Principal Credit Risk & Pricing Analyst -… at Citizens… · Location…

The Principal Credit Risk & Pricing Analyst will serve as a senior individual contributor within the Home Equity Credit Risk organization, responsible for developing and optimizing credit risk, pricing, portfolio, policy, and process strategies for Home Equity products across both on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet channels.

This role combines advanced analytics, portfolio management, and business strategy to support profitable portfolio growth while maintaining strong risk discipline. The individual will partner closely with Product, Finance, Operations, Technology, Compliance, Credit Policy, and Risk teams to translate analytical insights into actionable underwriting strategies, decision rules, business processes, and portfolio initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Credit Risk & Portfolio Strategy

• Develop and enhance acquisition, underwriting, pricing, line assignment, portfolio management, and account management strategies.
• Monitor portfolio performance and identify emerging risks, recommending changes to underwriting standards, policies, and risk appetite.
• Conduct analyses of credit performance, loss forecasting, utilization, profitability, customer behavior, and collateral trends.
• Assess the impact of economic, housing market, property valuation, and consumer credit trends on portfolio performance.
• Support risk governance activities, including regulatory exams, audits, compliance reviews, model governance, and executive reporting.
• Partner with Product and Finance teams to evaluate growth opportunities, product enhancements, and portfolio retention strategies.

Portfolio Optimization & Capital Management

• Support initiatives involving portfolio retention, loan sales, securitizations, participations, and other capital-efficient growth strategies.
• Analyze portfolio segments and origination strategies to optimize risk-adjusted returns and capital deployment.
• Perform scenario and sensitivity analyses to inform business growth, capital planning, and balance sheet decisions.

Credit Policy, Underwriting & Process Improvement

• Partner with business, operations, technology, underwriting, and compliance teams to design and implement credit policies, underwriting requirements, and decision rules.
• Translate policy and analytical recommendations into business requirements, system logic, and operational processes.
• Evaluate underwriting practices, exception management, and operational workflows to improve risk management, efficiency, and customer experience.
• Lead analyses supporting policy changes, credit box adjustments, and risk appetite modifications.
• Investigate portfolio, operational, regulatory, audit, and data quality issues, driving root-cause analysis and remediation efforts.
• Develop monitoring and control frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented changes.

Analytics, Reporting & Innovation

• Develop portfolio monitoring, forecasting, executive reporting, and performance measurement tools.
• Build scalable analytical solutions using SQL, Python, R, Tableau, SAS, Snowflake, Power BI, Databricks, or similar platforms.
• Leverage internal, bureau, property, valuation, and third-party data to enhance credit and pricing strategies.
• Identify opportunities to improve decision-making, automation, and operational efficiency through advanced analytics and emerging technologies.
• Communicate complex analytical findings and recommendations to senior leaders and stakeholders.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert across Credit Risk, Product, Finance, Operations, Technology, and Compliance.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and influence strategic decision-making through data-driven insights.
• Mentor junior analysts and promote analytical, governance, and documentation best practices.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 7+ years of experience in Credit Risk, Portfolio Analytics, Pricing, Quantitative Risk Management, Credit Policy, or related disciplines.
• 5+ years of experience in consumer lending, preferably Home Equity, Mortgage, or other real estate-secured products.
• Experience developing credit, pricing, underwriting, portfolio optimization, or risk management strategies.
• Experience influencing credit policy, decision rules, underwriting guidelines, or process controls.
• Experience leading process improvement, issue remediation, audit, regulatory, or governance initiatives.
• Proven ability to present recommendations to senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.

Analytical & Technical Skills

• Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with portfolio monitoring, forecasting, stress testing, profitability analysis, pricing analytics, and performance management.
• Knowledge of predictive modeling, segmentation, statistical analysis, and test-and-learn methodologies.
• Proficiency in one or more of the following: SQL, Python, R, Tableau, SAS, Snowflake, Power BI, Databricks, or similar tools.

Professional Competencies

• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance risk, growth, profitability, customer experience, and operational objectives.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to drive strategy while ensuring practical execution in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Finance, Data Science, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience with secondary market activities, securitization, loan sales, participations, or other off-balance sheet strategies.
• Knowledge of consumer credit models, model governance, pricing analytics, and regulatory expectations.
• Familiarity with AI, machine learning, digital origination platforms, and decision engines in financial services.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in a quantitative discipline required.
• Master's degree or PhD preferred.