Associate, Aviation Finance Advisory & Origination

Do you want your voice heard and your actions to count?

Discover your opportunity with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the world’s leading financial groups. Across the globe, we’re 150,000 colleagues, striving to make a difference for every client, organization, and community we serve. We stand for our values, building long-term relationships, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world.

With a vision to be the world’s most trusted financial group, it’s part of our culture to put people first, listen to new and diverse ideas and collaborate toward greater innovation, speed and agility. This means investing in talent, technologies, and tools that empower you to own your career.

Join MUFG, where being inspired is expected and making a meaningful impact is rewarded.

Overview of the Department/Section

As a group, MUFG has been involved in aviation for more than 30 years across a wide spectrum of financial solutions. Our deep understanding of the aviation industry, the size of our loan book and significant international presence - as well as our extensive expertise in capital markets and aviation research - act as key differentiators in our ability to provide unique and unparalleled knowledge and financial services to the aviation industry.

MUFG's Aviation Advisory (AA) team – sitting with the Global Aviation Finance Office (GAFO) – provides financial services to Airlines, Operating Lessors, Asset Managers and other aircraft investors and owners, relating to the acquisition, ownership, leasing and selling of aircraft.

Main Purpose of the Role

To play a pivotal role in advancing, expanding, and sustaining the Aviation Advisory franchise, which specializes in arranging financing, delivering strategic consultancy, and providing corporate finance advice to airlines, operating lessors, and aviation investors. The Associate will also work for the Origination team on an ad-hoc basis, subject to workload.

To support the AA and Origination teams in developing client presentation materials, conducting market and transaction research, performing financial and strategic analysis, structuring financing solutions, reviewing documentation, and building robust financial models.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the full lifecycle of aviation advisory and Origination transactions, from assisting in identifying new business opportunities to pitching and supporting execution of aviation mandates and where necessary, draft and present BSMs, prepare credit papers and internal memos
• Prepare tailored advisory materials such as advisory pitchbooks, information memoranda, financial models and asset/credit commentary
• Build and maintain financial models to assess aircraft economics, lease cash flows, and transaction viability across multiple scenarios
• Manage preparation of key transaction documentation and internal approval materials, ensuring seamless execution across stakeholders
• Monitor aviation finance trends, aircraft market dynamics, and regulatory developments to inform client strategy
• Conduct targeted country and sector research, contributing to broader strategic initiatives and ad hoc projects
• Support relationship management efforts by tracking client feedback, coordinating follow-ups, and maintaining advisory pipeline
• Design bespoke solutions in partnership with MUFG’s specialist teams to address complex client challenges
• Continuously develop technical expertise and industry insight to become a trusted aviation advisory specialist
• Demonstrate agility in managing competing priorities and evolving client demands in a fast-paced environment
• Support the refinement of MUFG’s AA and Origination strategy and help establish best practices across the business
• Assist in and ultimately drive pricing discussions and preparing loan profiles, preparing presentations and pitch books in a timely manner
• Assist and ultimately drive deal execution

Work Experience

Essential:

• Excellent IT and modelling skills
• Proven background in structured finance advisory or product roles within airlines, lessors, or aviation finance institutions
• Skilled in developing and maintaining investment proposals, pitch books, asset and credit models, sensitivity analyses, and rating assessments
• Demonstrated experience in aircraft pricing methodologies and maintenance cost modelling
• Prior exposure to aviation M&A, structured finance transactions, and credit rating processes is highly advantageous

Skills and Experience

Functional / Technical Competencies:

• Skilled in financial analysis, leveraging cash flow modelling, stress testing, and relevant market insights and metrics to inform strategic decision-making
• Ability to conduct in-depth market research, assess industry trends, and identify commercial opportunities across geographies
• Exposure to aircraft sourcing, fleet planning, and lifecycle cost analysis, including lease vs. buy evaluations
• Strong foundation in corporate finance, financial modelling, and valuation techniques
• Excellent analytical and numeracy skills
• Proficiency in Excel and financial modelling tools; PowerPoint skills of internal and external presentation
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with cross-functional and global teams
• Adaptable and able to act independently or within a team as required
• Ability to multi-task and manage ever changing and often conflicting priorities
• Ability to deal with people of all types and personalities at all levels

Education / Qualifications:

• Degree level and professional qualifications desirable
• A bachelor's or master's degree in a numerate discipline or in an aviation-related field from a world-class university preferred
• Either completed or working towards CFA, ACCA, ACA or similar qualifications would be highly beneficial

Personal Requirements

• Highly motivated and self-directed, with a proactive and goal-oriented mindset
• Demonstrates a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and results-driven focus
• Maintains composure and effectiveness in high-pressure situations
• Capable of managing substantial workloads and meeting tight deadlines with urgency
• Applies a structured, logical approach to tasks and exercises sound professional judgement
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy across all deliverables
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Combines excellent numerical aptitude with clear and confident communication skills
• Brings creativity and innovation to complex challenges and strategic thinking
• Collaborative team player with a positive and adaptable mindset
• Passion for aviation and aircraft is considered a valuable asset

We are open to considering flexible working requests in line with organisational requirements.

MUFG is committed to embracing diversity and building an inclusive culture where all employees are valued, respected and their opinions count. We support the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in recruitment and employment, and oppose all forms of discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender reassignment, religion or belief and marriage or civil partnership.

We make our recruitment decisions in a non-discriminatory manner in accordance with our commitment to identifying the right skills for the right role and our obligations under the law.