Fitch Ratings is a leading global rating agency committed to providing the world’s credit markets with accurate, timely and prospective credit opinions. Built on a foundation of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, Fitch Ratings has grown rapidly during the past decade gaining market presence throughout the world and across all fixed income markets. Fitch Ratings is dual-headquartered in New York and London, operating offices and joint ventures in more than 50 locations and covering entities in more than 90 countries. Fitch Ratings is a majority owned subsidiary of Fimalac, S.A., an international business support services group headquartered in Paris, France.

Department Overview

Fitch Solutions’ Risk & Performance Analytics group is responsible for directing the commercial activities surrounding proprietary data, credit models and analytical tools used by financial professionals worldwide in their risk management and investment decision making processes. Products include relative performance analytical applications, risk measurement analytics, and industry-leading data solutions.

Job Description

The Director, Risk & Performance Analytics is responsible for the global commercial management of Fitch’s fundamental financial data and single-obligor credit models business. The director will also be responsible for directing commercial activities across Europe, Middle East and Africa for the broader Risk & Performance Analytics product suite. This is a global business and the incumbent can be based in New York or London but would expect to travel extensively between and across the US and Europe (around 30% of the time).

Responsibilities Include:

• Working closely with members of the global sales teams to manage the choice of delivery platforms including web, feeds, web services and third-party redistributors.
• Defining the strategic position of the products in the market, target customer segment, key messages and unique selling proposition. Providing the ongoing definition and refinement of the product strategy, to meet both short term and long range goals.
• Support the selling process and our sales organization by extensive involvement in customer visits.
• Ongoing monitoring of all relevant market changes including competitive activities, customer needs and regulatory and reporting changes. Adjusting product activities to respond appropriately to ensure product continues to meet its objectives.
• Leading the global information technology, analytical and sales groups in the interpretation of new product features and the translation into product design specifications.
• Providing input into all financial data content initiatives and projects across Fitch Solutions. Applying industry knowledge and expertise in optimizing Fitch’s use of in-house and third-party data needs.
• Developing financial plans necessary to obtain investment in product development; tracking performance against forecasted objectives and developing corrective strategies when objectives are not being met.

Person Specification

The sucecssful candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Extensive and deep experience of. and comfort with, fundamental financial data and/or credit analytics and their use in the investment research and analysis process
• Significant experience in product development and/or commercial management - preferably with information products or tools
• Experience with managing and developing strategic alliances and third-party distribution relationships as well as proven client-facing skills
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal
• Experience managing direct reports
• Self-starter with demonstrated ability to work across groups and geographies and with all levels of hierarchy
• Bachelors degree or equivalent required - graduate degree and/or CFA preferred
• In-depth knowledge of the global capital markets
• Global perspective