Group Head of Model Validation

Excellent opportunity to join Admiral as Group Head of Model Validation

This is an excellent opportunity to lead independent Internal Model Validation and provide senior independent oversight and challenge of the effectiveness of Model Risk Management across Admiral Group.

At Admiral, models are central to how we make decisions. They inform the pricing of millions of insurance policies, capital requirements, reserving, investments, financial planning, and an expanding range of advanced analytical and artificial intelligence applications.

As Group Head of Model Validation, you will lead independent validation of the Group's most critical models and help ensure that decisions affecting pricing, robust evidence, appropriate challenge and strong governance support capital, investments, risk, and emerging analytical techniques.

About the role

As Group Head of Model Validation, you will lead the Group's independent Internal Model Validation function and provide senior independent oversight of Model Risk Management across the Group.

You will work closely with senior leaders across Risk, Actuarial, Finance, Investments, Pricing, Data Science and Technology. You will provide independent insight into model performance, uncertainty, limitations, and risk, helping strengthen decision-making and regulatory confidence.

What you will do

In this role, you will lead the Group Internal Model Validation function, setting its strategic direction, operating model, and culture. You will be accountable for the Group Internal Model Validation Framework and responsible for delivering a risk-based, multi-year validation plan that reflects regulatory requirements, business priorities, and model materiality. Providing independent assurance over the Group's partial internal model, you will assess model design, assumptions, calibration, expert judgement, governance, data quality, and model performance, while also overseeing and challenging the effectiveness of the Group Model Risk Management Framework.

You will lead and develop specialist teams across model validation and model risk, ensuring that material model limitations and validation findings are appropriately escalated and resolved. The role requires clear and effective reporting to Boards, executives, and governance committees, as well as influencing strategic decisions relating to capital initiatives, acquisitions, stress testing, scenario testing, and ORSA activities. You will engage confidently with regulators, auditors and external validation stakeholders, help shape governance approaches for emerging machine learning and artificial intelligence applications, and build strong relationships across the Group while maintaining an independent and robust challenge function.

Essential skills and experience 

• A qualified actuary or equivalent senior quantitative professional, with substantial experience in general insurance.
• Extensive experience in internal model validation, capital modelling, model risk management or closely related independent assurance, gained at a senior level within industry or consultancy. 
• Strong understanding of internal models and validation methodologies.
• An informed and curious perspective on emerging model risks, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and the changing use of models in insurance.
• Deep knowledge of model governance and lifecycle risk.
• Strong knowledge of Solvency UK and PRA internal model expectations.
• Experience providing independent challenge on complex actuarial, capital, pricing, reserving, investment, or analytical models.
• Credibility and confidence with Boards, executive committees, regulators, auditors and senior technical stakeholders, including the ability to deliver difficult messages clearly and constructively.
• Experience operating at, or close to, Director level in a consultancy, insurer, reinsurer, regulator or comparable organisation.
• Experience leading specialist technical teams.
• Ability to communicate complex quantitative topics clearly and effectively.

Why Admiral? 

This role offers the scale and influence of a senior Group position, together with the freedom to shape a function at a crucial point in its development. You will operate where risk, strategy, regulation, and innovation meet, working with talented colleagues across a diverse international Group.

Admiral is known for its collaborative culture, long-term thinking, and willingness to challenge convention. You will be trusted to bring an independent perspective, supported to make a meaningful impact, and given the opportunity to build a lasting legacy in how the Group understands and manages model risk.

Admiral: Where You Can

We take pride in being a diverse and inclusive business. It's a place where you can Be You, and show up as you are. We’re committed to fostering a people-first culture where everyone is accepted, supported, and empowered to be brilliant. You can, Grow And Progress at a pace and direction that suits you, Make A Difference for our customers and each other, and Share in Our Future with all colleagues eligible for up to £3,600 of free shares each year after one year of service.

Everyone receives 33 days holiday (including bank holidays) when they join us, increasing the longer you stay with us, up to a maximum of 38 days (including bank holidays). You also have the option to buy or sell up to an additional five days of annual leave.

We’re proud of our people-first culture. In fact, we've been recognised as a Great Place to Work for Women, a Great Place to Work for Wellbeing, and an overall Great Place to Work for over 25 years! We’re fully committed to making sure your progression is not slowed or halted by barriers related to race, gender, age, sexuality or any of the protected characteristics.

Our fantastic benefits make sure our colleagues have a great work-life balance; You can view some of our other key benefits here.

Disability Confident Leader

As a Disability Confident Leader, for candidates with a disability or long-term health condition, that opt into the Disability Confident scheme, we’ll invite a fair and proportionate number of applicants that meet the essential requirements of the role to the first stage of our selection process.

If you need any adjustments or support with your application or during the recruitment process, just let us know. Please do email helen.hunt@admiralgroup.co.uk, contact us on  07796 062776. This number is dedicated to supporting candidates that require reasonable adjustments or support during the application process.

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