Job Description

Associate, Infrastructure, Power & Energy Project Finance, Latin America

SMBC's Global Structured Finance Department is looking for an Associate 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 Associate 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 Analysts will be actively involved in working with Associates as part of deal teams.

Role Objectives

• Support senior team members and participate in the negotiation, structuring, and execution of new transactions. Cross-sell products (DCM, Financial Advisory, Ratings Advisory, etc.)
• Participate in the due diligence 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 risk.
• Prepare and present internal memos for new transactions, assess profitability, prepare credit applications and coordinate, delegate, and review work of Analysts to complete all internal workflow required for approvals, middle/back-office checks, etc. to facilitate the timely execution of new transactions.
• Provide execution leadership by managing workflows and resource allocation, including providing guidance, feedback, and oversight of Analysts.
• Collaborate and coordinate with other departments with overlapping clients.
• Build and manipulate financial models for project finance clients and transactions, with an emphasis on using "best practices" and growing comfortable with increasingly more complex structures.
• Continuously monitor and manage existing transactions, including the credit review and processing of waivers and amendments, internal reports, and special credit requirements.
• Ensure compliance of all internal and external matters in accordance with banking regulations, bank policy and best practices.
• Undertake research and analytics related to specific sectors, regions or loans, and stay abreast of industry trends, opportunities, and general market conditions.
• Support marketing and origination of new transactions by preparing pitch books and marketing materials and attending client meetings with senior colleagues.
• Provide ad hoc reports for management.
• Attend bank meetings, industry events, conferences, and seminars.

Qualifications and Skills

• 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.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, ability to synthesize large amounts of information, analyze risk and identify mitigating factors.
• Self-driven and motivated; takes personal ownership of specific assignments. Committed to developing high-end financial modeling skills and competency in the review and negotiation of project financing documentation.
• Highly collaborative and flexible in a team and client environment and ability to form good relationships internally and externally. Excellent communication and presentation skills both written and verbal; comfortable presenting and negotiating externally with clients and key industry contacts and internally with senior management and credit department. Able to coordinate and communicate with various internal departments across the bank (middle/back office, Nikko, USCB, global counterparties.)
• Demonstrates leadership ability and can provide mentorship, guidance, and training to junior colleagues on the team.
• 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.
• 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.
• Demonstrates a high degree of attention to detail and an ability to complete work accurately and in a timely manner against strict deadlines.
• Good understanding of Project Finance, Infrastructure Finance, Public Finance, Structured Finance, Project Bonds, Project Loans, Loan Sales & Syndication, Debt Capital Markets, Financial Advisory, Investment Banking, Financial Guarantees, PPPs is a plus
• 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in project finance, leveraged finance, or investment banking viewed positively.
• Spanish or Portuguese language skills required.

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. Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required.

SMBC provides reasonable accommodations during candidacy for applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know at accommodations@smbcgroup.com.

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