Senior Credit Risk Manager, Student Loan

Position Overview

• Location Type: Hybrid (San Francisco, with monthly travel to Oakland)
• Job Type: Full-time
• Salary: Not specified

Earnest is dedicated to making 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.

Senior Credit Risk Manager, Student Loans

As the Senior Credit Risk Manager, Student Loans, you will report to the Head of Credit Risk. 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 strategies.
• Collaborate with Data Science team 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 and business goals.
• 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.

Requirements

• Experience: 7+ years of experience developing data-driven credit strategies for loans or credit cards, leveraging risk models, rules, and multiple data sources.
• Leadership: At least 1 year of experience in leading and mentoring team members.
• Technical Skills:
  • 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).
  • Experience with Business Intelligence tools such as Looker or Tableau.
• Credit Knowledge: Strong knowledge of credit risk management within lending products, including P&L impact evaluation.
• Travel: Willingness to travel to the Oakland office monthly to collaborate with other Earnies.

Even Better (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience in student 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 rating agencies.
• Advanced degree in a quantitative field (Math, Statistics, Engineering, Finance, Economics).

Company Information

Earnest is committed to making higher education accessible and affordable for everyone.