Lead Analyst, Credit Risk Strategy

Overview

This role involves serving as a Bank Credit Risk Analyst Lead, responsible for developing, delivering, and monitoring credit risk strategies for card, consumer, and deposits credit portfolios. You will also own operational and compliance risk associated with credit strategy, track performance of credit strategies, and monitor internal and external factors that impact credit risk exposure.

The position is remote eligible in the continental U.S. with occasional business travel. Individuals residing within a 60-mile radius of a USAA office will be expected to work on-site four days per week.

Responsibilities

• Use industry-leading practices and analytical skills to identify risks and opportunities within the managed portfolio and translate findings into credit risk strategy solutions.
• Apply banking product knowledge and critical thinking to lead analyses, identify root causes, and develop clear recommendations to support credit strategy development and influence senior decision-makers.
• Lead and partner to deliver bank credit risk strategies across lines of defense, including developing and improving complex analytical frameworks and communicating insights and recommendations to stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Analyze internal and external scores/data to support identification of first party fraud.
• Use industry knowledge and competitive benchmarking to inform and influence credit strategy development.
• Lead development of advanced, nuanced quantitative analyses based on internal and external data sources to bring structure to ambiguous and challenging problems.
• Develop, manage, and present comprehensive risk and financial reporting for senior management and committee oversight of existing and emerging risks; escalate credit performance quality and direction to appropriate levels of management.
• Lead the design and execution of complex financial risk sensitivity analysis.
• Create and manage credit strategy infrastructure and ensure credit strategies are implemented as intended.
• Apply expert programming and analytical techniques to analyze credit data.
• Provide thought leadership, coaching, and mentoring to team members on analytics and risk management.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to guide and facilitate teams in developing and implementing initiatives.
• Coach and mentor team members to develop analytically derived insights and convert them into strategic plans impacting business results.
• May have model ownership responsibilities, including accountability for quantitative model requirement definition and/or implementation of advanced credit and/or financial modeling infrastructure.
• Ensure risks associated with business activities are identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree; OR 4 years of relevant education and/or experience.
• 8 years of experience in an analytical field or leading analytical projects, advanced analytics, and risk assessments; or leading analysis and interpretation of complex bank credit risk data to align to team strategy.
  • OR an advanced degree in Business Management, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a Mathematical discipline and 6 years of experience in an analytical field or leading analytical projects, advanced analytics, and risk assessments; or leading analysis and interpretation of complex bank credit risk data to align to team strategy.
• Strong understanding of banking regulations and risk and/or compliance.
• Advanced presentation and communication skills.
• Advanced business acumen and attention to detail and accuracy.
• Advanced research and investigation skills and demonstrated good judgment in problem solving.
• Experience influencing cross-functional stakeholders to action by communicating complex analytical insights and risk-mitigating solutions.
• Experience developing and improving a variety of risk-related reporting.
• Experience coaching and guiding peers on analytics and/or risk management.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Advanced knowledge of data analysis tools, including skills to develop analysis queries and procedures in SQL, SAS, or other business intelligence and analysis software applications for data segmentation, aggregation, and statistics (e.g., SPS or Visual Basic).
• Knowledge of federal laws, rules, regulations, and applicable guidance, including: FCRA, Reg B, UDAAP/UDAP, OCC Heightened Standards, OCC CREDIT RISK GUIDANCE.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to develop and communicate data-driven credit strategy recommendations and complex analytical findings to senior leadership and diverse stakeholders, including Credit Risk, Pricing, Product, Legal, Compliance, Underwriting, and Operations.
• Extensive experience translating internal and external industry data into actionable credit and business insights.
• Demonstrated expertise designing and executing credit strategy experiments (e.g., A/B testing, champion/challenger frameworks, and other causal evaluation methodologies), evaluating outcomes, and continuously optimizing the risk-reward framework.
• 6+ years of experience leveraging SAS, SQL, and other analytical programming languages such as Python to extract, transform, and analyze large-scale datasets, including integrating data across multiple sources, managing varying levels of granularity, resolving data quality issues, and performing advanced joins.
• Proven experience utilizing AI and LLM-based tools (e.g., GPT-powered copilots and similar technologies) to enhance coding productivity, accelerate analytical workflows, and develop intelligent agents and automation solutions that support risk assessment and strategic decision-making.
• Strong track record of identifying and addressing emerging or ambiguous risk challenges with limited historical precedent, including evaluating credit impacts driven by macroeconomic conditions and policy developments such as inflationary pressures, changes in student loan repayment and collection programs, and shifts in federal government employment.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing portfolio-level credit performance and influencing strategy through partnership with senior leaders to achieve sustainable business and risk outcomes.
• Proven experience owning end-to-end credit strategy development, implementation, monitoring, and performance optimization across key customer segments and lending products.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop junior analysts while driving analytical excellence and elevating team capabilities across complex credit initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously, navigate ambiguity, and deliver high-quality recommendations with limited direction.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation range: $164,780 - $314,960.
• Employees may be eligible for pay incentives based on overall corporate and individual performance and at the discretion of the board.

Benefits may include:

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans
• 401(k) and pension
• Life insurance
• Parental benefits and adoption assistance
• Paid time off program with paid holidays plus 16 paid volunteer hours
• Various wellness programs
• Career path planning and continuing education

Location

Remote eligible in the continental U.S. with occasional business travel. Individuals residing within a 60-mile radius of a USAA office will be expected to work on-site four days per week.

Additional Information

• This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Do not apply if you will need immigration support now or in the future (e.g., H-1B, TN, STEM OPT Training Plans, etc.).
• Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and the posting remains open until the position is filled.
• Equal Opportunity Employer: all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.