Vice President - Alternative Credit, CLO

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Ares’ Alternative Credit strategy focuses on investing in businesses and assets that generate contractual cash flows and fills gaps in the capital markets between credit, private equity and real assets.

Ares is looking for an investment professional to add to our Alternative Credit Group in London on the strategy team that invests in CLO debt and equity securities (“Team”).  The Team is one of the most active and experienced of its kind in the market today with a reputation for its sophistication and strong performance. The Team continues to experience significant AUM growth across a range of funds and accounts, including publicly-traded and open-ended funds, and across a range of investment strategies. The qualified candidate will predominately focus on investing in European CLO tranches, both equity and debt.

Working collaboratively with other Team members, the investment professional will be involved in all aspects of our investment process from sourcing investment opportunities to analysis and evaluation, making recommendations, performance monitoring, and assistance with portfolio risk management. A significant amount of the time will be spent on analyzing the CLO market, through analytical dives into bank loans and issuance to develop theses on risk and issuance. In addition, the role involves regular interaction with other professionals within Ares, and externally with counterparties, CLO managers, and other market participants. Thus, the ideal candidate will have a rigorous analytical approach to problem solving and will thrive in a dynamic team environment. 

Primary functions and essential responsibilities

• Evaluate new, potential CLO investments (including debt and equity tranches) which includes:
  • assessment of the structure and legal documentation
  • assessment of the collateral portfolio
  • assessment of the CLO manager
  • apply various qualitative and quantitative methods, including data analysis and scenario analysis, to assess the relative risk and relative value of potential investments
  • prepare and present an investment recommendation that is clear, concise and articulates the investment thesis and relevant risks, and that demonstrates excellent investment judgment
• Using various qualitative and quantitative methods, monitor an assigned portfolio of existing investments to assess performance and to identify developing risks or trends
• Periodically and regularly meet with CLO managers to discuss individual credits, trading activity, credit risk, performance and potential new business. Share assessment and findings with Team members.
• Work closely and collaborate with Ares credit research professionals to assess specific credit risks
• Participate in various client meetings, including prospective clients, and represent Ares and the Team with professionalism
• Contribute to various Team projects to further strengthen or enhance our investment process

Qualifications

Education:

• Higher level undergraduate degree required 

Experience Required:  

• Four to seven years of direct experience with CLOs. 
   

General Requirements:

• Self-motivated and driven; ability to work effectively in a collegial, fast moving, demanding, and dynamic environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills that demonstrate an ability to articulate a clear, concise analysis of investment risk and relative value.
• Evidence of intellectual curiosity, creative problem-solving skills, and adaptability.
• Desire to learn new skills and technology that are particular to the Team’s investment platform
• European languages abilities considered a plus

Reporting Relationships

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.