GENERAL MANAGER OF LENDING

Remote (ET & CT time zones only – some travel required)

About Us

Clasp is a venture-backed, mission-driven startup transforming access to education and career pathways. A college education was always meant to be a pathway to economic mobility, but with rising costs and shrinking loan availability, many students from working class and first generation backgrounds are being left without the financial resources they need to get through school. That’s where Clasp comes in. We are the market leader in institutionally-funded gap loan programs, partnering with schools to design, launch, and manage lending programs that keep students enrolled, graduating, and thriving.A Forbes Fintech 50 company, portfolio company of SHRM, and recipient of “43 Start Ups toBet Your Career On in 2025” by Business Insider, Clasp is driven by our commitment to social impact and innovation. Join us on our journey to give power and opportunity to learners of all backgrounds. Interested in learning more? Please find additional details on our About Us page and in recent Forbes coverage of our Series B.

What We Need

We're hiring our first General Manager for our student lending business (Clasp Finance). Until now, this business has been led directly by the COO. That's changing because the business has matured to the point where it needs dedicated, full-time leadership — someone who wakes up every day thinking about university partnerships, origination volume, portfolio performance, product investments, and compliance posture. You will be the single accountable owner of Clasp Finance: its P&L, its team, its growth trajectory, and its operational integrity. You'll work closely with the COO and ELT, but you'll run this business. Judgment calls at the intersection of product, operations, and compliance land on your desk.

What You’ll Do:

P&L and Business Performance

• Own the Clasp Finance P&L end-to-end — revenue, margin, and cost structure

• Lead forecasting, budgeting, and KPI-setting in partnership with finance

• Build and maintain the operating metrics framework the team uses to run the business day-to-day

• Identify and close performance gaps before they become problems

Team Leadership

• Directly manage the Managers & Directors overseeing: Growth, Originations,

Servicing & Collections, Implementations, and Credit

• Maintain a dotted-line relationship with: Director of Product, Director of Engineering, and Chief Compliance Officer dedicated to the Clasp Finance business line

• Set clear expectations, develop your team, and make the hard calls when needed

GTM and University Partnerships

• Be a meaningful presence with university partners — not a back-office operator

• Support sales and business development on high-stakes deals and renewals

• Own the relationship with key institutional partners alongside the growth team

• Represent Clasp Finance externally with credibility and specificity

Operations and Compliance

• Serve as the senior judgment layer on decisions that span product, ops, and compliance — especially where those domains create tension

• Maintain a strong understanding of the regulatory environment governing student lending

• Ensure the servicing and collections function runs at a standard that protects borrowers and the business

What You’ll Need

You've run something in lending before. Maybe a product line at a bank or specialty lender, a portfolio business at a fintech, or an operational function where you were close enough to the P&L to feel it. You understand how loan programs actually work — originations economics, servicing dynamics, credit risk, compliance overhead — not just conceptually, but Operationally. You're comfortable being the most senior person in the room on your business and not needing to escalate for every judgment call. You build trust with external partners because you know what you're talking about, and you build trust with your team because you set clear direction and follow through. You don't need this to be a fully built machine. You're the person who finishes building it.

Specifically, you bring:

• 8–12 years of experience in fintech, specialty lending, or financial services, with meaningful P&L or product ownership

• Experience managing cross-functional teams that span operations, growth, and compliance

• Strong commercial instincts — you've been in rooms with institutional partners and can hold your own

• A working understanding of consumer or institutional lending regulation (student lending experience is a plus, not a requirement)

• The communication skills to represent this business clearly to university presidents, bank partners, and an internal ELT

• An operator's instinct and a love for taking something from idea to execution. You are not just a strategist, not someone who needs a massive team and fully defined playbook to execute, and not someone who views compliance as someone else's problem.

What We Give In Return

• Competitive cash and equity compensation

• Health benefits (health, dental, & vision)

• Student loan repayment benefits

• 401k matching

• Commuter benefits

• Flexible PTO policy

• Opportunities to grow and perform in a fast-paced environment alongside a stellar team.

Remote Policy

To ensure smooth collaboration with the Boston-based team, we are limiting to Eastern/Central timezones with the expectation that it will be Boston hours. Additionally, they must be within 1 hour of a medium hub/ large airport with multiple daily flights to Boston. We are targeting the broader New England area to start as we expect that the candidate to have frequent travel to Boston for onboarding and ongoing collaboration.

Salary

The salary range for this position is competitive and will be commensurate with the candidate's experience, qualifications, and industry knowledge, ranging between $225,000-$250,000 with performance incentives of up to $50,000 subject to Clasp Finance hitting its P&L targets. In addition to the base salary and bonus, we offer an attractive equity component as part of our compensation package, providing an opportunity for eligible employees to share in the success and growth of our company. We are committed to offering competitive compensation and benefits packages to attract and retain top talent.

Closing

If you are a highly driven individual with a passion for technology, and you thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, we want to hear from you! Join us in revolutionizing the workforce solution industry and making a meaningful impact on businesses worldwide. Apply now to be a part of our growing team! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. Clasp is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We embrace diversity and are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.