Financial Model Risk Management Lead

Jackalope Digital LLC; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 164,000 - 224,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care coverage

ESPP - Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Time off - vacation and holidays

Flexible Spending Wallets

Job summary

Affirm is seeking a Lead Validator for Finance and Analytics models within the Model Risk Management team. You will validate a range of financial and analytics models, lead complex validation engagements, and collaborate across Finance, Quantitative Research, Growth Analytics, and Internal Audit to strengthen model governance.

The role requires strong technical skills in Python/SQL, a deep understanding of corporate finance and ALM, and the ability to communicate findings to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of experience in model validation, quantitative finance, or data analytics.
• Strong knowledge of corporate finance, treasury, ALM, or actuarial/statistical forecasting.
• Experience with scripting languages and large-scale datasets; familiarity with Excel/Python/Databricks/SQL.

Responsibilities

• Perform independent validation and ongoing monitoring of financial and analytics models (ALM, forecasting, loan transition models, etc.).
• Lead end-to-end validation engagements on high-complexity models.
• Identify weaknesses and articulate findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with model owners and stakeholders to remediate findings and strengthen governance.
• Partner to implement and maintain the Model Risk Management framework.
• Coordinate with Internal Audit, Controls, Accounting, and Compliance on audit requests.

Skills

Python

SQL

Excel

Databricks

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Quantitative Field

Tools

Databricks

Excel

Python

SQL

Job description

Affirm is reinventing credit to make it more honest and friendly, giving consumers the flexibility to buy now and pay later without any hidden fees or compounding interest.

About Enterprise Risk & Internal Audit

The Enterprise Risk & Internal Audit department protects affirm’s operations and long-term success. We identify, assess, and monitor risk across the business. Our work includes internal audits, regulatory assurance, fraud prevention, and crisis planning. The team maintains strong controls, tracks key risk indicators, and ensures readiness for external reviews. We uphold accountability, transparency, and resilience to support responsible growth.

About the Team

We're looking for an intelligent, driven professional to join our Model Risk Management (MRM) team as a Lead validator for Finance and Analytics models. MRM serves as affirm's second line of defense, establishing and overseeing an effective model risk management framework to identify, quantify, monitor, mitigate, and report on model risk throughout the company.

What You'll Do:

• Perform independent challenges of financial and analytics quantitative models - including ALM, allowance/loss forecasting, loan transition models (LTM), corporate financial planning models, take-up and engagement models, and related decision-support analytics - through rigorous validation and ongoing monitoring
• Lead end-to-end validation engagements on high-complexity, high-criticality models
• Identify model weaknesses, limitations, and opportunities for improvement; articulate findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Collaborate with model owners and stakeholders across Finance, Quantitative Research, and Growth Analytics to remediate validation findings and strengthen model governance
• Partner cross-functionally to implement and maintain the company's MRM framework
• Partner with Internal Audit, Internal Controls, Accounting, and Compliance to ensure timely resolution of audit, regulatory, and examiner requests

What We Look For:

• 4-6 years of professional experience in related technical areas such as model development, model validation, quantitative finance, or data analytics - with meaningful exposure to financial and/or analytics model validation
• Deep and broad knowledge of corporate finance, treasury, ALM, and/or actuarial/statistical forecasting
• Experience in credit underwriting, credit risk management is a plus
• Proven ability to work with scripting languages (e.g., Python) and large-scale datasets (e.g., SQL); comfort reviewing models built in Excel, Python, Databricks, or similar environments
• Experience with statistical modeling, time-series forecasting, simulation, and/or machine learning techniques as applied to finance and analytics use cases
• BS, MS, or PhD in a quantitative field such as Quantitative Finance, Financial Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, or Data Science
• Detail-oriented and intellectually curious about data, models, and business context; skilled at critical thinking and structured problem-solving
• Extraordinary interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills - able to influence model owners, present to senior stakeholders, and navigate cross-functional remediation

Pay Grade - M

Equity Grade - 8

Employees new to affirm typically come in at the start of the pay range. affirm focuses on providing a simple and transparent pay structure which is based on a variety of factors, including location, experience and job-related skills. Base pay is part of a total compensation package that may include equity rewards, monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents.)

USA base pay range (CA, WA, NY, NJ, CT) per year: $185,000 - $245,000

USA base pay range (all other U.S. states) per year: $164,000 - $224,000

#LI-Remote

Affirm is proud to be a remote-first company! The majority of our roles are remote and you can work almost anywhere within the country of employment. affirmers in proximal roles have the flexibility to work remotely, but will occasionally be required to work out of their assigned affirm office. A limited number of roles remain office-based due to the nature of their job responsibilities.

We’re extremely proud to offer competitive benefits that are anchored to our core value of people come first. Some key highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health care coverage - affirm covers all premiums for all levels of coverage for you and your dependents
• Flexible Spending Wallets - generous stipends for spending on Technology, Food, various Lifestyle needs, and family forming expenses
• Time off - competitive vacation and holiday schedules allowing you to take time off to rest and recharge
• ESPP - An employee stock purchase plan enabling you to buy shares of affirm at a discount

We believe It's On Us to provide an inclusive interview experience for all, including people with disabilities. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates in need of individualized support during the hiring process.

[For U.S. positions that could be performed in Los Angeles or San Francisco] Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, affirm will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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