Risk Manager

Kafene; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kafene is seeking a Risk Manager to join the Risk team and partner with technology and senior leadership in Wilmington/NYC to optimize credit risk, fraud risk and portfolio performance. The role drives quantitative analyses using diverse data sources and ML techniques to improve underwriting and collections decisions.

You will design dashboards, run A/B tests, and present insights to the CRO and CEO. A Master’s in a quantitative field and 2+ years in finance are required, with strong

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in statistics, economics, operations research, engineering or related STEM field.
• Minimum two years in a financial analytical role; credit risk or collections is a plus.
• Strong skills in business reporting (Power BI/Tableau) and data mining.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, SAS; familiarity with decision-tree analysis tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Leverage diverse data sources to perform quantitative analyses, modeling and ML to identify root causes and opportunities.
• Translate data into actionable insights; design, implement and iterate growth strategies; present findings to CRO/CEO.
• Design and manage A/B tests and controlled experiments with clearly defined populations and success criteria.
• Build and maintain dashboards and pipelines for real‑time monitoring of strategy performance.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Data-driven decision making

Business storytelling

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master's degree in quantitative field

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Python

SQL

SAS

Enterprise Miner

Job description

Get to Know Us

Kafene is revolutionizing the lease‑to‑own space. We are the point‑of‑sale powerhouse that brings flexibility to consumers—both prime and non‑prime. Our secret weapon is cutting‑edge AI and machine learning that processes 20,000+ data inputs in real time, enabling retailers in furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and durable goods to say "yes" to more customers.

The numbers say it all: over $500 million in sales and counting. Our 150‑person team spans NYC, Wilmington and remote talent worldwide, united by a culture of collaboration, innovation and genuine support. Built In named us a Startup to Watch and Forbes highlighted us as a top startup employer.

About The Team

Kafene’s Risk team drives growth by building profit‑driven underwriting strategies. As a Risk Manager you will report to the VP of Risk and work across technology and senior leadership to develop strategies that optimize credit risk, fraud risk, and other factors across portfolio management and collections.

What You’ll Do

• Leverage complex data sources—such as credit bureau data, alternative signals, consumer behavior, macro indicators and portfolio performance—to perform quantitative analyses, classification/decision‑tree modeling and machine learning, identifying root causes and business opportunities.
• Translate data into actionable insights, design, implement and iterate strategies that drive sustainable growth, and present findings to senior management including CRO and CEO.
• Design and manage A/B tests, pilot programs and controlled experiments, defining test populations, randomization logic and success criteria.
• Build and maintain dashboards and reporting pipelines for real‑time monitoring of strategy performance across key metrics.
• Monitor acquisition and portfolio performance related to consumer or merchant credit risk, fraud, lease amount, term, channel and other lifecycle metrics.
• Assess internal and macroeconomic performance to define risk appetite and sustain healthy business results in varied environments.
• Partner with technology, product and cross‑functional teams to ensure timely, high‑quality implementation and diligent test validation, tracking performance against expectations.

What You’ll Bring

• Master’s degree in a quantitative discipline such as Statistics, Operations Research, Economics, Engineering, Data Science or another STEM field.
• Minimum two years of financial industry experience in an analytical role; experience in credit risk strategy or collections is a plus.
• High proficiency in business reporting and analytical tools such as Power BI and Tableau.
• Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, SAS or other data mining and analytical tools; familiarity with decision‑tree analysis tools (e.g., Enterprise Miner) is a plus.
• Ability to extract business insights from data analysis and translate them into clear recommendations within the financial service/consumer lending domain.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base Salary: $95,000–$130,000.
• Healthcare: We cover 80% of medical, dental and vision insurance costs, including coverage for spouse, children and other dependents.
• Retirement: 401(k) plan available from day one.
• Paid Time Off: Flexible paid time off starting from day one of employment.

We’re building a team as diverse as the customers we serve. Kafene is an equal‑opportunity employer and welcomes 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? If you’re applying for a U.S. position and require reasonable accommodation at any stage, please email [e-mail] with the details of your request and contact information. That address is dedicated to accommodation requests only.