VP, Collections Digital and Contact Strategy

Synchrony•Stamford, CT

10d

About The Position

Role Summary/Purpose: The VP, Collections Digital and Letter Contact Strategy role will lead collections contact strategy development and analytics for Synchrony’s digital (mobile app, email, text) and letter channels, leveraging statistical methods, advanced analytics, and deep domain expertise. Overseeing a global team of three strategy analysts, this role will be accountable for driving superior business outcomes by developing and continuously optimizing data-driven strategies. The VP will maximize collections performance while ensuring regulatory compliance and operational risk management. Collaborating closely with Collections & Recovery Strategy teams, Collections Operations, Growth, IT (Data Warehouse/Prism) teams, Finance, and second line of defense teams (e.g., Legal, Compliance, Fair Lending, Credit Strategy Validation), this leader will deliver top-tier results through rigorous analytics and cross-functional partnership.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with a minimum 8+ years of strategy, analytics or credit risk management experience or, in lieu of a Bachelor’s degree, 12+ years of strategy, analytics, or credit risk management experience.
3+ years of direct people management experience.
Advanced proficiency with data analytics and segmentation platforms (e.g., SAS, SQL, Python/R).
Demonstrated success developing and executing strategy, testing protocols, and delivering measurable results in a regulated financial services environment.
Strong relationship building, communication (verbal, written) and influencing skills; must be able to communicate with and influence executives.
Strong PC proficiency (Microsoft Office suite including: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) or comparable software application.
Ability and flexibility to travel for business as required

Nice To Haves

Master's degree (Business administration or quantitative field).
Collections and/or Recovery strategy experience in consumer lending (ideally credit card) industry.
Experience developing collections contact strategies, including email creatives, text messages, letters and/or statement messages.
Experience managing geographically dispersed teams, including offshore employees.
Experience interacting with regulators, auditors and second line of defense teams.

Responsibilities

Own collections contact strategies for digital channels (including mobile app, email, text), letters and statement messages for secured and unsecured consumer revolving and installment portfolios.
Lead development, testing and rollout of contact strategies for various sub-populations (e.g., customers who have requested no calls, customers working with debt settlement companies). Includes developing the business case, obtaining all approvals, partnering with Operations and IT to implement, ensuring appropriate controls, and ensuring robust reporting and monitoring.
Lead development of collections digital and letter strategies for new client start-ups, new client conversions, new products, etc.
Actively map and analyze the current customer journey for written communications, implementing refinements to drive improved customer engagement; lead development of new creatives / messages and partner with client managers to obtain required partner approvals and with business strategy implementation team and/or IT to implement.
Champion the adoption of next-generation communication technologies such as mobile app communications (e.g., account status messages, push notifications) & RCS (“SMS 2.0”). Partner with Technology & Operations teams to assess digital opportunities such as Text to Pay / Pay By Text.
Utilize data-driven insights to identify growth and improvement opportunities, ensuring strategies remain agile and aligned with evolving customer behaviors and business goals.
Drives automation and process excellence initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer engagement, and optimize collections outcomes.
Utilize generative and agentic AI technologies to advance predictive analytics, personalize customer communications, and drive smarter, more effective collections strategies.
Partner with Collections Operations to identify, prioritize, test and rollout initiatives to reduce expenses and/or to improve customer experience.
Partner with Compliance and Legal to complete gap assessment for new laws, regulations and regulatory guidance and, if necessary, lead and implement changes to ensure compliance.
Own Collections strategy process support including strengthening test design and monitoring. Ensure robust governance, processes and controls are in place. Prevent, detect and remediate issues. Comply with company policies and control requirements for Non-Model Tools / strategies.
Lead or co-lead support for frequent regulatory exams, audits and reviews including explaining policies, strategies, tests and reporting. Complete regular benchmarking. Stay abreast of industry trends to identify emerging opportunities and risks. Perform other duties and/or special projects as assigned.