Senior Credit Risk Manager, Personal Loan

Earnest; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 186,000 - 211,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as a Senior Credit Risk Manager, where you'll develop innovative credit strategies to empower students financially. In this pivotal role, you'll leverage your extensive experience in risk analytics and team leadership to optimize underwriting models and enhance credit portfolio performance. Collaborating with diverse teams, you'll ensure compliance while driving business growth. This position offers a blend of remote flexibility and team collaboration in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, making it an exciting opportunity for those passionate about making higher education accessible and affordable. If you thrive in a dynamic environment and are eager to make an impact, this role is perfect for you.

Benefits

Health, Dental, & Vision benefits

Mac computers + work-from-home stipend

Monthly internet and phone reimbursement

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

401(k) plan with company match

Tuition reimbursement program

$1,000 travel perk on Earnie-versary

Competitive annual PTO

Competitive parental leave

Qualifications

• 7+ years experience in credit strategies and risk models.
• Strong analytical skills with SQL and Python expertise.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize credit strategies for loans.
• Collaborate with Data Science teams on risk models.

Skills

Data-driven credit strategies

Analytical skills

Leadership and mentoring

Risk analytics

Collaboration

Strategic influence

Education

Advanced degree in quantitative field

Tools

SQL

Python

Looker

Tableau

Job description

Senior Credit Risk Manager, Personal Loan

Our mission is to make higher education accessible and affordable for everyone. We empower students with financial support and supercharge their ability to pay down their debt, so they can get on the right financial track, fast.

We build tools that help people feel in control of their financial future, including:

• Private student loans - low rates, people-first service, and flexible payments.
• Student loan refinancing - break free from high-interest rates or monthly payments.
• Scholarships - access to thousands of scholarships to help students pay less.

Earnies are committed to helping students live their best lives, free from the stress of student debt. If you’re as passionate as we are about our mission, read more below, and let’s build something great together!

The Senior Credit Risk Manager, Personal Loans will report to the Head of Credit Risk.

As the Senior Credit Risk Manager, Personal Loans, you will:

• Develop and optimize credit strategies for pre-screening, underwriting, risk tiering, loan amount assignment, and verifications to drive business growth while managing risk.
• Lead champion-challenger testing to optimize underwriting models.
• Collaborate with Data Science teams to develop new machine-learning risk models.
• Monitor credit portfolio performance and identify areas for improvement, ensuring continuous enhancement and optimization.
• Work cross-functionally with Business, Capital Markets, Marketing, Product, Engineering, and Finance teams to implement strategies that align with Earnest’s risk appetite.
• Manage regulatory and audit compliance by providing analytical support for internal audits and regulatory reviews.
• Lead, support, and develop junior team members while managing multiple projects.

About You:

• 7+ years of experience developing data-driven credit strategies for loans or credit cards, leveraging risk models, rules, and multiple data sources.
• At least 1 year of experience in leading and mentoring team members.
• Strong analytical skills with expertise in SQL and Python for data analysis.
• Experience in risk analytics, segmentation, and statistical modeling (decision trees, gradient boosting models).
• Proven ability to deliver business results through ownership, collaboration, and strategic influence.
• Experience with Business Intelligence tools such as Looker or Tableau.
• Strong knowledge of credit risk management within lending products, including P&L impact evaluation.
• Willingness to travel to the Oakland office monthly to collaborate with other Earnies.

Even Better:

• Experience in personal loan products.
• Knowledge of applicable lending industry regulations.
• Familiarity with machine learning techniques applied to credit risk models.
• Experience working with Capital Markets, FP&A, or external ratings agencies.
• Advanced degree in a quantitative field (Math, Statistics, Engineering, Finance, Economics).

Where:

• This role will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• While you’ll enjoy the flexibility of remote work, we also love to see our Earnies face-to-face! We ask you to join us at our Oakland office for 3 consecutive days a month for team collaboration and some fun.

Pay Range

$186,000 - $211,000 USD

Earnest believes in enabling our employees to live their best lives. We offer a variety of perks and competitive benefits, including:

• Health, Dental, & Vision benefits plus savings plans
• Mac computers + work-from-home stipend to set up your home office
• Monthly internet and phone reimbursement
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
• 401(k) plan to help you save for retirement plus a company match
• Robust tuition reimbursement program
• $1,000 travel perk on each Earnie-versary to anywhere in the world
• Competitive days of annual PTO
• Competitive parental leave

What makes an “Earnie” culture:

• Drivers – Drivers are satisfied by making things happen, not coming along for the ride.
• Humility – Humble team players check their egos and consider the team’s needs above their own.
• Growth Mindset – People with a growth mindset approach challenges and failures as learning opportunities.

At Earnest, we are committed to building an environment where our employees feel included, valued, and heard.

Earnest provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or genetics.