Earnest

The Sr Model Risk Manager will report to the Head of Credit Risk. 

As the Sr Model Risk Manager, you will:

• Own and evolve Earnest’s Model Risk Management framework, ensuring our credit, loss forecasting, fraud, marketing, and finance models are rigorous, transparent, and built to scale responsibly.Lead independent end-to-end model validations — from conceptual soundness and data quality to performance monitoring and implementation review — delivering thoughtful, constructive challenge to modeling teams.
• Partner closely with Data Science and Risk leaders early in the model design process to strengthen assumptions, improve methodology, and elevate modeling standards across the company.
• Oversee model performance monitoring and proactively identify emerging risks, performance drift, or control gaps — ensuring timely, practical remediation.
• Deliver clear, decision-ready validation reports and communicate technical findings in a way that drives strong business outcomes and sound risk decisions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on model governance, helping Earnest move fast while maintaining the discipline and controls required of a best-in-class lending platform.

About You: 

• You hold a Master’s degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Financial Engineering, or similar) with 7+ years of experience in model development, validation, or model risk management in financial services (or a Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of relevant experience).
• You’ve worked in consumer or small business lending — ideally in a fintech or innovative banking environment — and understand the models that power modern credit decisioning.
• You have hands-on experience with statistical and machine learning models and are comfortable diving into Python code and large datasets using SQL to independently assess model performance.
• You understand regulatory model risk expectations and know how to apply them pragmatically in a high-growth environment.
• You bring strong judgment, intellectual independence, and the confidence to challenge assumptions while building productive cross-functional partnerships.
• You can translate complex modeling concepts into clear, actionable insights for senior stakeholders.

Even Better:

• Experience with personal loans or student lending products.
• Experience interacting with auditors or regulators in model risk or credit oversight contexts.
• Experience reviewing third-party or vendor models.
• Experience building or maturing a model governance framework at a scaling fintech company.

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