Associate - Rating Advisory - Paris - (H/F)

Region- EMEA- Business Unit- Financial Advisory- Location- Paris- Job DescriptionLazard is one of the world’s leading financial advisory and asset management firms. Our people make the difference. With just over 3,000 employees, our tight-knit community allows for professionals eager to learn and willing to teach to connect and grow together. We believe that inclusion, diversity, equity and allyship are not just business imperatives
- they are central pillars of our employee experience. Our entrepreneurial culture and flat structure allow creative ideas and original concepts to drive our business forward - and for careers to take flight.

Through our financial advisory business, Lazard advises clients around the world on strategic and financial matters including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, capital structure and capital raising. Our client relationships are built on trust and discretion. As the world’s largest advisory-focused firm, we have exceptional depth of expertise across industry sectors and geographies. We value the rich diversity that comes from blending local perspective with our global network.

**Associate Debt and Rating Advisory (business definition & role introduction)**

Lazard Debt Advisory Team advises corporates, private equity and hedge funds across Europe on all debt-related products and situations. The team works on several type of situations encompassing:

- The structuration and execution of Financing / Refinancing and Rating Advisory mandates, both on a standalone basis or in a corporate M&A context
- The structuration and execution of Financing / Refinancing and Rating Advisory mandates for sponsor-owned clients
- Distressed M&A
- Restructuring, either on the company’s side or on lenders’ side

Associate will be based in Paris, as part of a 10-person team and the broader Lazard Financial Advisory platform, working alongside members of Lazard’s M&A coverage on both pitches and execution, providing financial and strategic advice to Lazard’s clients as part of coverage and advisory mandates.

**An Associate will therefore typically be expected to undertake/assist with (tasks)**:

- Origination and execution of various transactions for corporate and sponsor clients
- Develop tailor-made financial models and perform customized financial, cash-flow sensitivity and rating analysis
- Assess current client situations and the potential impact of a contemplated transaction on capital structure and its potential effects on the clients’ credit rating
- Organize and prepare comprehensive presentations destined to clients
- Participate to the elaboration of client’s marketing materials ahead of contemplated transactions (Information Memorandums, RfPs, lender’s presentations, Rating agencies presentations)
- Lead various processes on deal execution, handling coordination with client’s team and other stakeholders such as legal advisors, external financing parties, rating agencies, etc.
- Train and develop more junior members of the team

**You’ll need to have**
- Previous experience of at least three-four years in a Tier-1 financial advisor or relevant financial institution
- Prior Rating Advisory experience is essential.
- Proven academic excellence.
- High energy individual with a strong ambition to excel in their career
- Strong interpersonal & communication skills
- Team player mindset. Ability to work well as part of a close-knit team
- Strong written communication skills, excellent attention to detail and high standards of accuracy
- Strong analytical skills
- The ability to maintain high standards of professional and ethical conduct, adhere to legal and regulatory requirements and follow Lazard policies and procedures.
- Be fluent in French and English is essential

**What’s in it for you?**

We strive to enhance the total health and well-being of our employees. Our goal is to support and enable our people to balance their commitments to career, family and community. We believe in an employee experience that is a highly individualized. We listen to what our people need and want, and create programs and initiatives designed to inform, include, and connect. When you work for Lazard, you are working for an organization that will continue to invest in your career and development.

**Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Lazard**:
Lazard is an intellectual capital business focused on delivering the best advice and solutions to clients. Achieving these objectives requires us to identify, develop and retain the best talent. A workforce comprised of people with varied backgrounds and experiences creates a rich diversity of thought that empowers us to challenge conventional wisdom, as diverse perspectives lead to better decisions.

Our appreciation of diversity’s strength is ingrained in our multi-cultural heritage. As a global firm that has grown organically from local roots in different countries, we have a deep tradition of respect for individual differences, wh