Director, Credit Risk Management

Upgrade, Inc.; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial technology company in Pittsburgh is seeking a Director of Credit Risk to develop and manage credit risk strategies for its Indirect Auto Finance portfolio. The role requires a hands-on manager with extensive experience in sub-prime and near-prime lending, and it involves optimizing credit strategies and collaborating with cross-functional teams. This hybrid position requires attendance in the San Francisco office three times a week.

Benefits

Competitive salary and stock option plan

100% paid medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible PTO

Paid parental leave

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in a consumer credit risk role at a financial institution.
• Strong analytical mindset passionate about solving complex, data-driven problems.
• Advanced proficiency in SQL, Python, or R for data analysis and risk modeling.

Responsibilities

• Identify potential issues and develop analytical approaches to mitigate risks.
• Collaborate with Auto Production team to enhance underwriting practices.
• Design and optimize credit strategies for sub-prime auto lending.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Problem-solving

Excellent communication

Detail-oriented

Team collaboration

Proactive

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, or related field

Tools

SQL

Python

R

Job description

Upgrade is a fintech company that provides affordable and responsible credit, mobile banking, and payment products to everyday consumers. We were the fastest growing company in the Americas last year according to the Financial Times and Upgrade Card was the fastest growing credit card in America two years in a row. We have delivered over $33 billion in affordable and responsible credit to our 5.5M customers. The company is backed by some of the most prominent technology investors and was recently valued at $6.3B.

We have built an energizing, collaborative and inclusive culture where team members help each other, learn and innovate to move the company and its customers in the right direction, and own the outcome of their efforts.

Upgrade has been named a “Best Place to Work in the Bay Area” three years in a row, “Top Companies to work for in Arizona” and one of the "Best Engineering Department" awarded annually by Comparably. We've also received recognition for being a best company for Diversity, Women, Culture, and Veterans.

We are looking for new team members who get excited about designing and delivering new and better products to join a team of 1850 talented and dedicated professionals. Come work with us if you like to tackle big problems and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

About the Role:
We are seeking an experienced a Director of Credit Risk to develop and manage credit risk strategies to support Upgrade’s Indirect Auto Finance portfolio. We are rapidly growing our business and are seeking an individual to help manage the processes, procedures and strategies required to accelerate our geographic expansion. Must be a very hands-on manager and extremely detail-oriented. The ideal candidate will possess deep, hands-on auto finance risk experience, specifically within the sub-prime and near-prime lending segments. This will be a hybrid role and will require you to go into our San Francisco office 3 times a week.

What You'll Do:

• Identify potential issues and risks, particularly those unique to the sub/near prime segment, and develop analytical approaches, solutions, or credit risk strategies to answer business questions, mitigate risks, increase capture rates, and improve decision automation.
• Understands uniqueness and complexities of the near/subprime borrower, product, dealer and collateral and has demonstrated the ability to develop strategies to manage these risks
• Collaborate closely with the Auto Production team to review and enhance Upgrade's underwriting practices (including auto/manual approval strategies, credit policy, procedures, and model use), specifically tailoring approaches for various sub-prime and near-prime risk tiers to achieve results within Upgrade's credit risk tolerance.
• Design, implement, and optimize end-to-end credit strategies for sub-prime auto lending, covering origination, underwriting, portfolio management, and collections
• Monitor loan performance through hands on analysis with a deep dive into sub-prime vintage and segmentation performance.
• Obtain subject matter expertise in internal and external data sources and ensure data integrity
• Ensure all strategy/policy changes are appropriately documented with proper approval(s) and work with engineering team through testing and implementation.

What We Look For:

• 10+ years of experience in a consumer credit risk role at a financial institution.
• Bachelor’s degree required (preferably in Finance, Economics, Statistics, or a related field).
• Strong analytical mindset with a passion for solving complex, data-driven problems.
• Ability to think strategically and tackle 'white space' problems with innovative solutions.
• Advanced proficiency in SQL, Python, or R for data analysis and risk modeling.
• Detail-oriented with a proven ability to interpret and present complex financial data in a clear and actionable manner.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences, including senior management, investors, auditors, and regulators.
• Proactive, self-driven, and thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong collaborator and team player who can work cross-functionally to achieve business goals.

What We Offer You:

• Competitive salary and stock option plan
• 100% paid coverage of medical, dental and vision insurance
• Competitive 401(k) and RRSP program
• Flexible PTO
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Paid parental leave
• Health & wellness initiatives

The compensation range of this position in San Francisco, CA is USD $170,000 - $200,000 annually plus equity and benefits. Within this range, an individual's base pay will be dependent on a variety of factors, including without limitation, job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Upgrade does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies, search firms, or any third parties. Any resume submitted to any employee of Upgrade without a prior written agreement in place will be considered the property of Upgrade, and Upgrade will not be obligated to pay any referral or placement fee. Agencies must obtain advance written approval from Upgrade's Talent Acquisition department to submit resumes and only in conjunction with a valid, fully executed agreement.

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Upgrade is dedicated to building a diverse team and an inclusive culture. We believe that it’s crucial to Upgrade’s long-term success to create an environment where all employees feel like they belong and have an equal opportunity to succeed.

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