Director, Risk

About the role

Our partner is looking for a Director, Risk based in United States. This is a senior leadership opportunity to build and own a risk function within a fast-scaling fintech environment. You’ll establish the organization’s risk tolerance framework across credit, fraud, and operational exposure. The role combines strategic governance with hands-on partnership across Product, Engineering, Sales, Finance, Legal, and Compliance. You’ll embed risk controls directly into products, workflows, and automation rather than relying solely on post-launch oversight. As the leader of the Risk function, you’ll oversee first-line credit and fraud operations while establishing second-line governance. You’ll also translate complex risk signals into clear business, financial, executive, and board-level insights. This role is suited to a builder who can strengthen risk discipline while supporting responsible business growth.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain the enterprise risk tolerance framework, including delinquency guardrails, fraud targets, escalation thresholds, and related monitoring practices.
• Establish second-line risk governance and define when Risk approval is required for credit policy changes, fraud controls, product features, and other risk-sensitive decisions.
• Establish and lead the Risk Committee, including meeting cadence, reporting materials, escalation processes, and executive communication.
• Lead and develop the Senior Managers responsible for Fraud Operations and Credit, strengthening operational capabilities and analytical rigor.
• Partner with Product and Engineering teams to translate risk policies into product logic, application-stage controls, automated decisioning, and other embedded safeguards.
• Work closely with Sales to manage risk appetite and establish practical guardrails that support commercial objectives while maintaining defined risk standards.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance on regulatory requirements, including BSA/AML, UDAAP, and card-issuing compliance.
• Develop risk reporting infrastructure and provide regular analysis of delinquency and fraud performance against established targets.
• Translate operational and financial risk indicators into clear P&L, executive, and board-level insights.
• Identify emerging risks, establish appropriate escalation mechanisms, and ensure leadership has clear visibility into material exposures.

Requirements

• 8–10+ years of professional experience in risk management, with substantial credit experience and ideally combined credit and fraud expertise.
• 3+ years of experience leading teams, with a demonstrated ability to build capabilities and establish effective risk functions.
• Experience balancing rigorous risk management with business growth, including examples of establishing guardrails while enabling commercial and product objectives.
• Direct experience partnering with Product and Engineering teams to translate risk policies into product requirements, controls, automation, and technology-enabled processes.
• Strong cross-functional influence and stakeholder management skills, particularly when navigating risk appetite discussions with Sales and Product teams.
• Working knowledge of BSA/AML, UDAAP, and card-issuing regulatory requirements.
• Experience in fintech, card issuing, or lending environments is required.
• Excellent executive communication