Head of Financial Strategy - Consumer Lending (WESTWOOD)

Description

Senior Manager, Home Equity Finance

Location: Newark, DE
Work Model: Hybrid (4 days in office)

The Consumer Home Equity Finance organization serves as a trusted advisor for the Citizens Home Equity business, providing both strategic and tactical financial leadership. We are seeking a Senior Finance Manager who will be a key member within the Home Equity Finance team, responsible for delivering forward‑looking financial guidance to leaders and partners, and advancing the tools, analyses, and processes that support the long‑term strategic priorities of the business.

This role offers the opportunity to influence portfolio strategy, balance sheet management, and financial decision‑making for a growing Home Equity business, while also playing a key role in developing talent, strengthening finance processes, and partnering closely with business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted financial advisor to business leaders, providing insight and thought partnership on P&L performance, profitability, and risk‑return tradeoffs across the Home Equity portfolio.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and multi‑year strategic planning for the Home Equity portfolio, including balances, net interest income and noninterest income.
• Oversee and continuously enhance financial performance management, including KPI development, monitoring, and executive‑level reporting.
• Lead complex variance and attribution analyses, translating results into clear insights, risks, and recommended actions for leadership.
• Lead the development, enhancement, and governance of financial models used to forecast Home Equity balances, NII, spreads, and profitability under varying interest rate and macroeconomic scenarios.
• Analyze industry trends, competitive dynamics, and macroeconomic conditions to assess potential impacts on portfolio performance and strategic plans.
• Drive higher‑value analytics by improving data quality, automation, and scalability of financial tools and processes.
• Leadership of the monthly close and outlook process, including estimation, validation, and communication of preliminary results.
• Mentor and develop junior team members, providing guidance on financial analysis, modeling, and business partnership skills.
• Identify and implement opportunities to simplify, standardize, and enhance finance processes, improving efficiency, controls, and decision support.

Required Skills / Experience

• Progressive finance experience, with demonstrated experience in consumer lending, Home Equity, or related financial services businesses preferred.
• Advanced financial modeling and analytical expertise, including forecasting balances, NII, and profitability.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial concepts into clear executive‑level insights.
• Proven ability to operate in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment, managing multiple priorities and leading through ambiguity.
• Strong understanding of banking fundamentals, interest rate dynamics, and macroeconomic impacts on consumer lending portfolios.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Experience with financial systems and databases such as Oracle Hyperion Essbase / Smart View
• Detail-oriented, diligent, with strong organizational and analytical skills.

Education & Certifications

• Undergraduate degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Management, or related field required.
• Master’s degree or financial certifications preferred (MBA, CFA).

Hours & Work Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40
• Schedule: Monday through Friday

 

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is $128,000 - $160,000 per year. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit .

 

Work Authorization: 
This role is not eligible for new employer sponsored or current H-1 B visa holders. Applicants, including current OPT, L and other visa holders, must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for new employer sponsorship for themselves or their spouses now and in the future.

 

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Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Why Work for Us At Citizens, you'll find a customer-centric culture built around helping our customers and giving back to our local communities. When you join our team, you are part of a supportive and collaborative workforce, with access to training and tools to accelerate your potential and maximize your career growth

Background Check

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.