Lead Model Validator - Fraud

USAA•San Antonio, NC

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Fraud Model Management Lead will be a senior team member, working with other staff and their Director to implement first-line model management activities on a portfolio of fraud and financial crimes models, while closely partnering with Bank Financial Crimes leadership, Enterprise Model Risk Management (MRM), Legal, Compliance, Technology, Model Users, and other partners. Strong candidates will be able to deploy the following work products and processes: Production of sophisticated technical model development documentation and conduct ongoing monitoring to coordinate with model partners on any performance changes Track the value and health of models with regard to loss mitigation and improvement to expense and Member experience, and use this information to prioritize deployment, retirement, upgrades and other improvements to models Meeting with MRM validators and other partners to facilitate completion of MRM validation work and deliver key insights to model users on performance/strengths/weaknesses of scors Partnering with Director to ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency of metrics in ongoing monitoring Support ML Ops as needed (implementation testing and testing processes, change logs and other critical functions) Works with vendors to understand model plans; provides meticulous effective challenge to vendors Coordinate with ML Ops function to stay abreast of post-model implementation testing, model change logs, tracking of issues that result in performance changes, awareness of upcoming projects and programs that can affect models, as well as project managing new model initiatives Peer-reviews model documentation produced by other team members We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position can be based in one of the following locations: San Antonio, TX, Plano, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Charlotte, NC, or Tampa, FL. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field, such as Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Data Science, Engineering, Computer Science, or a Related Field with Core Quantitative Curriculum.
Four additional years of related experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted in lieu of a degree.
8 years of related work experience in model validation, model development, statistical analysis, and/or sophisticated quantitative research
Strong experience communicating complex quantitative/technical concepts and conclusions to senior leadership, auditors, and/or regulators.
Strong programming skills in R, Python, SAS, Java, C, SQL, and/or other comparable programming languages for the iterative methodological tenants of model and algorithm development including setting model specifications, assumption testing, data quality assessments, variable selection, back-testing, benchmarking, and other robust model testing.
Subject Matter Depth and Breadth with at least four of the following statistical, econometric, data science, and predictive modeling approaches: Unsupervised Learning; K-Means; Linear Regression; Time-Series/Forecasting; Stress Testing; Logistic Regression; Gaussian Process; Simulation Models; Boosting/Bagging Trees; Neural Networks; Deep Learning Concepts; Bayesian Estimators.
Strong business context knowledge in operational and support functions of Banking and/or Insurance as well as their corresponding modeling and analytics knowledge.
Business and industry skill in modeling and model governance techniques and approaches.
Experience sharing modeling governance technical expertise and mentorship with peers.

Nice To Haves

US military experience through military service or a military spouse/domestic partner
Graduate degree in a quantitative subject area
Over 6 years of experience with modeling, model validation, particularly within a regulated industry and working in MRM or a similar function
Experience in model development and validation specifically in the fraud/financial crimes domain
Experience partnering with vendors to understand their model offerings, update plans and development roadmaps

Responsibilities

Coordinates and conducts independent model validation control activities for high visibility, critical and/or specialized models.
Apply expert business and technical model and model validation knowledge to conduct highly specialized validation activities for models that leverage groundbreaking techniques that require specialized credentials, and models that have higher enterprise visibility and risk.
Leverages specialized technical approaches to develop, implement, and complete validation testing plans for models that require expert model validation knowledge and skills.
Leads the team in developing challenger models and/or replicating model development through predictive modeling, machine learning, deep learning, time-series modeling/forecasting, stress testing, heuristic models, actuarial models, simulation, optimization, and/or other techniques including models that require specialized skills.
Develops plans, reviews peers' plans and provides feedback on model tests and data quality assessments for models using various types of datasets including those demonstrating large datasets and unstructured datasets.
Reviews at a subject matter expert level the end-to-end life-cycle management of model development, implementation, ongoing monitoring, and use in areas of Banking and Insurance (Property & Casualty and Life) along with their corresponding business support functions and operational processes.
Responsible for assessing model inherent risk ratings, model declassifications applications, materiality of model changes, and other reviews of models as part of model validation-related governance processes.
Produces and delivers validation reports and related validation work to model validation management, model partners, senior leadership, and others for high visibility, critical and/or specialized models.
Provides review of validation work produced by peers and vendors in preparation of report issuance.
Reports validation results and model risk trends/metrics to Enterprise Model Risk Management leadership.
Performs the independent model validation process aligned with the written risk and compliance policies and procedures at a subject matter expert level.
Evaluates model risk control strengths around model development, implementation, and use as it pertains to elements of model conceptual soundness, modeling methodology, model limitations, data quality, ongoing monitoring, and other more sophisticated elements of the model validation process.
Interacts with internal peers and external vendors for awareness and applicability of groundbreaking techniques, technologies, and potential business solutions while continuing to professionally develop and knowledge share emerging modeling techniques and approaches.