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Senior Credit Analyst

State of Wisconsin Investment Board · Madison, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 3, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a credit call you got wrong. What did you learn?

What they are checking: Whether they reflect honestly on mistakes and improve their process.

Why do you want to manage credit for a public pension fund?

What they are checking: Whether they value the long-term mission and the responsibility to WRS beneficiaries.

What would you do

You disagree with a portfolio manager about a credit in the portfolio. How do you make your case?

What they are checking: Whether they can challenge views with evidence in a collaborative decision-making culture.

A company you cover misses earnings and its bonds drop five points. What do you do that day?

What they are checking: Whether they can react quickly with a clear recommendation rather than freezing or panicking.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd build a credit view on a leveraged issuer from scratch.

What they are checking: Whether they have a disciplined process covering business risk, cash flow, leverage and capital structure.

The team runs both long-only and long/short strategies. How does your analysis change when you're looking for a short?

What they are checking: Whether they can find deteriorating credits and catalysts, not only good investments.

How do you decide whether a bond's spread fairly pays you for its risk?

What they are checking: Whether they can move from fundamental view to relative value, which drives portfolio decisions.

How do you combine fundamental research with quantitative signals, as this team does?

What they are checking: Whether they can work with quantitative inputs rather than relying only on bottom-up research.

How do you think about position sizing for a credit you like but that has real downside risk?

What they are checking: Whether they understand disciplined portfolio construction, which the team emphasizes.

What's your experience with structured products, and how is the analysis different from corporate credit?

What they are checking: Whether they can cover the structured products part of a team spanning many credit areas.

Which covenants matter most in leveraged loans today, and how have they weakened?

What they are checking: Whether they understand current documentation risks in leveraged credit.

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The full job description

As published by State of Wisconsin Investment Board.

Sophisticated Work. In a Great City. Making a Difference. The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) manages more than $178 billion in assets, including those of the fully-funded Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). SWIB operates at a level more often seen in top-tier global asset managers than in typical public pension funds. SWIB is a home for top talent. Approximately 61 percent of SWIB’s investment professionals are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholders. The City of Madison, the state capitol and home of Wisconsin’s flagship university, makes regular appearances on lists of best places to live, eat, and play. SWIB offers a modern workspace, hybrid work options, and competitive compensation and benefits. Serving over 703,000 WRS beneficiaries, SWIB is driven by a clear mission: securing the financial future of those who serve Wisconsin. When you work at SWIB, you know your work matters. Job Description: About the Team The Fixed Income Strategies team manages over seventeen billion across five portfolios spanning rates, investment grade and leveraged credit, and structured products. The team integrates fundamental and quantitative insights and manages both long-only and long/short strategies. We emphasize disciplined portfolio construction, rigorous risk management, and collaborative decision-making across asset classes. Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Senior Credit Analyst to join our investment team. This role is responsible for conducting in-depth fundamental credit analysis across high yield and leveraged loan issuers, producing investment recommendations, and supporting portfolio construction. The ideal candidate brings strong analytical rigor, market awareness, and a proven ability to identify relative value opportunities in below-investment-grade debt. Key Responsibilities • Perform investment research inclusive of credit analysis, deal write-ups, and financial modeling • Evaluate relative value across bonds, loans, and other credit instruments • Monitor existing portfolio holdings and provide ongoing risk assessments • Collaborate with portfolio managers on trade ideas and portfolio positioning • Engage with traders on market dynamics, liquidity, new issue • Track market trends, sector developments, and macroeconomic factors impacting credit markets • Generate written research reports and present investment recommendations to the investment team • Establish and maintain working relationships and dialogue with sell-side analysts, company management, industry experts and rating agencies, • Lead, mentor, and develop less seasoned credit analysts • Partner with quantitative and technology teams to build and enhance research and analytics platforms • Provide leveraged finance expertise across the firm and participate in cross-market strategies and trades Qualifications • Minimum 10 years of experience in leveraged finance analytics , including advanced financial modeling and valuation skills • Demonstrated success identifying relative value opportunities within covered sectors • Strong understanding of credit markets, capital structures and distressed situations • Broad understanding of global fixed income and capital markets • Strong ability to collaborate effectively within a small team and across investment disciplines • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Strategic mindset paired with exceptional attention to detail • Team-oriented professional with a positive, constructive approach • Familiarity with CLOs and private credit preferred • Proficiency with Bloomberg, Aladdin, or similar tools *The internal title for this position is Senior Portfolio Manager SWIB Offers: • Competitive total cash compensation, based on AON (formerly McLagan) industry benchmarks • Comprehensive benefits package • Educational and training opportunities • Tuition reimbursement • Challenging work in a professional environment • Hybrid work environment The position requires U.S. work authorization. Pursuant to our Hybrid Remote Work Policy, all staff have the flexibility to work remotely but are required to have a weekly presence in our offices, the frequency of which is dependent on their distance from office or the job position. Staff are not required to reside locally; however, we offer relocation reimbursement to the Dane County area per our policy. All SWIB employees are subject to SWIB’s Ethics Policy and Personal Trade Approvals Policy. These policies include restrictions on outside business activities and employment and have limits on personal trading. You may request copies of these policies from SWIB’s talent acquisition team and any questions can be answered by SWIB’s compliance team.

Apply at State of Wisconsin Investment Board