Position Summary: The Director, Credit Risk Management • Automobile Lending will report directly to the Chief Credit Officer (CCO) and is responsible for performing financial and credit risk analysis, monitoring individual loans and overall portfolio performance, developing and presenting portfolio reports to senior management, and partnering with the CCO to maintain and update credit policy. Given the bank's business model, this hands-on, individually executing role requires deep, practical expertise in auto lending, with a particular emphasis on indirect auto lending through independent dealer networks.
This role carries backup authority for credit risk decisions, policy administration, and regulatory engagement when the CCO is unavailable. The Director works closely with the affiliate's shared IT and operations personnel, who support contracted systems, and coordinates the work of outside consultants that the bank periodically engages for discrete credit-related projects (e.g., model validation, targeted portfolio reviews, or policy benchmarking).
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: - Act as the CCO's primary backup for credit risk decisions, policy approvals, exception approvals, and day-to-day leadership of the credit function during the CCO's absence, travel, or vacancy, ensuring continuity of the bank's credit risk management program.
- Partner with the CCO to draft, maintain, and periodically review credit policies, underwriting standards, and credit box parameters, ensuring they remain consistent with the bank's risk appetite and regulatory expectations.
- Maintain and administer credit standards specific to indirect auto lending, including dealer-originated retail installment contracts, dealer risk tiering, participation/buy-rate structures, and dealer agreement credit terms.
- Perform ongoing monitoring of credit portfolio performance • delinquency, net credit losses, vintage and static-pool analysis, and asset quality trends • and escalate emerging risks to the CCO with recommended actions.
- Conduct credit risk assessments, stress testing, and scenario analyses for the retail installment contract and consumer loan portfolios, including sensitivity to used-vehicle values, interest rate movement, and macroeconomic conditions relevant to auto credit.
- Prepare and deliver recurring and ad hoc credit risk reports and analytics packages for the CCO, senior management, the Board, and, as directed, the bank's regulators.
- Support the bank's compliance with applicable banking and consumer credit regulations (e.g., Fair Lending laws, Dodd-Frank Act provisions applicable to the bank) and assist the CCO in preparing for and responding to regulatory examinations and audits of the credit function.
- Serve as the credit function's primary liaison to affiliate personnel (including affiliate IT staff supporting bank systems and data) and external consultants engaged for short-term credit projects, defining scope, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring compliance with bank policy and control expectations.
- Participate in credit committee or credit exception discussions, document decisions and rationale in accordance with bank governance requirements.
- Partners with affiliate-supported systems and data infrastructure to ensure credit reporting tools and data feeds used by the bank are accurate, well-controlled, and appropriately segregated from non-bank affiliate use where required.
Qualifications and Competencies Required Required Experience: - Minimum seven (7) years of progressive experience in credit risk management, underwriting, or credit portfolio analytics within banking, auto finance, or consumer lending.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience in auto lending, with specific, substantive experience in indirect auto lending (dealer-originated retail installment contracts).
- Working knowledge of credit risk assessment methodologies, credit analysis techniques, and the regulatory requirements applicable to bank consumer lending.
- Demonstrated ability to operate with a high degree of independence and ownership in a lean team structure, without reliance on subordinate staff to execute core work.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret portfolio and credit data and translate findings into clear recommendations.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, including comfort presenting to senior management, the Board, and (as needed) bank regulators.
Education: - Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field. Overtime required • N/A Travel 0-10% - as required on an as needed basis.
- Must have reliable transportation and live within a commutable distance to one of the following cities: Salt Lake City, UT.
Qualifications Preferred: - Master's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field, or MBA, preferred.
- Experience coordinating with shared services/affiliate teams and managing external consultants or vendors on discrete projects is preferred.
- Professional certifications such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Credit Risk Analyst (CCRA), or equivalent credentials are highly desirable.
Physical Demands Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Work Schedule - This position requires the ability to work various times to accommodate business needs. Typically, between the hours of 8AM-6PM Monday through Friday and weekends as needed.