Vice President of Merchant Underwriting

Vice President of Merchant Underwriting About the Company Innovative financial technology (FinTech) company specializing in payments, banking, & financial services Industry Financial Services Type Privately Held About the Role The Company is seeking a VP of Merchant Underwriting to lead the optimization of underwriting strategy across merchant acquiring. The successful candidate will be responsible for balancing growth acceleration with disciplined risk management, using data, automation, and advanced analytics to drive profitable portfolio expansion while safeguarding the enterprise from various risks. This role demands a commercially minded leader who can translate risk trends, regulatory expectations, and portfolio performance into actionable underwriting frameworks that support responsible growth. Key responsibilities include defining and executing underwriting strategy, establishing dynamic risk frameworks, and partnering with internal teams to embed risk-adjusted decision-making into the go-to-market strategy. Applicants for the VP of Merchant Underwriting position at the company should have extensive progressive underwriting or credit risk leadership experience within the industry, with a focus on merchant risk, card-not-present exposure, chargeback management, fraud typologies, and high-risk vertical underwriting. The role requires a candidate with a proven track record in scaling underwriting functions in high-growth environments and a strong knowledge of regulatory risk management principles. The VP will also be tasked with driving operational excellence, ensuring risk and regulatory governance, and leading a team to modernize underwriting systems and processes. Executive-level communication skills and the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders are essential for this strategic leadership role. Travel Percent Less than 10% Functions Finance