Debt/Fixed Income: currently 228 jobs.The latest job was posted on 18 Jan 19.
Jobs in Debt / Fixed Income
Debt / fixed income professionals work in the capital markets, structuring and syndicating bonds. When someone buys a bond, they are essentially providing a loan to the bond issuer, who agrees to pay back their original investment plus interest at some point in the future. Bonds can be issued by both companies and governments, in a variety of forms, and once first sold can then be traded in the secondary markets.
Debt / Fixed Income Roles
The majority of debt / fixed income jobs are with investment banks. To begin with, most professionals work in either structuring or syndication.
Structuring is where new debt products are created, according to the client's requirements. This is a back-end role, involving a great deal of research and analysis. Debt professionals in structuring need to work out what product to offer and what kind of returns to pitch, and they also work on the marketing materials for the product.
The syndication desk is where the product is readied for sale. Syndicators do a range of tasks, including calculating interest range, assessing demand and ensuring documentation is in place.
Before any debt products can be created, however, a client is needed. This is where originators come in. Typically senior debt / fixed income professionals, originators spend a great deal of time travelling and meeting with clients in person, in the hope of persuading them to bring their business to the bank.
Skills Required
All fixed income jobs require candidates to have strong communication skills, whether you are dealing directly with clients or not. The ability to juggle multiple projects at once is also a major requirement.
An aptitude for financial modelling is important, particularly in structuring, and a strong grasp of statistics is also essential.
Relevant Qualifications
A finance or economics degree will stand you in good stead in applying for a junior debt / fixed income position. Many candidates have an MBA, and some companies will sponsor employees towards professional designations such as CFA.