Director, Model Risk Management

Upgrade is a fintech company that provides affordable and responsible credit, mobile banking, and payment products to everyday consumers. We were the fastest growing company in the Americas last year according to the Financial Times and Upgrade Card was the fastest growing credit card in America two years in a row. We have delivered over $33 billion in affordable and responsible credit to our 5.5M customers. The company is backed by some of the most prominent technology investors and was recently valued at $6.3B.

We have built an energizing, collaborative and inclusive culture where team members help each other, learn and innovate to move the company and its customers in the right direction, and own the outcome of their efforts.

Upgrade has been named a “Best Place to Work in the Bay Area” three years in a row, “Top Companies to work for in Arizona” and one of the "Best Engineering Department" awarded annually by Comparably. We've also received recognition for being a best company for Diversity, Women, Culture, and Veterans.

We are looking for new team members who get excited about designing and delivering new and better products to join a team of 1850 talented and dedicated professionals. Come work with us if you like to tackle big problems and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

About the Role:
We are looking for a Director of Model Risk Management to play in a critical role in owning all policies, procedures, and reporting related to Upgrade’s model risk management program. This person will manage the risk associated with the use of models, ensuring that models are reliable, compliant, and effective.

What You’ll Do: 

• Own requests and communications for regulatory exams and internal audits
• Develop and provide appropriate reporting to senior management related to the performance of the model risk management program
• Conduct independent model validation and provide an effective challenge of models by partnering with model owners and developers
• Write validation reports documenting the independent validation process
• Review ongoing model performance monitoring reports to ensure satisfactory performance and suggest corrective actions where required
• Monitor the remedial actions taken by model owners and developers to ensure model validation findings are addressed in a timely manner

What We Look For:

• Graduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as mathematics, statistics, economics, or any related field
• 10+ years of experience in model development, model validation, and/or quantitative analysis
• 5+ years of managerial experience
• Familiarity with different types of models used in the lending industry such as underwriting, loss forecasting, BSA/AML etc.
• In-depth knowledge of statistical and machine learning modeling techniques and quantitative methods
• Excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills
• Experience in model risk management and related regulatory guidance such as SR 11-7

What We Offer You: 

• Competitive salary and stock option plan
• 100% paid coverage of medical, dental and vision insurance 
• Flexible PTO
• Opportunities for professional growth and development  
• Paid parental leave
• Health & wellness initiatives

The compensation range of this position in San Francisco, CA is USD $185,000-$210,000 annually plus equity and benefits. Within this range, an individual's base pay will be dependent on a variety of factors, including without limitation, job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

#BI-Hybrid #LI-Hybrid 

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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.