Risk Manager

Kafene; Northern, New York (KY, NY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

401k plan

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Kafene is a fintech company reimagining lease-to-own. We are hiring a Risk Manager to develop merchant risk strategies that balance loss control with growth. You will leverage multiple data sources and ML models to guide underwriting decisions and profitability, partnering with sales and operations to optimize processes.

You will use Python, SQL, and R, with a strong ownership mindset, to drive analyses and communicate findings to stakeholders across the business.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a quantitative field (Statistics / OR / Economics / Engineering / Data Science).
• 2+ years of work experience in LTO or the financial industry.
• High-level proficiency in Python, SQL, and R.
• Strong sense of ownership and collaboration.
• Experience with decision-tree analysis approaches.

Responsibilities

• Use data sources and ML models to develop merchant underwriting strategies for growth.
• Monitor P&L and adjust underwriting policy for profitability and merchant experience.
• Design Sigma reporting and analyze merchant engagement to ensure growth.
• Partner with sales and operations to deliver profitable merchant treatments.
• Investigate merchant fraud patterns and implement preventive measures.
• Learn and use Python/R/SQL for analyses and collaborate with data/engineering teams.
• Communicate findings via summaries and presentations.

Skills

Python

SQL

R

LTO experience

Statistical analysis

Decision-tree analysis

Ownership & collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in a quantitative discipline

Tools

Pivot tables

Knowledge Seeker

Enterprise Miner

Job description

Get to Know Us

Kafene is revolutionizing the lease-to-own space. We're the point-of-sale powerhouse making flexible lease-to-own accessible to everyone—prime and non-prime customers alike. Our secret weapon? Cutting-edge AI and machine learning that analyzes 20,000+ data inputs in real-time, empowering retailers across furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and durable goods to say "yes" to more customers.

The numbers tell our story: over $500 million in originations, and counting. But we're just getting started.

Our 175-person team spans NYC headquarters, Wilmington, and remote talent across the globe—all united by a culture that thrives on collaboration, innovation, and genuine support. We don't just talk about great workplace culture; we deliver it. That's why Built In named us a Startup to Watch and Forbes recognized us as one of the Best Startup Employers.

Ready to be part of the fintech revolution? Join us.

The risk team is a fundamental pillar for our business. As a Risk Manager, you will play an important role in driving healthy business growth for Kafene. You will conduct statistical analyses to develop top-tier retailer merchant risk strategies that balance loss control and strong partnerships. You will learn, innovate, and grow alongside an innovative team that strives for excellence.

What You’ll Do

• Leverage multiple, complex data sources such as third-party vendor data, internal performance metrics, and machine learning models to perform quantitative and decision-tree analyses to produce actionable recommendations for new merchant underwriting and assess existing merchant profitability to support healthy business growth.

• Monitor, investigate, and conduct p &l analysis to optimize merchant underwriting policy and processes to improve merchant experience while controlling merchant risk at scale with a strong sense of ownership and urgency; ongoing collaboration to enable merchant risk operation teams to handle edge cases

• Design and maintain Sigma reporting and conduct statistical analyses to track merchant engagement and performance across different dimensions to ensure healthy growth and profitability

• Partner cross-functionally (clear communication + strong collaboration) with sales and operations teams to deliver customized merchant treatments that ensure profitability with smooth sales operations

• Investigate merchant fraud cases, identify relevant patterns, and implement preventive measures to mitigate risk

• Learn and leverage analytical tools (Python/R, SQL, etc.) to perform statistical and decision-tree analyses to identify root causes and potential business opportunities.

• Partner with data and engineering teams to enhance treatment capabilities and monitor implementation quality

• Communicate findings clearly through summaries, presentations, and process documentation

What You’ll Bring

• Master’s degree in a quantitative discipline such as Statistics, Operations Research, Economics, Engineering, Data Science, or any other STEM major

• 2+ years of work experience in LTO or the financial industry

• High-level proficiency in Python, SQL, R, or other data mining and analytical tools

• Strong sense of ownership, timeline, and collaboration

• Prior experience in the lease-to-own (LTO) or the financial lending industry, with good P&L analytical experience

• Familiarity with any decision-tree analysis approach, like pivot tables, Knowledge Seeker, or Enterprise Miner

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base Salary: Earn a competitive salary of $95,000-140,000

• Healthcare: We prioritize your well-being by covering 80% of medical, dental, and vision insurance costs, including coverage for your spouse, children, and other dependents.

• Retirement Benefits: Begin planning for your future from day one with our 401k plan.

• Paid Time Off: We understand the importance of work-life balance. That's why we offer flexible paid time off days starting from day one of your employment.

We're building a team as diverse as the customers we serve. Kafene is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer, and we mean it. We welcome qualified applicants of every race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, veteran status, and all other legally protected characteristics.

Need accommodation during the application process? We've got you. If you're applying for a U.S. position and require reasonable accommodation at any stage, reach out to [e-mail] with details about your request and contact information. We're here to help make the process work for you.

Note: This email address is specifically for accommodation requests and will only respond to those inquiries.