VP, Credit Model Development - PayPal Credit

Job Description:

Role Summary/Purpose:

Synchrony’s exciting partnership with PayPal and Venmo will provide unprecedented opportunities in the model risk management area to develop and deliver credit, fraud, and marketing models for these major portfolios. Working closely with PayPal/Venmo team, we will further enhance the underwriting, account management, fraud and marketing strategy through Advanced Data/Analytics in order to continue to compete and win in the rapidly evolving lending space.  We are looking for an innovative and naturally curious VP, PayPal and Venmo Credit Models who will play a central role in working with PayPal/Venmo to deliver on Incremental Data/Advanced Analytics projects.

We are looking for a candidate who has business acumen, takes ownership, is passionate about developing innovative solutions, and has experience in big data environments, computer programming, Hadoop, Spark, Python, SAS, etc.  The successful candidate will have excellent communication & project management skills, strong model development experience and good understanding of model risk. The role will be responsible for hands-on model development to support credit acquisition, account management, fraud detection and marketing process. 

Our Way of Working

We’re proud to offer you choice and flexibility. At Synchrony, our way of working allows you to have the option to work from home, near one of our Hubs or come into one of our offices. Occasionally you may be required to commute to our nearest office for in person engagement activities such as business or team meetings, training and culture events. 

Essential Responsibilities:

• Work closely with PayPal/Venmo team to independently manage and build credit risk and fraud framework and models.

• Work on data collection, data cleansing, methodology evaluation, model assessment and validation.

• Use statistical modelling techniques such as Machine learning, logistic regression, decision trees to build models

• Analyze and explore datasets in order to find opportunities through data analytics 

• Conduct detailed analytical work with a high level of accuracy to deliver quality result to senior management.

• Ensure Fair Lending/Legal compliance and approvals for each model.

• Liaison cross functionally plus with PayPal/Venmo team and regulators as needed

• Manage model inventory for PayPal/Venmo models (model development, validation, remediations, decommission status, etc.)

• Maintain comprehensive model documentations needed to meet regulatory requirements.

• Assist in managing model testing process including implementation specifications development, model testing plan development, and test plan execution to ensure model appropriately implemented and produce output as designed.

• Manage model monitoring process, analyzing the root cause of any material shift and optimizing performance metrics.

• Manage validation & audit requests, and draft responses for model development and validation related questions.

• Manage/update Model development procedures and conduct Model update calls with PP/Venmo Senior Leadership Team

• Perform other duties and/or special projects as assigned

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Mathematics/Statistics/Financial Engineering or other quantitative field with 3+ years of experience in Credit Risk / Financial Industry, or in lieu of a degree, 8+ years of experience in Credit Risk / Financial industry

• 4+ years of hands-on modeling experience with Credit/Fraud Scorecard using various machine learning techniques

• 4+ years working with large data sets

• 4+ years hands on programming skills (SAS/SQL/R/Python etc.)

Desired Characteristics:

• Ability to work cross functionally

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Excellent understanding of modeling methodologies such as Machine Learning, Logistics Regression, Decision Trees.

• Excellent analytical skills

• Multitask in a fast-paced environment while influencing and making judgment calls.

• Good understanding of model risk management, credit risk and fraud strategy controls

• Technical proficiency with SAS, SQL, R, Python, Hadoop, Spark etc.

• Technical proficiency with MS Office applications

• Quick learner, detail oriented, strong analytical and problem-solving skills.