Head of Stress Testing

Investec is a distinctive Specialist Bank serving clients principally in the UK and South Africa. Our culture gives us our edge: we work hard to find colleagues who'll think out of the ordinary and we put them in environments where they'll flourish. We combine a flat structure with a focus on internal mobility. If you can bring an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to learn and collaborate to your work, this could be the boost your career deserves.

We are seeking a Head of Stress Testing to lead our macro- and idiosyncratic stress testing processes, drive bespoke risk assessments, and integrate methodologies into business as usual (BAU) practices. This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate closely with various risk teams, finance, capital, and modelling teams, while representing the Risk and Scenario Analysis function in governance committees and with regulators.

What you will be doing:

• Lead Stress Testing Processes : Drive the macro-economic scenario design process in collaboration with the Economists Team, and develop IBP-specific idiosyncratic scenarios that reflect various stress conditions.
• Bespoke Risk Assessments : Oversee reverse stress testing, climate risk assessments, and ad-hoc evaluations, ensuring that all assessments align with ICAAP requirements and management's evolving needs.
• Methodology Development : Continuously enhance methodologies for identifying and quantifying material financial risks, ensuring their effective integration into BAU practices to support macro-economic stress testing initiatives.
• Stakeholder Collaboration : Act as a liaison between risk functions (Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, and ALM), engaging stakeholders to ensure stress testing findings and recommendations are effectively communicated and acted upon.
• Governance Representation : Present risk analysis results, findings, and strategic recommendations to senior management and relevant committees, while maintaining robust policies and frameworks for risk and scenario analysis.

What we are looking for:

• Banking Experience : Extensive experience in banking, particularly in credit risk and market risk, with a deep understanding of balance sheets and income statement dynamics.
• Risk Awareness : Solid understanding of risk within economic, accounting, and regulatory frameworks, coupled with insights into bank business models and their vulnerabilities.
• Climate Risk Understanding : Familiarity with climate-related risks and the impacts on financial portfolios, demonstrating a proactive approach to emerging risk landscapes.
• Quantitative Skills : A strong capability to work collaboratively with quantitative analysts and risk modelers, with familiarity in quantitative methodologies being advantageous.

Additional Attributes:

• Exceptional presentation skills, with the ability to review and challenge financial results constructively.
• Proven project management experience to drive initiatives from ad-hoc modelling to BAU implementation.
• Strong storytelling ability for preparing comprehensive risk reports and presenting them to governance committees.
• Intellectual curiosity with a capacity to explore uncharted risk areas.
• Resilience and the ability to perform effectively under pressure.

As part of our collaborative & agile culture, our working week is 4 days in the office and one day remote.

Investec offers a range of wellbeing benefits to make our people feel healthier, balanced and more fulfilled in their lives inside and outside of work.

Here is a selection of what we offer;

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Subsidy, Corporate Gym Membership, Virtual GP, Peppy Health App (Fertility, Menopause and Early Parenthood), Optional Private Medical & Dental Insurance

Monetary

Non-contributory Pension & Discretionary Bonus

Life & Income Protection

Life Assurance, Critical Illness & Income Protection

Travel

Season Ticket Loan & Electric Vehicle Scheme

Embedded in our culture is a sense of belonging and inclusion. This creates an environment in which everyone is free to be themselves which helps to drive innovation, creativity and ultimately business performance. At Investec we want everyone to find it easy to be themselves, and to feel they belong. It's a responsibility we all share and is integral to our purpose and values as an organisation.

Research shows that some candidates can be reluctant to apply to a role unless they meet all the criteria. We pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit here and welcome you to do the same – if the role excites you, please don't let our person specification hold you back. Get in touch!

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