Job Description

Financial Data Specialists (FDSs) contribute to the financial analysis of the rating process and have a significant impact on the process. FDS performs a supervisory role, providing guidance to, and mentoring and training FDAs. They are key resources for the team in terms of escalation of issues and use accounting and finance expertise and judgment to perform financial statement analysis, adjust issuer reported data per relevant methodology requirements and review and analyze ratios.

The position provides a unique opportunity to foster skills in the financial services industry. Those skills are regularly reinforced via various forms of training and knowledge sharing by analysts.

FDSs are responsible for:

Reviewing and understanding financial statements, official statements and other documents related to issuers’ performance.

Understanding the Moody’s Chart of Account and Methodologies, ratios and analytic thresholds and how to apply these principles to the financial data spreading process.

Working directly with ratings and support analysts as well as accounting specialists to discuss the data, adjustments and other information needed by the rating team for ratings and research.

Serving as subject matter experts and as key resources for analytic data related questions or issues for their teammates, managers and lead analysts.

Process re-engineering and process improvements, utilizing their expertise to identify inefficiencies, suggest improvements, build consensus and implement the change.

Engaging in specific initiatives, in which they utilize their expertise to drive data quality improvements and ensure the best decisions are reached.

Liaising with analysts and accounting specialists in knowledge sharing and training sessions and with outsourcers and FDAs providing training and feedback.

 

Qualifications

B.A. or B.S. degree required; specializations in Accounting, Finance, or Economics preferred
Pursuing an certification or advanced degree in a relevant field of study is a plus
1-3 years of relevant work experience required
Knowledge of Moody’s methodologies, policies and adjustments or equivalent knowledge are required
Demonstrated ability to multi-task and mentor more junior peers required
Knowledge and prior experience in accounting and/or analyzing financial statements is required.