Senior Model Validation Specialist

Leeds Building Society; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Annual bonus up to 12%

Matched pension up to 10%

26 days holiday

Holiday purchase scheme

Volunteer days

Job summary

Leeds Building Society is seeking a Senior Model Validation Analyst to join our Prudential & Enterprise Risk team. You’ll own validation reviews from scoping through closure, challenge model designs, data, and performance, and communicate findings to stakeholders.

You’ll collaborate across credit and non-credit models, build relationships with owners and developers, and help improve validation methods, automation, and governance. Hybrid working is offered.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in model validation, model development, quantitative risk analysis or assurance within financial services.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of defined validation reviews from scoping and planning through to analysis, reporting and closure, with support from a Model Validation Specialist.
• Build trusted relationships with model owners, developers and senior stakeholders, providing constructive challenge and keeping reviews on track.
• Draft and present clear findings and support action closure, guiding Analysts and improving validation methods, tools, data and automation across areas including IRB, IFRS 9, capital, liquidity, market risk, pricing, forecasting and stress testing.

Skills

Model validation

Quantitative risk analysis

Model risk understanding

Statistical techniques

Programming languages

Communication skills

Planning and delivery

Collaborative approach

Job description

How You'll Help Us Live Our Purpose
We've been helping our members save for their future and buy their own home since 1875. Join us and you'll play a big role in helping us to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.

How You'll Help Us Live Our Purpose
We've been helping our members save for their future and buy their own home since 1875. Join us and you'll play a big role in helping us to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.
It's a purpose that drives everything we do. And you can play your part too – join our Prudential & Enterprise Risk team as a Senior Model Validation Analyst.
This is an opportunity to bring your quantitative expertise and professional curiosity to an independent model validation function with a broad and varied portfolio. You'll work across credit and non-credit risk models, challenge complex analysis and help ensure important decisions are supported by models that are robust, well understood and fit for purpose.

How You'll Make a Difference

You'll take ownership of defined validation reviews from scoping and planning through to analysis, reporting and closure, with proportionate support from a Model Validation Specialist. Applying independent testing, benchmark or challenger analysis, you'll assess model design, data, assumptions, implementation, performance, governance and limitations, then form clear, evidence-based conclusions on fitness for purpose.
You'll also build trusted relationships with model owners, developers and senior stakeholders, bringing constructive challenge while keeping reviews on track. Alongside drafting and presenting clear findings, you'll support action closure, guide Analysts contributing to reviews and help improve our validation methods, tools, data and automation across areas including IRB, IFRS 9, capital, liquidity, market risk, pricing, forecasting and stress testing.

What will you bring to the role?

• Relevant experience in model validation, model development, quantitative risk analysis or assurance within financial services.
• Practical knowledge of statistical and quantitative techniques used to assess model design, data, assumptions, implementation, performance and outputs.
• Working knowledge of at least one significant model class, such as residential mortgage IRB, IFRS 9, scorecards, affordability, forecasting, stress testing, capital, liquidity, market risk, behavioural modelling or pricing.
• Hands‑on programming and data‑handling experience using Python, SQL, SAS, R or a similar tool, with the ability to interrogate data, reproduce calculations and develop independent testing.
• A good understanding of model risk, validation approaches, performance metrics, controls, limitations and the model lifecycle, together with awareness of relevant regulatory expectations.
• Sound judgement and the ability to plan and deliver defined reviews with limited day‑to‑day supervision, recognising when issues need to be escalated.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, enabling you to explain technical analysis, challenge and conclusions clearly to a range of stakeholders.
• A collaborative, organised and professionally curious approach, with attention to detail, the ability to manage competing priorities and a willingness to build breadth across credit and non-credit models.
  

And in return, you'll get the best from us:

• Hybrid working – 2 days per week in the office
• Annual bonus of up to 12%
• Matched pension contributions up to 10%
• 26 days holiday, plus bank holidays and holiday purchase scheme
• Colleague Mortgage and Saver products
• 2 days' volunteering per year
  

We'll give you a place to belong with the support to learn, develop and shape a meaningful career.

Why choose us?

Our business is centred around our people. Our colleagues are at the heart of everything we do, as shown by our Inclusive Employers Gold accreditation in 2023 and 2025. We're committed to equal opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity.

You’ll be joining a truly purpose‑focused culture which helped us win the Leading with Purpose award at the 2023Business Culture Awards. This recognises how we've embedded our purpose with our colleagues, and the actions we've taken to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.