Director – Model Risk Governance

The role:

SoFi’s Director of Model Risk Governance is a leadership position within SoFi’s growing Independent Risk Management organization. This strategic role will be instrumental in implementing SoFi’s member trust-oriented strategy by building a best-in-class risk management team.

This role will work closely with the VP, Head of Risk Analytics, and lead our model risk governance framework. This role will oversee model risk management policies, procedures, issue management, and reporting related to all models used across the organization. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of model risk governance and regulatory requirements, with the ability to collaborate across functions to enhance model risk management practices. 

What you’ll do: 

• Policy and Procedure Development: Work closely with the Head of Model Validation to maintain and update model risk policies and procedures to reflect changes in regulatory requirements, industry standards, and organizational needs.
• Model Inventory Management: Work with the Head of Model Validation to identify models and oversee the maintenance of a comprehensive inventory of models across the organization including an annual model attestation process, ensuring documentation is up-to-date and accessible. 
• Model Risk Reporting: Work with the model validation team and other business partners to prepare and present comprehensive model risk reports to senior management, committees, and the board, highlighting key risks, issues, and compliance with risk appetite. 
• Risk Appetite Development: Collaborate with senior management to define, update, and communicate model risk appetite, ensuring alignment with enterprise risk management strategies.
• Finding and Issue Management: Establish processes for defining, tracking, and reporting model-related findings and issues, ensuring alignment with enterprise issue management standards..
• Governance Framework: Update, implement, and maintain SoFi’s model risk governance framework, ensuring alignment with industry best practice and regulatory expectations.
• Regulatory Liaison: Act as the primary contact for regulatory inquiries related to model risk governance, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with risk and business owners to communicate model risk governance practices. 

What you’ll need:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in model risk management, governance, or related roles in the financial services industry, including 5+ years in senior leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a quantitative field required. Master’s or Ph.D. degree preferred.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements (e.g., SR 11-7) and industry best practices in model risk management.
• Experience with statistical and quantitative modeling approaches. Excellent analytical, problem solving, and decision making skills.
• Strong presentation skills: comfortable with public speaking across various forums, including regulatory examinations, and able to effectively and logically communicate when information is being challenged in an open forum.
• Proven leadership to exercise influence over a wide range of individuals at all levels of technical and business leadership.