount of allocated capital and credit risk
• Evaluate opportunities for new business (ancillary products such as FX and interest rate hedging and cash management) with existing Borrowers
• Conduct analysis and comprehensive review of industry trends and comparable transactions in the industry

An undergraduate degree with academic coursework in finance, economics, or accounting and an outstanding academic achievement

2 - 4 years of relevant experience within investment banking, corporate banking, corporate credit, or capital markets. Leveraged Finance experience is preferred.

Completion of a financial analysis credit training program preferable

• Excellent analytical skills to include business, financial, and credit analysis areas
• Skilled in building complex LBO financial models
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office products, notably MS Excel
• Ability to be creative, insightful and resourceful…