Lead Model Validation

Alliant Credit Union; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 95,100 - 163,100; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual performance bonus

Work from home up to 3 days a week

Education reimbursement

11 paid holidays

Health care, vision, dental, 401k with

Job summary

Alliant Credit Union in Chicago is seeking an experienced model risk validator to join the second line of defense. This hybrid role supports validation across credit risk, ALM, finance, and underwriting, partnering with model owners and AI governance stakeholders.

Responsibilities include preparing validation reports, challenging methodologies, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and regulatory guidance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4-year bachelor's degree in a quantitative field as listed.
• Minimum 5 years of model build, test, implement, or validation experience in financial services.
• Preferred 7 years of experience in model development or validation.

Responsibilities

• Independently execute model validations across credit, market, operational risk, loss forecasting, stress testing, ALM, AML, fraud, pricing and CECL models.
• Apply analytical judgment to evaluate input data, conceptual soundness, performance, implementation and governance.
• Prepare and document validation reports with findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations.
• Partner with AI governance stakeholders to assist with review and onboarding of new AI solutions.
• Assess ongoing performance monitoring results and identify weaknesses and remediation needs.
• Enhance validation methods, tools, templates, and practices to align with evolving regulatory guidance.
• Review validation work by third-party vendors and evaluate methodologies and conclusions.
• Collaborate with first-line model owners to support issue management and remediation planning.
• Present validation results and risk assessments to MRM leadership and stakeholders.
• Support model risk governance activities, inventory maintenance, and reporting to committees.

Skills

Model validation

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Quantitative Finance, Engineering, Computer Science or related

Graduate degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Quantitative Finance, Engineering, Computer Science or related

8 years of Build, test, implement, or validate models in financial services (alternate to education)

Job description

In this hybrid role based at our Chicago Headquarters, you will serve as a contributor within the second line of defense, perform independent model validations and support oversight of the Model Risk Management (MRM) program. Validate a broad range of models used across credit risk, treasury management (ALM), finance, underwriting, and related areas, includes both traditional statistical models and artificial intelligence (AI) models. Partner with model owners, users, and MRM leadership to assess model soundness, identify model risk, and support compliance with internal policies and regulatory guidance.

Essential Responsibilities

• Independently execute model validations that are accurate, timely, and compliant with MRM policies, standards, and procedures across credit, market, operational risk, loss forecasting, stress testing, ALM, AML, fraud, pricing, and CECL models.
• Apply sound analytical judgment to evaluate model input data, conceptual soundness, performance, implementation, and governance.
• Prepare and document validation reports, including findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations for model owners and management.
• Partner with AI Governance stakeholders to assist with review and onboarding on new AI solutions.
• Assess ongoing performance monitoring results and identify potential model weaknesses, emerging risks, and areas requiring remediation.
• Support the ongoing enhancement of model validation methods, tools, templates, and practices in alignment with evolving regulatory guidance and industry standards.
• Review and challenge validation work performed by third-party vendors, including evaluation of methodologies, conclusion quality, and appropriateness of findings.
• Partner with first-line model owners and users to support effective issue management, remediation planning, and closure of validation findings.
• Present validation results and risk assessments to MRM leadership and other stakeholders in a professional and constructive manner.
• Support model risk governance activities, new model onboarding, including inventory maintenance, periodic inventory recertification, and inventory reporting to applicable committees per MRM Standard.
• Demonstrate discretion, integrity, and professionalism in handling sensitive information and managing differing viewpoints or conflicts.

Education & Years Of Experience

• Minimum - 4 Year Bachelors Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Quantitative Finance, Engineering, Computer Science or related
• Preferred - Graduate Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Quantitative Finance, Engineering, Computer Science or related
• Minimum - 5 Years of Build, test, implement, or validate models within the financial services industry or related
• Preferred - 7 Years of Build, test, implement, or validate models within the financial services industry or related

In Lieu of Education

• 8 Years of Build, test, implement, or validate models within the financial services industry or related

Compensation & Benefits

Typical hiring range: $95,100.00 to $163,100.00 Annually. Actual compensation will be determined using factors such as experience, skills & knowledge.

Benefits: Alliant provides a benefits package including health care, vision, dental, and 401k with employer match. In addition:

• Annual performance bonus
• Work from home up to 3 days a week
• Paid parental leave
• Employee discount programs
• Time off including paid personal and sick days
• 11 paid holidays
• Education reimbursement
• Note that eligibility and cost of benefits can vary depending on the number of regularly scheduled hours, and job status such as regular full-time, regular part-time, or temporary employment.

Adhere to and ensure compliance of all business transactions with policy and process of the Bank Secrecy Act. Ensures compliance with all applicable state and federal laws, company procedures and policies. Maintains integrity and ethics in all actions and conversations with or regarding credit union members and their accounts; complies with Privacy Act directives.

The responsibilities listed do not contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.