About role:

ČSOB Asset Management, part of the KBC Asset Management Group, is looking for a motivated Buy-Side Credit Analyst to join our growing Investment Research team in Prague.
KBC Asset Management manages over EUR 200 bn across its core markets (Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Bulgaria). In Belgium, KBC AM is the market leader, and in the Czech Republic, ČSOB AM ranks first in assets under management (over CZK 950 bn).

Credit Analyst Team:

You will join a Prague‑based team of three experienced credit analysts, each covering specific sectors. We operate as a cross‑regional research team responsible for all credit‑related insights within KBC AM and ČSOB AM. As a result, you will collaborate closely with colleagues in Belgium and the Czech Republic, with the opportunity for regular travel to Brussels.

The team is involved in a variety of projects, with the primary activity being investment idea generation for the KBC AM High Yield Fund (size: EUR 2 bn and growing), which is actively managed in a dynamic market environment. Other activities include producing internal credit ratings, covering bond issuances in the CEE region, and preparing ad‑hoc market commentary.

What do we expect from you?

As a Buy‑Side Credit Analyst, you will play a key role in shaping credit investment decisions across multiple markets. Your work will focus on bottom‑up issuer research, credit quality assessment, and delivering high‑quality investment recommendations to support KBC AM and ČSOB AM portfolio managers.

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Stay up to date on economic, political, and financial market developments, with a strong understanding of the key drivers of credit asset performance.
• Follow daily sector and corporate news and translate relevant developments into timely investment insights.
• Perform in‑depth bottom‑up analysis of companies and securities across:

European High Yield

Investment Grade

CEE Credit (including CZK issuers)

• Conduct detailed sector research to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Build and maintain cash‑flow models, evaluate creditworthiness, and determine internal credit ratings.
• Analyse debt structures, bond covenants, and relative value within the capital structure and across peers.
• Prepare and deliver clear, well‑reasoned written and oral investment recommendations to Credit Portfolio Managers.
• Collaborate closely with Portfolio Managers as part of a virtual, cross‑border team.
• Integrate ESG considerations into your analytical framework in line with KBC’s “ESG‑first” philosophy.
• Monitor primary market issuance and provide timely assessments of new deals.
• Engage with issuer management teams, credit rating agencies, and other market participants to enrich your analysis.
• Represent the team at industry conferences, roadshows, and issuer meetings.
• Contribute to broader team projects, reporting tasks, and ad‑hoc analytical initiatives.

Knowledge, Education & Experience:

• You hold a Master’s degree and demonstrate strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Professional certifications such as the CFA (or a strong motivation to pursue one) are a significant advantage.
• Ideally, you bring prior experience in credit analysis—whether from a rating agency, asset manager, investment bank, bank credit department, or another analytical environment.
• You are fully proficient in English, both spoken and written; knowledge of Czech is required for this role.
• You are open to occasional business travel across KBC home markets, primarily between Prague and Brussels.
• You are comfortable working with modern digital tools, including MS Office and cloud‑based collaboration platforms.
• Experience with Bloomberg and/or Refinitiv is an asset.
• You thrive in an international environment, enjoy working both independently and within virtual teams, and can effectively organize and prioritize a diverse workload.

Core Competency Skills:

• You are a strong collaborator who enjoys contributing to a team‑oriented environment.
• You communicate your analytical views with confidence and are comfortable engaging in constructive debate, including with senior colleagues.
• You have a genuine passion for investing and strong intrinsic motivation for a career in financial markets.
• You demonstrate commitment and reliability, consistently delivering high‑quality work and taking ownership of your responsibilities.