Consultant – Quantitative Risk & AI

Zanders; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

29 paid holidays

Laptop and iPhone

Internet allowance

Mobility budget

Job summary

Zanders is seeking a Consultant in Risk Advisory in the Netherlands to help banks, insurers and asset managers strengthen risk models, frameworks and governance across credit, market and liquidity risk, ALM and financial crime prevention.

The role is hands-on and quantitative, involving data analysis, model building and validation, and applying AI to regulatory and risk challenges. You will join small teams with early responsibility and direct client contact.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field required.
• Strong programming skills, particularly in Python.
• Genuine interest in financial risk and AI's impact on it.
• Ability to explain technical work clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Up to around two years of professional experience since finishing studies.

Responsibilities

• Build and validate statistical, predictive and generative AI models for risk detection and regulatory compliance.
• Analyze large financial datasets to surface risk patterns and detect ML-driven anomalies.
• Apply ML/AI techniques to strengthen anti-financial-crime capabilities.
• Contribute to validation and governance of AI models under EU frameworks.
• Work directly with client teams, plan work, and keep deliverables on track.

Skills

Python programming

Quantitative reasoning

English fluency

Financial risk interest

Clear technical communication

2 years professional experience

Education

Master's or PhD in a quantitative field

Tools

Python

Job description

Elevate your career, perform when it counts: become part of our global financial consulting evolution!

Your role:

Banks are under real pressure to work out what AI means for risk — how to build with it, how to validate it, and how to satisfy regulators who are still deciding what good looks like. At Zanders, that is the work. As a Consultant in our Risk Advisory Group in the Netherlands, you will help leading banks, insurers and asset managers strengthen their risk models, frameworks and governance across credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, ALM and financial crime prevention.

A large part of the role is quantitative and hands-on: analyzing complex financial datasets to surface risk patterns, building and validating models, and applying machine learning and generative AI to help clients detect money laundering, fraud and sanctions breaches earlier than they could before. You will also work on how AI models themselves are validated and governed - an area regulators are moving quickly on, and one where genuine expertise is still scarce.

We hire from a wide range of quantitative backgrounds. Some of our consultants come from econometrics; others from physics, computer science, AI, mathematics or engineering. What they have in common is strong quantitative reasoning, comfort with code, and curiosity about how financial systems actually work. If you have never worked in a bank, that is fine — most of our new colleagues haven't.

You will work in small teams alongside experienced colleagues who will give you real responsibility early, and who expect you to ask questions. You will meet clients from the start rather than after your first year.

You are early in your career and want to build deep quantitative expertise in a field that is changing fast.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build and validate statistical, predictive and generative AI models that help clients identify risk early, meet regulatory requirements such as IFRS 9 and Basel, and run scenario analysis.
• Analyse large and complex financial datasets to surface risk patterns and detect activity such as money laundering, fraud and sanctions breaches.
• Apply machine learning and AI techniques to strengthen clients' anti-financial-crime capabilities - transaction monitoring, fraud detection and AML processes.
• Contribute to the validation and governance of clients' AI models, including how they meet expectations under frameworks such as the EU AI Act.
• Review how clients use financial technology today, identify improvements against best practice, and help implement them.
• Take ownership of your own part of the project: plan your work, keep deliverables on track, and raise it early when you need input.
• Work directly with client teams — explaining your analysis clearly, listening to what they actually need, and keeping them informed as the work develops.
• Build relationships with the client teams you work alongside, and notice where Zanders could help them further.
• Grow your own expertise by choosing the regulatory and market developments you want to go deep on — and share what you learn, internally and through articles or speaking at events.
• Get involved beyond client work: internal initiatives, knowledge sessions, and helping build the kind of team you want to be part of.

Essential Skills to be successful

• A Master's or PhD in a quantitative field — mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, AI, data science, engineering, operations research, econometrics, quantitative finance or similar. We care more about how you reason quantitatively than which department you sat in.
• Strong programming skills, particularly in Python.
• Genuine interest in financial risk and in how AI is changing it. You do not need prior experience in banking.
• The ability to explain technical work clearly to people who are not technical.
• Up to around two years of professional experience since finishing your studies — this is a starting role, and PhD research counts as study rather than experience.
• Fluent English, and the right to work in the Netherlands.

Also valuable

• Hands‑on experience with machine learning, NLP or LLM pipelines.
• Experience working with large-scale datasets using tools such as Spark.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act, Wwft, Basel or IFRS 9.
• Specific interest in fraud detection, AML or transaction monitoring.
• Dutch language skills — our working language is English, so this is genuinely optional.

We offer:

• A work environment that promotes a healthy work‑life balance,
• Allowance to set up your home office in an ergonomically responsible way and an internet allowance,
• Mobility budget to cater your commuting needs,
• Participation in the Zanders bonus scheme,
• Secure your future with a pension scheme,
• 29 paid holiday days,
• A laptop and an iPhone,
• An entrepreneurial culture that values personal development, with ample room for initiatives,
• Expertise in your chosen field, building skills rapidly alongside diverse clients and consultants,
• A truly collegiate environment with enthusiastic and helpful colleagues, fostering career excellence in Treasury, Risk or Technology,
• An international and fun working environment, Cultural night events, annual Zanders' trip to a (surprise) location in Europe and many more exciting experiences to come!

About Us:

Progress your career with Zanders.

We are a global financial consulting firm focused on Treasury, Risk and Technology. From our HQ in the Netherlands, we have been expanding our presence in Europe, UK, USA, and Asia. For 30 years we have been providing innovative solutions embracing the latest technological advancements to multinational corporations, financial institutions, public sector entities and NGOs. We go beyond conventional boundaries, delving into new market segments to uncover untapped opportunities. As pioneers in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and practices, we support our clients to achieve their ESG goals.

At Zanders we invest in our people for an inclusive atmosphere, where freedom, fun, and collaboration are pivotal and set us apart, defining our success. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are essential to establish a strong and sustainable business, fostering a culture that values and respects diversity in all forms. Zanders is not just a workplace – it is a supportive community.

We invite those who share our passion for collaboration, growth, and positive impact to join us on this journey. If you're in search of a workplace which nurtures personal and professional development, Zanders is the perfect fit for you.

Join us as we continue to shape the future of consultancy, making a meaningful impact in the world of Treasury, Risk, and Technology!

By applying for a role at Zanders, you give us approval to use and retain your personal details. Considering Zanders' nature of enterprise, you are expected to behave to a high moral standard. A Pre-Employment Screening (PES) by a third party is part of the application process.