Credit Research Manager

Competitive Salary + Benefits

Leeds – 3 days office

Permanent: 37.5 hour per week

Full time (we welcome flexible working discussions)

An opportunity to make a difference

At Border to Coast our purpose is to make a difference and we're looking for a Credit Research Manager to join our team on a permanent basis.

The Credit Research Manager is responsible for independently producing high-quality fundamental credit research and acting as a role model for more junior colleagues. Your research and recommendations will support Fixed Income Portfolio Managers in constructing portfolios that align with Border to Coast's investment philosophy, investment processes and regulatory requirements.

As a customer-owned and customer-focused organisation, integrity is one of our values, as is our collaborative and sustainable approach. Our focus is to secure the pensions of over two million people who have provided valuable service to their communities and society. We’re the largest UK asset manager outside London or Edinburgh, and we provide innovative investments that deliver sustainable returns over the long term.

As a Credit Research Manager, you'll play a key role in identifying investment opportunities, developing sector expertise and influencing portfolio construction. You'll work closely with Portfolio Managers, Research colleagues, Portfolio Risk and Responsible Investment teams to deliver outstanding investment outcomes for our Partner Funds.

The role – what you’ll be doing

Credit Research & Investment Analysis

• Conduct detailed fundamental credit research and ongoing monitoring of portfolio exposures across sectors under coverage (Issuers are predominantly investment grade developed market entities although there may also be emerging market and/or a small number of high-yield exposures.

• Analyse issuers to assess credit quality, relative value and risk.
• Generate investment ideas and recommendations relating to potential purchases, reductions or exits from holdings.
• Communicate investment recommendations effectively to support portfolio construction decisions.

Market & Sector Expertise

• Monitor industry conditions, macroeconomic developments and market trends affecting issuers and sectors under coverage.
• Provide subject matter expertise to support investment discussions and portfolio positioning.
• Collaborate with Portfolio Managers and fellow researchers to identify risks and opportunities across portfolios.

Collaboration & Team Development

• Support the development of more junior Research colleagues through coaching, mentoring and constructive feedback.
• Contribute to investment team discussions, challenging ideas and assumptions in a constructive and respectful manner.
• Actively participate in company meetings, conferences and industry events.

Responsible Investment

• Work closely with Responsible Investment colleagues to ensure related risks and opportunities are reflected appropriately within investment research.
• Support the implementation of Border to Coast's Responsible Investment policies, including the assessment of labelled bonds and sustainability-related opportunities.

Strategic Projects

• Play a leading role in delivering strategic team initiatives and continuous improvement projects.
• Collaborate with Risk, Responsible Investment and Equity Research teams to support an integrated investment approach.

About you - and the value you’ll bring to our team

We are seeking investment professionals with curiosity and a passion for financial markets. The ideal candidate will have relevant credit research experience (banking, private credit, sell-side, buy-side or rating agency). In addition, you will be able to demonstrate:

• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills to share ideas and influence portfolio outcomes.
• Willingness to collaborate with and learn from others to develop investment ideas, refine processes, and share constructive feedback.
• Ability to distil a wide range of often conflicting information in a concise and cohesive manner.
• Willingness to take risk when making recommendations and to have your investment thesis respectfully challenged.
• The ability to recognise when unexpected developments require your recommendation to change.
• Sound knowledge of Responsible Investment principles and of the characteristics of labelled bonds, use-of-proceeds verification and impact reporting.
• Effective in IT skills required for the job role, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Bloomberg
• Planning, organisation, time and data management and administrative capabilities.
• You’re a pro-active, self-motivated team player with the ability to manage an interesting and variable workload and be willing to assist and support other team members when required.

Candidates who are either CFA-qualified or working towards the designation will be preferred

Why join Border to Coast?

At Border to Coast, you will receive competitive remuneration and have access to excellent benefits:

• Vitality Health Insurance for all employees
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A generous holiday allowance of 30 days a year, plus bank holidays
• Professional Development including the opportunity to gain fully funded qualifications (e.g. IMC)
• Critical Illness Cover
• Pension scheme
• Stunning Leeds city centre location only a short walk to the train station
• Cycle to work scheme
• Life Assurance of 6 times of salary
• Sustainable travel plans
• Range of discounts for Leeds gyms, shops and restaurants
• Hybrid working

There’s also more information about pay and reward, careers at Border to Coast and how we work on our website Careers - Border To Coast - Work With Us

We welcome applications from people of all experience levels and backgrounds and value diversity of thought. We are committed to creating an inclusive and engaging workplace, ensuring that colleagues maintain a work life balance. We encourage colleagues to progress, be themselves and be their best through both personal and professional development.

If you have a disability, or if you have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our selection process, we would be happy to discuss making reasonable adjustments to our processes for you. Please contact our recruitment team at [email protected]

We’re looking for people with the right values, behaviours, skills and experiences and if you meet some of the role’s criteria and are interested in finding out more about Border to Coast and the team, we’d love to hear from you.

About Us

Based in Leeds, Border to Coast is the largest LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) pool in the UK. It is owned by 18 Local Government Pension Schemes funds (‘Partner Funds’) which collectively represent over 5,000 employers and two million members.

The Partner Funds are Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Durham, East Riding, East Sussex, Essex Hertfordshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Surrey, Teesside, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire and West Sussex.

The 18 Partner Funds have approximately £120bn of assets, strengthening the Border to Coast partnership’s ability to harness scale to be more effective, more resilient, and more impactful.

Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England Number: 10795539 and Registered Office: 5th Floor, Toronto Square, Toronto Street, Leeds, LS1 2HJ. 

Further details can be found at https://www.bordertocoast.org.uk.