Senior Associate, Direct Lending

About Us

The mission of National Life Group extends beyond insurance and annuities policies. We aim to make the world a better place through our charitable foundation, volunteer efforts, sustainable practices, and community events.

Role Summary

The Senior Associate, Direct Lending is a key member of the Private Credit team. This role involves comprehensive credit analysis, financial modeling, due diligence, transaction execution, and portfolio monitoring. The position requires strong analytical and technical skills, excellent communication, and the ability to work collaboratively in a high-performance environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive credit analysis, including financial statement review, credit risk assessment, liquidity analysis, capital structure evaluation, and due diligence.
• Develop and maintain complex financial models, including cash flow analysis, covenant compliance, and stress-testing.
• Prepare investment memoranda, financial models, and supporting analyses for the Investment Transaction Committee.
• Evaluate, underwrite, and execute private credit investment opportunities in collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
• Build and maintain relationships with borrowers, investment partners, legal counsel, and other stakeholders.
• Evaluate secondary private credit market opportunities, including portfolio acquisitions and single-name investments.
• Review transaction documentation, including term sheets, credit agreements, and related legal documents in partnership with internal and external counsel.
• Monitor portfolio performance, covenant compliance, financial results, and identify portfolio optimization opportunities.
• Participate in strategic initiatives and special projects supporting the growth of the Private Credit platform.
• Take ownership of assigned workstreams, proactively identifying opportunities, risks, and solutions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in private credit, private equity, investment banking, or a similar financial services role.
• Experience performing credit analysis, financial modeling, due diligence, and transaction execution.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Strong understanding of credit markets, capital structures, debt instruments, and investment analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, organizational, and time-management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA and/or CFA designation.
• Experience working with private credit funds, investment banks, or financial institutions on direct investments.
• Exposure to secondary private credit market investing.
• Experience reviewing legal documentation related to private credit transactions.
• Experience collaborating with external investment partners and managing joint investment processes.

Benefits

The benefits package includes a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life’s discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs. The base pay range for this position is $161,250 - $236,500 USD.