Risk Rating Manager

About the role

The Risk Rating Manager reports to the Commercial Credit Policy and Governance Manager and is responsible for the management and maintenance of First Horizon’s Commercial Risk Rating framework. It includes ownership of the bank’s scorecard models, development and maintenance of risk grading guidance, working with line of business and Credit partners on design and revision to models, and being the point of contact for all inquiries related to Commercial risk ratings.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the lifecycle of commercial rating models from design and development to system implementation and governance
• Manage risk grading guidance in conjunction with policy, system constraints, and scorecard design
• Fulfill current and evolving governance requirements with respect to risk ratings, including reporting on operational and statistical performance
• Provide input into credit policy as it relates to risk ratings and grading
• Manage controls associated with risk grading and communicate with appropriate groups on issues and resolution
• Communicate with several constituents across the bank in each line of defense as well as auditors and regulators about risk rating policy and practice
• Be the primary point of contact for oversight groups—regulators, Credit, Credit Assurance, Model Risk Management, and auditors
• Effectively challenge first line requests for changes to scorecard models, guidance, or policy
• Lead initiatives for development of or revisions to scorecard models
• Lead the project team for new scorecard development or major recalibrations
• Work with LOB and Credit to define requirements and potential attributes for consideration
• Work with Credit Modeling Team on development, monitoring, testing, and implementation
• Work with Enterprise Technology on system implementation
• Design and lead user acceptance testing to ensure a correct implementation
• Guide changes through governance and business unit acceptance
• Respond to frequent enquiries from constituents—LOB, Credit, Credit Assurance, Internal Audit, etc.—on interpretation of scorecard guidance, rating particular deals, and other questions regarding scorecards
• Collaborate with Credit Policy and Credit Risk on revisions, updates, or modifications to policies that affect risk grading
• Collaborate with downstream users of ratings, such as in pricing, CECL, CCAR, and portfolio management
• Advises the executive management on strategic initiatives, emerging risks or opportunities, and industry best practices in the space of Commercial risk ratings

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of Commercial/Wholesale Credit rating experience, including Commercial and Industrial lending, Commercial Real Estate, Small Business, and specialty lines of business
• Demonstrable experience working with credit rating models and understanding their use, performance metrics, technology requirements, and governance
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with high attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills