Director, Credit Risk

About the role

The Director, Credit Risk serves as a key leader within the Second Line of Defense (2LOD), providing independent oversight, credible effective challenge, and governance support across the credit life cycle. This role is responsible for assessing credit risk practices, portfolio trends, risk appetite alignment, and control effectiveness to ensure the organization's credit strategies across the credit lifecycle remain safe, sound, data-driven, and compliant with evolving regulatory expectations. The Director will partner closely with First Line business teams while maintaining independence, contribute to executive and committee-level risk reporting, and support regulatory examinations and audit activities.

What You'll Do

• Provide effective challenge to First Line credit strategies, assumptions, control frameworks, and portfolio actions; document conclusions and escalate concerns as appropriate.
• Conduct independent credit risk assessments and thematic reviews across origination, servicing, loss mitigation, and recovery activities, identifying emerging credit risks and exposure across the credit life cycle.
• Assess adherence to credit policies, risk appetite statements, underwriting standards, and concentration limits, recommending enhancements where misalignment is observed.
• Lead oversight of the Risk Appetite for credit risk by monitoring and reporting on key risk indicators (KRIs), portfolio trends, and emerging risks, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and executive-readiness.
• Deliver independent oversight and effective challenge to business line strategies, risk assessments, and control frameworks.
• Provide second-line oversight of credit strategy and decisioning frameworks across the lifecycle, including policies, analytics, and supporting models/tools, with an emphasis on governance, performance outcomes, and risk alignment.
• Collaborate with various internal stakeholders, such as finance, originations, and collections teams, to ensure alignment of credit risk objectives and practices.
• Support governance and validation of Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL) methodologies and assumptions.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Internal Audit, and Operational Risk to ensure comprehensive risk coverage.
• Prepare and present risk reports to senior management, risk committees, and regulatory bodies.
• Drive adoption of advanced analytics and reporting tools to enhance risk identification, monitoring, and reporting.
• Mentor and develop future risk leaders within the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business, or a related field; advanced degree or certifications (CRC, FRM, CFA) preferred.
• Minimum 7+ years of experience in first line or second line credit management within the financial services industry, with a strong focus on the credit life cycle.
• Demonstrated experience and strong understanding of lines of defense responsibilities and risk governance frameworks.
• In-depth knowledge of consumer and/or commercial lending products (e.g., student loans, mortgages, credit cards, small business).
• Proven ability to challenge constructively and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of U.S. banking regulations and supervisory expectations.
• Exceptional analytical, communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to think strategically and make informed decisions.
• Proficiency in analytics, using Python, SAS, SQL, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Proven ability to communicate complex analytics to executive audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence across functions.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with credit models or risk governance frameworks, risk appetite statements, and issue management.
• Experience with segmentation strategy, vendor management, and regulatory exam support.

Benefits

• Competitive base salaries.
• Bonus incentives.
• Generous PTO, Floating Holidays and 12 Federal Holidays observed.
• Support for financial-well-being and retirement 401k with employer match.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance and more.
• Employer paid short-term/long-term disability and basic life insurance.
• Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
• Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs.
• Free access to on-site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy (for locations outside Delaware).
• Confidential counseling support (EAP), Health Advocacy services and Wellness program with financial incentives.
• Tuition Reimbursement and Family Scholarship Programs.
• Career development and training opportunities.