Sotheby’s offers Sotheby’s Financial Services (“SFS”), the only full-service art financing company. For advisory, we offer services for private collectors, museums, corporations, artists, estates and foundations. SFS enables clients to unlock the liquidity in their fine art and collectible assets through technology and innovation. With the spirit of a fintech startup, the stability of a large established organization, and its position at the center of the art ecosystem, the SFS team unites around the goal of leading the future of art financial services.  We have a bold and exciting journey ahead, and we can’t wait to make it happen together.

THE ROLE

This individual will work closely with the Head of Risk to provide credit risk oversight across a global, and rapidly expanding, loan portfolio; and enhance risk controls and governance measures to ensure strong loss mitigation. We are actively looking for someone who is motivated to tackle the goal of proactively making SFS safer.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter with exceptional analytical skills and has a strong background in credit risk management and asset-based lending. You should think analytically, build narrative, and synthesize quantitative and qualitative findings. You should be comfortable going against the grain when necessary while still having a solution-oriented mindset and the ability to collaborate cross functionally.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the Head of Risk in overseeing a holistic risk management framework and implementing enhanced credit risk controls to mitigate risks associated with art & collectibles secured lending (credit, valuation, market, etc).
• Conduct periodic bottom-up and top-down portfolio reviews to ensure stable portfolio health.
• Play an integral role in the credit decisioning process by supporting the independent review and challenge of the loan opportunity and ensuring established underwriting credit standards and approval requirements are satisfied.
• Ensure that escalation measures are prudently and proactively followed for credit deterioration events portfolio and collateral information & concentrations are monitored and reported.
• Serve as a credit / underwriting mentor and resource for junior staff.
• Act as an independent last line of defense to ensure that the business is well protected from a risk perspective (particularly underwriting)
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of information to the relevant stakeholders
• Analyze portfolio and macroeconomic data / trends to identify emerging credit risks and identify opportunities for improvement through regular monitoring, reporting and ad-hoc projects to enhance risk framework. 

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• A bachelor’s degree in business, management, accounting, economics, statistics, information science or similar (MBA a plus)
• 5+ years relevant experience in a top tier risk organization / credit-focused role of a wealth management, consumer or commercial lending business
• Strong logical and analytical skills, experience with financial modeling, and the ability to use data to make business decisions 
• Proven excellent credit judgment and risk assessment as demonstrated by previous experience in consumer or commercial lending and/or portfolio management strategies
• High standards, tremendous personal integrity with independent thinking
• Solid communication skills
• Ability to think creatively and critically and thrive in a fast-paced dynamic, and often ambiguous work environment
• A nose and appetite for digging deep, finding nascent risks, and recommending practical mitigation strategies
• Strong business gravitas, with excellent written and verbal communication skills