Senior Manager - Independent Model Validation

The Abbey; England; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK-based financial services provider is looking for a professional to lead independent reviews of models within their model risk function. The ideal candidate should have strong analytical skills and experience in model development or validation. This full-time role offers a hybrid working pattern, competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package including support for professional development and work-life balance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Pension

Annual bonus

Flexible benefits for wellbeing

Qualifications

• Highly numerate with strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in model development or validation within financial services.
• Good knowledge of relevant regulations and guidance.

Responsibilities

• Lead independent review and challenge of models.
• Shape and maintain the model validation framework.
• Work closely with model developers on performance issues.

Skills

Analytical skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Model development experience

Regulatory knowledge

Practical coding skills

Job description

Our client is a UK based financial services provider with a strong focus on responsible growth and long term customer relationships. They offer specialist products to retail and business customers and are investing heavily in data, modelling, and risk capabilities. This role sits within a central model risk function, providing independent challenge to models used across the business.

Responsibilities

• Lead independent review and challenge of models, including
  • Methodology and theoretical soundness
  • Regulatory alignment
  • Data quality, monitoring, and performance
  • Implementation, documentation, and model use
• Shape and maintain the model validation framework, policies, and standards.
• Work closely with model developers, owners, and users on model changes, performance issues, and remediation.
• Produce clear written reports and present findings at internal committees and forums.
• Support and coach more junior team members, helping to build a strong model risk culture.

Qualifications

• Highly numerate, with strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in model development or validation within financial services, for example credit risk, capital, provisioning, or stress testing.
• Good knowledge of relevant regulations and guidance, for example IRB, IFRS 9, model risk management, and emerging expectations around AI and ML models.
• Practical coding skills for model development, testing, and implementation.
• Able to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
• Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

Full time role, with a hybrid working pattern that blends office and home working.
Competitive salary with a market aligned benefits package, including pension, annual bonus, and a range of flexible benefits to support wellbeing and work life balance.
Strong emphasis on professional development, with support for training, qualifications, and internal mobility.