SOFOM Operations and Agency Associate

Role Description

This is an Associate position within SMBC-SOFOM, an SMBC fully owned subsidiary. The candidate is responsible for providing full support to the SOFOM’s Operations and Finance Executive Director in administrative and middle-back-office activities. The candidate will be responsible for providing comprehensive operational support to the for syndicated loan transactions within project finance and corporate finance. The role ensures accurate administration of the credit lifecycle, timely coordination with syndicate lenders, and strict adherence to contractual obligations.

The position reports to the SOFOM's Operations and Finance Executive Director. The candidate will be required to work jointly with other departments within SMBC such as Planning, Controllers, Front Office, Back Office-NY, Middle Office-NY, Treasury Department, Legal, Compliance, among others, in order to assure compliance with all SMBC related reporting, regulatory and monitoring requirements. He/she will be expected to have strong technical skills in credit related matters (middle-back office) and reporting, as well as problem solving, communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and update loan records in internal systems (drawdowns, amortizations, interest accruals, fees, rollovers).
• Prepare, review, and distribute operational notices (funding notices, rollover notices, prepayment notices, rate-setting notices).
• Calculate and validate interest, fees (commitment fee, agency fee, etc.), margin adjustments, and any applicable pricing changes.
• Process incoming payments and ensure accurate distribution among syndicate lenders.
• Act as an operational point of contact for lenders, borrower, legal counsel, and lead arrangers.
• Coordinate fundings, repayments, reconciliations, and operational approvals.
• Track and support operational consents or waivers required per the loan documentation.
• Monitor key dates and deliverables: interest periods, principal payments, reporting deliverables, anniversary fees, rate resets.
• Support documentation and processing of amendments, waivers, and voting processes.
• Track borrower obligations under the Credit Agreement, including financial reporting and covenant deliverables.
• Review operational components of the credit documentation: notices, certificates, compliance packages, Deliverables Schedule.
• Contribute operational input during financial closings and subsequent modifications or restructurings.
• Conduct periodic reconciliations with lenders to ensure alignment on balances, transactions, and accruals.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies or breaks in loan balances or cash movements.
• Prepare internal and external reports summarizing loan balances, activity, outstanding notices, and upcoming events.
• Maintain high data accuracy standards and ensure all loan life cycle events are recorded properly.
• Participate in system enhancements and operational improvements.
• Ensures the credit agreements contain appropriate language, from an operational perspective, in accordance with SOFOM’s policies and procedures; liaises with Back- Office, Middle-Office and Treasury Department in order to ensure disbursements of transactions are executed as per the executed legal documentation; liaises with Back-Office, Middle-Office , Controllers Department and accounting Firm in order to ensure terms and conditions of each transaction are booked correctly in SMBC’s systems and books.
• Ensures all SOFOM regulatory reporting is completed on a timely basis, containing accurate information.
• Ensures that all the transactions have the best option for funding as well as keeping control of the sources of funding and its involvement with disbursement of transactions.
• Responsible for the creation and maintenance of portfolio management reports.
• Responsible for the creation and maintenance of operational reports.
• Provides support in special projects.
• Issuance of new policies and procedures as per the business evolution.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance or similar major.
• Minimum 4+ years of relevant professional experience in middle/back office within loan agency, syndicated loans operations, or agency functions at a bank, fund, or financial institution.
• Preferred experience with project finance and corporate finance transactions.
• Full understanding of the syndicated loan life cycle: fundings, rollovers, rate settings, prepayments, interest and fee calculations.
• Knowledge of Credit Agreements, Intercreditor Agreements, Security Documents, CP packages, Amendments, Waivers.
• Strong Excel and financial operations skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Relevant credit knowledge and technical expertise.

Effective interpersonal skills:

• Strong organizational and multitasking ability.
• Effective communication with multiple stakeholders.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Professional fluency in English and Spanish (written and spoken).
• Ability to work as a team player in a dynamic, fast-paced and collaborative work environment.
• Timely schedule management.