North America Project Finance - Analyst

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 80,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges.

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network. The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC Rail Services LLC, Manufacturers Bank, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.

Role Description

SMBC's Global Structured Finance Department is looking for an Analyst to join its North America Project Finance Group.

The North America Project Finance Group is a leading banking franchise providing advisory, structuring, and lending services to large strategic investors and private equity sponsors. The group covers the growing infrastructure industry (including digital infrastructure, transportation, and social infrastructure), the power industry (including conventional power generation, renewable power generation, and storage), and the natural resources industry (including LNG terminals, midstream assets, and renewable fuels), with a growing focus on ESG-themed projects. The franchise is consistently ranked at the top of the Project Finance league tables, both in North America and globally.

With a strong focus on debt structuring and arranging, you will be involved in all stages of transactions, from composing early-stage proposals and pitch books, to due diligence and execution, and ultimately to managing a successful financial close.

The Analyst will provide analytical and marketing support to senior bankers through the preparation of financial models, complex credit analyses, credit applications, term sheets, presentation materials (pitch books), and industry research, as well as through ongoing monitoring and review of the group’s lending portfolio.

The position will be sector-agnostic, working with bankers across all industry groups in North America. This position reports directly to a senior colleague assigned to managing the pool of junior staff (Analysts and Associates). The Analyst will be actively involved in overseeing Analysts as part of deal teams.

Role Objectives

• Participate in the due diligence phase of new transactions with an emphasis on understanding the basic elements of the deal, how those relate to assessing risk, and ultimately structuring the transaction to mitigate as much risk as possible.
• Provide execution leadership by managing workflows and resource allocation, including providing guidance and oversight to Analysts.
• Assist with waivers, amendments, loan closings and funding, and other credit events that may impact the team's clients.
• Provide ad hoc reports for management.
• Review transaction materials and gather supporting evidence to assist senior team members in the negotiation and structuring of new transactions.
• Undertake research and analytics related to specific sectors, regions or loans, and stay abreast of current market conditions.
• As Analysts gain more practical experience and client relationships, they will be asked to provide increasing levels of transactional and client leadership.
• Prepare internal memos for new transactions, assess profitability, prepare credit applications and coordinate with Analysts to complete all internal work flow required for approvals, middle/back-office checks, etc. to facilitate the timely execution of new transactions.
• Build and manipulate financial models for project finance clients and transactions, with an emphasis on using "best practices" at all times and growing comfortable with increasingly more complex structures.
• Coordinate with senior colleagues to prepare pitch books and marketing materials in support of the overall team's origination effort.
• Conduct credit reviews for assigned transactions and ensure all deadlines are met.

Qualifications And Skills

• Ability to organize thoughts and clearly articulate points and provide summaries and explanations of transactions, verbally or in writing to management or other internal departments.
• Highly collaborative and flexible in a team and client environment and ability to form good relationships internally and externally. Able to coordinate and communicate with various internal departments across the bank (middle/back office, Nikko, USCB, global counterparties.)
• Self-driven and motivated; takes personal ownership of specific assignments. Committed to developing high-end financial modeling skills.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, ability to synthesize large amounts of information, analyze risk and identify mitigating factors.
• Experience in preparing credit applications, performing cash flow analysis, ability to read and interpret financial statements, and strong accounting skills. Must be proficient in the use of MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Able to quickly learn and adapt to new processes and systems. Works well in a culturally diverse and team oriented environment. Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and an interest in continuous learning.
• Demonstrates a high degree of attention to detail and an ability to complete work accurately and in a timely manner against strict deadlines.

Additional Requirements

SMBC’s employees participate in a hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process.

SMBC is an EO employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability. SMBC provides reasonable accommodations for employees and applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know at [email protected].