Director – CECL & Loss Forecasting

Join our team and build your career with momentum as we champion your growth, elevate your ideas and engage you in purpose-driven work that makes a real difference every day.

Who we are

Founded in 1997, Merrick Bank is an FDIC®-insured financial institution headquartered in South Jordan, Utah, with over $10 billion in assets. A wholly owned subsidiary of CardWorks Financial Group, Merrick Bank serves roughly five million cardmembers and more than 100,000 merchant customers nationwide.

What we do

We provide credit cards, recreational loans, deposit accounts, merchant services and bank sponsorships to consumers and businesses. As a leader in non-prime lending and merchant acquiring, we combine innovative technology with data-driven insights to help underserved consumers build and strengthen credit while delivering integrated, scalable payment solutions for businesses.

Merrick Bank ranks among the top 20 FDIC®-insured credit card issuers in the U.S. and among the top 15 merchant acquirers by transaction volume.

Position Summary and Role Impact:

The Director, Loss Forecasting & CECL serves as a subject matter expert responsible for executing and enhancing the credit loss forecasting and allowance for credit losses (ACL/CECL) framework across consumer lending portfolios. This role independently performs complex quantitative analyses to assess portfolio performance, forecast expected credit losses, evaluate reserve adequacy, and support management decision-making.

The Director partners closely with Credit Risk, Finance, Accounting, Model Risk Management, and business stakeholders to evaluate emerging portfolio trends, assess macroeconomic impacts on expected credit losses, support reserve methodology enhancements and reserve governance activities. This position is a highly analytical individual contributor role requiring deep expertise in consumer credit risk, and data analytics.

Essential Functions:

The main responsibilities are:

CECL Forecasting & Analytics

• Execute quarterly CECL reserve estimation and forecasting processes for consumer lending portfolios.

• Perform detailed analyses of expected credit losses, reserve drivers, and quarter-over-quarter changes in ACL balances.

• Evaluate portfolio performance trends and identify key drivers impacting forecasted losses and reserve levels.

• Assess the impact of macroeconomic forecasts, scenario weighting approaches, and portfolio assumptions on reserve estimates.

• Develop reserve attribution analyses and supporting recommendations for management review.

• Support qualitative adjustment assessments through quantitative and qualitative analysis of emerging risks and portfolio trends.

Model Monitoring & Methodology Enhancement

• Perform model monitoring, back-testing, benchmarking, and sensitivity analyses to evaluate forecasting performance and reserve reasonableness.

• Assess differences between model projections and actual portfolio outcomes and identify potential drivers of forecast deviations.

• Recommend enhancements to forecasting methodologies, assumptions, segmentation strategies, and analytical approaches as needed.

• Support model development, validation, implementation, and ongoing monitoring activities

Governance & Audit Support

• Prepare analytical materials and supporting documentation for reserve governance committees and management reviews.

• Maintain documentation supporting reserve methodologies, assumptions, judgments, and controls.

• Support internal audit, model validation, regulatory, and external audit requests.

• Ensure compliance with CECL policy, governance standards, and regulatory expectations.

Requirements for Success:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Accounting, Data Analytics, or any quantitative field.
• 5+ years of experience in consumer credit risk, financial analysis, portfolio analytics, or equivalent financial services experience
• Preference for experience supporting CECL, reserve estimation techniques, loss forecasting

Knowledge, Skills and Capabilities:

• Experience analyzing large datasets and performing complex quantitative analyses.

• Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with SQL, SAS, Python, R, or similar analytical tools.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex analyses into clear business insights.

• Ability to communicate complex analytical findings to technical and non-technical audiences

·        Ability to effectively partner across Risk, Finance, Accounting, Model Risk Management, and business teams.

Compliance with Laws & Regulations

• Responsible for complying with all the Bank’s internal control policies and procedures.

• Responsible for understanding and complying with all laws and regulations to which the Bank is subject.
• Responsible for communicating problems in operations, noncompliance with the code of conduct, noncompliance with laws and regulations, policy violations, or illegal acts.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

Work location and schedule expectations may vary based on the role, business needs, and hiring requirements, and will be confirmed during the hiring process. Work is in an office environment, sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; works with computer equipment for prolonged periods of time. Some stress may occur. Travel is generally not required.

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Why join us

We believe in putting people first by supporting our customers, employees and our partners while creating opportunities for everyone to reach their potential. From fostering work-life balance to rewarding good work and innovative ideas, we invest in what matters most, our people.

At Merrick Bank, you’ll be part of a collaborative, customer-focused team where you can grow your career while making a meaningful impact.

Our Employee Value Proposition

• Competitive Pay, including a Bonus Target or Variable Pay Incentive Program
• Benefits Package -Medical, Dental, and Vision (plus much more)
• 401(k) Plan with Company Match
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Wellness Programs
• Group Life and AD&D Insurance
• Paid Vacation, Sick Days and bank Holidays
• Employee Engagement Activities including Employee Appreciation Day, DEI Employee Resource Groups, Corporate Social Responsibility, Service Recognition

We offer a total rewards package comprised of a competitive base rate of pay, variable pay incentive programs based on the role, and a comprehensive benefit suite.  Offered rates of pay are determined based on job-related knowledge, relevant experience, skills, certifications, and geographic location.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to age, race, color, sex, or gender identity/expression (including pregnancy, childbirth, transgender status, or sexual orientation), religion or creed, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, disability, military or veteran status, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Employment decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs. Everyone is welcome here, and we hire based on your ability to do the job, not any protected characteristics.

If you need help or reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process, please let your TA Partner know.