Senior Lead - Group Model Risk Governance

Job Description

Emirates NBD is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region, serving over 9 million customers across 13 countries. As one of the region’s most trusted financial institutions, Emirates NBD provides a comprehensive range of banking and financial services including retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, Islamic banking, private banking, wealth management, treasury, and brokerage services. The Group continues to invest in innovation, digital transformation, and responsible growth to deliver outstanding customer experiences.

Job Overview

The role is responsible for governance and oversight of model risk across the Group. Responsibilities include managing the model lifecycle, maintaining the model risk framework, and reporting model risk to senior management, committees, and regulators.

This is a governance-focused role and does not involve model development or validation. However, the incumbent must have sufficient technical knowledge to oversee model risk and challenge model-related decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the Group Model Inventory, ensuring accurate model registration, classification, and risk tiering.
• Act as the key liaison between model owners, validation teams, and internal audit.
• Maintain the consolidated model issue log and monitor remediation actions.
• Escalate overdue findings and track issue ageing.
• Design, maintain, and periodically review the Group Model Risk Governance Framework.
• Ensure compliance with CBUAE MMS&G and industry best practices.
• Analyse model risk data, perform risk tiering assessments, and monitor model performance trends.
• Prepare Model Risk Reports and management submissions for senior committees.
• Support regulatory submissions, gap assessments, and remediation plans.
• Maintain Group Model Governance and Management Framework (GMGMF).
• Maintain Group Model Validation Standards (GMVS).
• Support development and maintenance of the AI Model Governance Framework.
• Review effectiveness of model governance controls and model documentation.
• Manage end-to-end model approval processes.
• Coordinate model change management and model retirement activities.
  
  

Skills And Experience

• Strong knowledge of Model Risk Management (MRM) frameworks and regulations including CBUAE MMS&G, SR 11-7, PRA and EBA guidelines.
• Experience within IRB accredited banks
• Experience in IRB and IFRS 9 credit risk models, model governance, model validation, or model risk management functions.
• Strong quantitative background with knowledge of statistics, model performance metrics, regression techniques, and risk analytics.
• Understanding of AI/ML model governance, explainability, fairness, bias assessment, and data quality controls.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience within a banking, risk, consulting, or financial services environment.
• Proficiency in Python, SAS, and/or Excel VBA would be advantageous.
  
  

Technical & Professional Skills

• IRB and IFRS9 modelling standards.
• Understanding of broader model families and regulatory expectations.
• Strong quantitative skills including:
• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Calculus
• Linear Algebra
• Regression Modelling
  

Leadership & Managerial Skills

• Self-motivated and proactive.
• Strong project and time management capabilities.
• Proven stakeholder management experience.
• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous environments.
  
  

Communication Skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to analyse quantitative information and provide concise management commentary.
  
  

Experience

• Minimum 7 years' experience in:
• Model Risk Management
• Risk Modelling
• Model Validation
• International Consulting Firms
• Experience preferably gained within IRB-accredited banks.
  
  

Education

• Degree in Actuarial Science, Financial Engineering, or related quantitative discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification in:
• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Econometrics
• Similar quantitative subject
  

Professional Certifications (Desirable)

• Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF)
• Financial Risk Manager (FRM)
  
  

Programming Skills

• Python
• Excel VBA
• SAS
  
  

There’s never been a better time to join Emirates NBD.

We’re one of the region’s most recognized banking brands and continue to invest in innovation, talent, and professional development. At Emirates NBD, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled professionals, contribute to strategic initiatives across the Group, and build a rewarding career in a dynamic and collaborative environment. We offer competitive benefits, flexible working opportunities where applicable, and an inclusive workplace that supports continuous learning and growth. We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications and apply for positions that match their skills and aspirations.

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