Sr. Director, 1st Line Credit Risk, Retail Banking and Transformation, Liberty Street, New York, NY

Santander is a global leader and innovator in the financial services industry and is evolving from a high-impact brand into a technology-driven organization. Our people are at the heart of this journey and together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible.  This is more than a strategic shift.  It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference.

If you are interested in exploring the possibilities We Want to Talk to You!

The Difference You Make:
The Sr. Director, Credit Risk Management owns the 1st line credit risk management function for Credit Cards and Small Business Lending. The Head of Credit Risk (First Line of Defense) will be responsible for leading and building a high-performing credit risk organization accountable for the end-to-end credit risk management of Credit Card and Small Business lending portfolios. This role will set the credit risk vision, establish robust credit policies and governance, build modern risk capabilities, and actively manage portfolio performance across the credit lifecycle. This leader represents the first line of defense in committee meetings, drives the culture of credit risk awareness across the organization and works with 2nd line Risk Management to establish risk appetite framework and develop credit strategies within the risk appetite of the bank. The leader also works with product, platform and marketing team for generating attractive risk adjusted returns that meet the bank’s hurdle rate.

• Oversees and manages the 1st line Credit Risk management team ensuring implementation of credit risk management strategies across customer lifecycle
• Develops credit strategies to improve the credit performance by leveraging data, machine learning models and advanced analytics tools to optimize risk decisions. Designs A/B tests and understand the risk-return trade-offs
• Manages implementation and associated controls for underwriting, line management and targeting criteria with internal tech and vendor systems
• Partners with second line risk management in developing business wide key credit risk and early warning indicators.
• Monitors vintages and portfolio by customer segments, provides input to overall profitability and makes adjustments to credit strategies to deliver business goals within risk appetite framework
• Works with legal and compliance team to ensure strategies and policies comply with all the regulatory requirements

What You Bring:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's degree: Business, Statistics, Information Systems, Engineering, Finance, or Economics. - Required.
• Master's Degree: Business, Statistics, Information Systems, Engineering, Finance, Economics. - Preferred.

• 12+ Years Credit Risk Management experience within Financial Industry, including experience dealing with U.S. regulatory agencies - Required.  1st line credit risk experience - Preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in managing teams of credit analysts, underwriters, and data scientists in Credit cards or Small business lending or consumer unsecured personal loan products. - Required.

• Expertise and prior experience in credit bureaus, credit decision engines, credit modeling for underwriting and portfolio management decisions, income/identity verification and loss forecasting - Required
•  Deep expertise in Credit Card and/or Small Business lending, including unsecured consumer loan products.
• Proven ability to actively manage large, complex credit portfolios through different economic cycles.
• Expertise in managing advance analytics in SAS, R, python and working knowledge of tech infrastructure required to run lending portfolios.
• Advance knowledge of current federal and state laws and regulations related to credit decisions, and prior experience in interacting with regulators
• Exceptional leadership, influencing, and communication skills.

Certifications:

• No Certifications listed for this job.

It Would Be Nice For You To Have:

• Established work history or equivalent demonstrated through a combination of work experience, training, military service, or education.
• Experience in Microsoft Office products.

What Else You Need To Know:

The base pay range for this position is posted below and represents the annualized salary range. For hourly positions (non-exempt), the annual range is based on a 40-hour work week. The exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, training, licensure and certifications and location.

Base Pay Range:

Minimum:

We Value Your Impact:

Your contribution matters and it’s recognized.  You can expect a fair and competitive rewards package that reflects the impact you create and the value you deliver. We know rewards go beyond numbers.  Offering more than just a paycheck our benefits are designed to support you, your family and your well-being, now and into the future.Santander Benefits - 2026 Santander OnGoing/NH eGuide (foleon.com) 

Risk Culture:

We embrace a strong risk culture and all of our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management.

EEO Statement:

At Santander, we value and respect differences in our workforce. We actively encourage everyone to apply. Santander is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Working Conditions:

Frequent minimal physical effort such as sitting, standing and walking is required for this role. Depending on location, occasional moving and lifting light equipment and/or furniture may be required.

Employer Rights:

This job description does not list all of the job duties of the job. You may be asked by your supervisors or managers to perform other duties. You may be evaluated in part based upon your performance of the tasks listed in this job description. The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment and either you or the employer may terminate your employment at any time for any reason.

What To Do Next:

If this sounds like a role you are interested in, then please apply.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible application process for all candidates. If you require any assistance or accommodation due to a disability or any other reason, please contact us at TAOps@santander.us to discuss your needs.