Merchant Risk Analyst & Underwriting Lead

Razer is hiring a Merchant Risk Analyst & Underwriting Lead. Level rates it ; you can apply on Razer.

Level's read on this job

Level rates this role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
Level classes it as a lead role.
Razer has 148 other open roles on Level.
Posted within the past week.

AI in this role

Joining Razer will place you on a global mission to revolutionize the way the world games. Razer is a place to do great work, offering you the opportunity to make an impact globally while working across a global team located across 5 continents. Razer is also a great place to work, providing you the unique, gamer-centric #LifeAtRazer experience that will put you in an accelerated growth, both personally and professionally.

Job Responsibilities :

Merchant Risk Analyst & Underwriting Manager role is responsible for managing complex merchant risk assessments and ensuring robust risk management practices across multiple payment channels. This includes leading Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), assessing high-risk merchants, and ensuring compliance with regulatory, card scheme, and payment channel requirements.

The role requires strong hands-on experience in underwriting, the ability to make sound risk decisions, and the capability to translate risk insights into practical actions. You will work closely with internal stakeholders, support team development, and act as a key decision-maker for escalated and high-impact cases.

The Merchant Risk & Underwriting role cannot be fully replaced by AI as it requires human judgment in complex, non-standard cases, accountability for regulatory and financial decisions, and the ability to balance business growth with risk exposure. AI serves as a support tool, but final decision-making and risk ownership must remain with an experienced manager to safeguard the company.

· Lead Risk Assessment & Underwriting:

Evaluate and underwrite new and existing merchant applications, including high-risk industries and complex business models

Conduct Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and assess risks across business model, MCC, transaction flow, and geography

Make approval, conditional approval, or rejection decisions based on risk assessment and business considerations

Assess exposure risk with clear understanding of financial impact, liability implications, and impact to merchant performance

· Advanced Portfolio Monitoring & Management:

Perform ongoing risk assessments and detailed reviews of merchant portfolio to identify high-risk behaviours

Oversee Ongoing Due Diligence (ODD) and ensure merchants meet regulatory, card scheme, and payment channel requirements

Monitor merchant performance including chargeback ratios, abnormal transaction behaviour, and compliance indicators

Recommend appropriate actions such as review, restriction, or termination based on risk findings

· Card Scheme & Payment Channel Compliance

Demonstrate strong understanding and hands-on experience with card schemes (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) and their rules and requirements

Ensure merchant compliance with card scheme and payment channel requirements (including e-wallets and PayNet), including prohibited categories and monitoring thresholds such as excessive chargebacks

Apply scheme and channel requirements in underwriting decisions and ongoing risk management

· Assist in Team Management & Mentoring:

Support the Manager in guiding the underwriting team and providing day-to-day direction

Mentor junior analysts by reviewing cases, providing feedback, and guiding decision-making

Ensure consistency, accuracy, and adherence to underwriting standards and risk policies

· Policy and Process Enhancement:

Develop and refine underwriting frameworks, EDD and ODD processes, and risk management practices

Identify gaps and implement improvements to strengthen risk controls and operational efficiency

Ensure internal policies remain aligned with regulatory, card scheme, and payment channel requirements

· Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting:

Act as the key contact for escalated and complex risk cases, providing clear analysis and recommendations

Support relevant business units by providing underwriting insights and risk assessment support for complex or escalated cases

Collaborate with Business, Operations, Dispute, and Compliance teams to support decision-making

Prepare and present risk insights, analysis, and reports to senior management

Pre-Requisites:
Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Risk Management, or a related field

Professional certifications in Risk, Compliance, or Fraud Management (e.g., CAMS, CFE, FRM) are an added advantage
Minimum 5–8 years of experience in risk analysis, underwriting, fraud management, or merchant risk within payments, fintech, banking, or e-commerce industry
Proven track record in handling complex underwriting decisions, high-risk merchant onboarding, and escalated risk cases independently
Strong working knowledge of KYC, KYB, AML/CFT, Sanctions Screening, Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), and Ongoing Due Diligence (ODD)
In-depth understanding of card scheme rules and payment ecosystems, including but not limited to: Visa, Mastercard PayNet (DuitNow, FPX) UPI, e-wallets, and alternative payment methods Cross-border payment and regulatory considerations
Familiarity with regional regulatory frameworks and ability to interpret requirements from authorities such as BNM, BI, MAS, BOT, and other relevant regulators
Ability to assess end-to-end risk exposure, including financial, operational, fraud, and reputational risks across multiple payment channels
Strong decision-making and judgment capability, especially for high-impact, ambiguous, or non-standard cases with potential financial or compliance implications
Experience in engaging with external stakeholders (e.g., card schemes, regulators, banking partners) for clarification, escalation, and alignment on risk-related matters
Proficiency in risk management tools, fraud detection systems, and data analysis, with the ability to translate data into actionable risk insights
Demonstrated ability to develop, refine, and implement underwriting policies, SOPs, and risk frameworks
Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience guiding analysts, reviewing decisions, and ensuring consistency in risk assessment
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to clearly articulate risk rationale to business, operations, and senior management
Ability to balance business growth with risk control, providing practical and commercially aware risk recommendations
High level of integrity, accountability, and ownership, especially in decision-making and regulatory-sensitive matters
Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and lead initiatives in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
Flexibility to support extended working hours when required, particularly for urgent, high-risk, or escalated cases
Based in I-City, Shah Alam

Pre-Requisites :

Razer is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that diverse teams drive better ideas, better products, and a stronger culture. We are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and fair workplace for every employee across all the countries we operate in. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, colour, nationality, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic protected under local laws. Where needed, we provide reasonable accommodations - including for disability or religious practices - to ensure every team member can perform and contribute at their best.

Are you game?

How we rate this

Merchant Risk Analyst & Underwriting Lead at Razer rates 37 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.