Senior Risk Strategist - Fraud
Mercury · United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $250,900 / year
- United States
Job highlights
- Shape and execute fraud strategy across multiple payment rails.
- Drive Personal Banking fraud program build-out.
- Use data analysis for fraud control design.
- Partner with Product, Engineering, Operations, Compliance.
- Identify and mitigate financial, regulatory, reputational risks.
About the role
About Mercury
Mercury is building a complete finance stack for startups. We work hard to create the easiest and safest banking* experience possible to simplify entrepreneurs' and business owners’ financial lives. To enable this stellar banking experience, we need to have a deep understanding of our customers and how they interact with our product. We are looking to hire a fraud strategist to bring deep domain expertise, a relentless drive to execute, and an analytical approach to our Risk Strategy team, driving impact across fraud domains.
*Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.
About the Risk Strategy Team
Risk Strategy is a hybrid team that combines analytics with thought leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate the financial, regulatory, and reputational risks Mercury faces. The team focuses on data-driven insights and process improvements while ensuring a stellar customer experience that fosters trust in our platform.
Role Overview
As a Senior Risk Strategist focused on fraud, you’ll help shape and execute Mercury’s fraud strategy across multiple payment rails and fraud types, combining data-driven analysis with strategic problem solving. You’ll be a core contributor to Mercury’s Personal Banking fraud program build-out while also covering broader Business Banking fraud domains. You’ll partner closely with Product, Engineering, Operations, and Compliance to deliver scalable outcomes that enable the business and reduce fraud losses while protecting customer experience.
Responsibilities
- Own strategy and execution across multiple fraud domains – including ACH, Check Deposits, Checkbooks, RTP, onboarding, and ATO – with a bias toward action and a high bar for results.
- Drive Mercury’s Personal Banking fraud program build-out, applying consumer fintech expertise to design controls and strategies tailored to consumer account holders.
- Use data and quantitative analysis to design fraud controls, mitigate risk, and improve customer experience while balancing trade-offs.
- Partner with Compliance and Legal to ensure solutions align with regulatory requirements.
- Lead cross-functional efforts with Product, Engineering, and Operations to design and implement scalable risk solutions.
- Serve as a domain expert across fraud types, proactively identifying gaps and driving systemic improvements across fraud programs.
- Define and track metrics that measure both risk effectiveness and customer impact.
- Take initiative without waiting to be directed – identify problems, build the case, and push work across the finish line.
Qualifications
- 6+ years of experience in an analytical role, including 4+ years in fraud detection and strategy – consumer fintech experience strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to design and execute fraud strategies across multiple payment rails and fraud types (ACH, checks, RTP, onboarding, ATO, friendly fraud).
- Hands-on experience contributing to consumer / personal banking fraud programs, including familiarity with consumer-specific fraud patterns and regulatory context.
- Skilled in customer risk scoring/modeling and process automation.
- Strong SQL proficiency and ability to translate data into actionable strategy.
- Track record of balancing risk, compliance, and customer experience in cross-functional settings.
- Excellent communication skills to simplify complex risk concepts into clear recommendations.
- Proven ability to operate in ambiguity and make high-quality decisions with imperfect information.
- Highly self-motivated with a strong work ethic.
- Curious, growth-oriented, and motivated to work on fraud problems at all lifecycle stages (new product launches, scaling, and legacy optimization).
Total Rewards
The total rewards package at Mercury includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Our salary and equity ranges are highly competitive within the SaaS and fintech industry and are updated regularly using the most reliable compensation survey data for our industry. New hire offers are made based on a candidate’s experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity relative to peers.
Our target new hire base salary ranges for this role are the following:
- US employees (any location): $200,700 - $250,900
- Canadian employees (any location): CAD $189,700 - $237,100
Diversity & Belonging
Mercury values diversity & belonging and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All individuals seeking employment at Mercury are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities or special needs. If you need assistance, or an accommodation, please let your recruiter know once you are contacted about a role.
Key skills/competency
- Fraud Detection
- Risk Strategy
- Consumer Fintech
- Payment Rails
- Data Analysis
- SQL
- Cross-functional Collaboration
- Regulatory Compliance
- Customer Experience
- Risk Management
Skills & topics
- Senior Risk Strategist
- Fraud
- Risk Management
- Fintech
- Startups
- Analytics
- Strategy
- SQL
- ACH
- ATO
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight 6+ years in analytics, 4+ years in fraud detection/strategy, and consumer fintech experience. Quantify achievements in fraud mitigation and strategy execution across various payment rails.
- Showcase SQL proficiency: Emphasize your ability to use SQL for data analysis, customer risk scoring, and process automation to translate data into actionable strategies.
- Demonstrate cross-functional leadership: Provide examples of leading initiatives with Product, Engineering, and Operations to implement scalable risk solutions and balancing risk with customer experience.
- Highlight problem-solving in ambiguity: Share experiences where you made high-quality decisions with imperfect information and took initiative to identify and solve complex problems.
- Prepare for behavioral questions: Be ready to discuss how you handle ambiguity, drive results, and collaborate across teams to protect customer experience and reduce fraud losses.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What are the key fraud domains I will be responsible for at Mercury?
- As a Senior Risk Strategist at Mercury, you will own strategy and execution across multiple fraud domains including ACH, Check Deposits, Checkbooks, RTP, onboarding, and Account Takeover (ATO). You'll also be a core contributor to the Personal Banking fraud program build-out and cover broader Business Banking fraud domains.
- What kind of experience is Mercury looking for in a Senior Risk Strategist?
- Mercury is seeking candidates with over 6 years of analytical experience, including at least 4 years in fraud detection and strategy. Consumer fintech experience is strongly preferred. Proven ability to design and execute fraud strategies across various payment rails, hands-on experience with consumer banking fraud programs, and strong SQL proficiency are also essential.
- How does Mercury balance risk mitigation with customer experience?
- Mercury emphasizes balancing risk, compliance, and customer experience in all its initiatives. As a Senior Risk Strategist, you will use data and quantitative analysis to design fraud controls that mitigate risk and improve customer experience, carefully considering trade-offs to ensure a stellar, trustworthy platform for entrepreneurs and business owners.
- What is the salary range for the Senior Risk Strategist role at Mercury?
- For US employees, the target new hire base salary range for this role is $200,700 - $250,900. For Canadian employees, the range is CAD $189,700 - $237,100. These ranges are competitive within the SaaS and fintech industry.
- Is Mercury a bank, and what are the implications for fraud strategy?
- Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services are provided through partner financial institutions. This distinction is important for understanding the regulatory landscape and the specific fraud concerns that arise in a fintech environment focused on serving startups.
- What kind of impact can I expect to make as a Senior Risk Strategist at Mercury?
- As a Senior Risk Strategist, you will drive impact across fraud domains by shaping and executing Mercury's fraud strategy, reducing fraud losses, and protecting customer experience. You will lead cross-functional efforts, identify systemic improvements, and be a key player in Mercury's mission to simplify financial lives for entrepreneurs.