Principal Associate, Risk Manager

At Capital One, models are the engines that drive our most salient business decisions. Capital One’s Model Risk Office (MROf) governs and maintains these engines to meet regulatory standards by defining the model risk management (MRM) framework and model governance practices for the company.

As a Principal Associate, Risk Manager within the Model Risk Office, you will serve as a critical line of defense in ensuring the integrity of the models that power our enterprise. This isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about becoming a subject matter expert in Model Policy and applying high‑level judgment to ensure our model inventory remains stable, effective, and compliant.

You will sit at the intersection of policy and execution, managing the controls that mitigate risk and performing deep‑dive compliance testing to ensure our most complex tools meet rigorous internal standards.

• Control Execution:
  Rigorously execute both key and non‑key controls to identify and manage risk within the Model Risk Office.
• Compliance Testing:
  Conduct detailed testing of sampled models to verify they meet established policy criteria and regulatory expectations.
• Policy Stewardship:
  Become a go‑to expert on Model Policy, interpreting guidelines to provide clear direction to stakeholders and to our governance system of record.
• Reporting & Communication:
  Translate complex testing results into clear, professional business and technical write‑ups for leadership.
• Process Optimization:
  Actively identify efficiencies in existing workflows and control environments to create a better way.

• Technical Toolkit:
  Proficiency in Google Workspace, specifically Sheets for data tracking and Slides for executive presentations.
• Communication Mastery:
  Exceptional business and technical writing skills; ability to turn technical findings into an influencing narrative.
• Judgment & Influence:
  Ability to look beyond a checklist to identify underlying risks and influence partners to adhere to policy.
• Ownership Mentality:
  Full‑stack approach to projects—taking assignments from initial assignment to final delivery with minimal oversight.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent military experience.
• At least 5 years of risk management experience.
• At least 2 years of operational or model risk management experience.
• At least 3 years of Project Management experience.
• At least 2 years of experience supporting, partnering with, and interacting with internal business clients.
• At least 3 years of experience using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, with proficiency in joining disparate data sets to analyze and solve challenges.

• 3+ years of operational or model risk management experience.
• 2+ years of experience within financial services.
• At least 2 years of experience working with and applying the standards set forth in supervisory letters guiding model risk management, including OCC Bulletin 2011‑12 and FRB SR 11‑7.
• Lean, Agile, or Six Sigma certification.

McLean, VA: $120,800 – $137,900 for Principal Risk Specialist
Richmond, VA: $109,900 – $125,400 for Principal Risk Specialist
Riverwoods, IL: $109,900 – $125,400 for Principal Risk Specialist

Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial, and other benefits that support your total well‑being.

At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.

Capital One is an equal‑opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non‑discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug‑free workplace and will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries.