Model Validation and Assurance Analyst

Overview

The Model Validation and Assurance Analyst role is available at levels I, II or III, depending on qualifications. Responsibilities and impact scale with each level, ranging from executing tasks under guidance to leading and mentoring others. The role involves hands-on testing, data analysis, and documentation to ensure the bank's models and End User Applications operate as intended and comply with policy and regulation.

• Complete validation tasks, analyses, and documentation.
• Execute detailed model validation tests.
• Develop analytical tools and enhance automation.
• Support and strengthen model governance activities.
• Collaborate with team members and stakeholders on department initiatives.
• Mentor junior staff at higher levels and contribute to departmental initiatives that enhance model risk oversight.
• Engage with business partners and external parties as appropriate and work independently as required.

• Level I:
  Bachelor’s degree required; strong attention to detail, eagerness to learn, and ability to apply quantitative techniques to real-world model risk challenges.
• Level II:
  Master’s degree required;
  Ph.D. strongly preferred for level III; advanced knowledge of financial models, quantitative risk concepts, and ability to communicate complex findings to model owners and risk partners.
• Level III:
  Ph.D. strongly preferred; expert knowledge; ability to engage with senior leadership, model owners, external validators, internal audits, regulators, and FHLBank System working groups.
• Coursework in quantitative risk management, statistics, econometrics, time-series modeling, or machine learning.
• Foundational knowledge of financial models and modeling techniques (e.g., interest rate models, mortgage analytics, credit risk); advanced knowledge for higher levels; expert knowledge for level III.
• Understanding of quantitative risk concepts such as duration, convexity, and Value-at-Risk; deep understanding for level II or III.
• Ability to analyze information from databases and complex spreadsheets.
• Exposure to programming languages (Python, R, SQL, VBA, MATLAB); advanced knowledge for level II or III.
• Fundamental knowledge and competent skills in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to work with business partners, external parties, and independently.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, Access).

Note:

This role includes mentoring responsibilities and bridging hands-on validation work with strategic model risk oversight.

FHLBank Topeka is an equal employment opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, parental status, citizenship status, disability, genetic information, military status, gender identity and expression, or marital status.