Specialty Certification

Candidates for the CCME credential must provide evidence of the following:

• Completion of a minimum of five (5) years of on-the-job service and training as a safety & soundness and/or trust examiner. Equivalent industry experience may be substituted on a case-by-case basis.
• Satisfactory completion of two or more of the following course offerings or an equivalent*:
  • CSBS Capital Markets Examiner Training
  • FFIEC Capital Markets Conference
  • CFA Institute's Charterholder and/or Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) Financial Risk Manager (FRM) study programs (completion or substantial progress, as evaluated by CSBS)
  • Graduate-level or executive education programs with a capital markets focused* curriculum and which comprises at least 28 hours of classroom training*
    *Equivalent and/or corporate training options should be pre-approved by CSBS certification staff before beginning the application process.

Supervisor Ratings & Narrative Assessment

Applicants must ensure that they meet all certification requirements and will then complete an attestation of successful job performance and mastery of job-related skills, providing a thorough written response for each competency category. Their supervisor will then review and affirm the attestation to ensure accuracy and completeness. The core competencies are an integral part of the certification, and a high degree of reliance is placed on the attestation for determining compliance with these skill areas. The supervisor reviewing the application form should be familiar with the applicant’s experience, performance, and skills/abilities and be confident that the applicant meets all the requirements outlined in the form.

TECHNICAL - Provides effective leadership and organization to the examination process:

• Leads or oversees capital markets–focused examinations and reviews involving complex, higher-risk, or targeted activities.
• Reviews and approves capital markets–related examination scopes, procedures, and conclusions.
• Evaluates the adequacy of examiner workpapers supporting capital markets findings.
• Applies data analytics, quantitative models, and analytical tools to evaluate capital markets risk.
• Reviews nontraditional or higher-risk capital markets activities.

CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective and accurate evaluation of the overall activities of financial institutions:

• Evaluates financial institution stress testing frameworks, as applicable, including Dodd-Frank Act Stress Testing (DFAST) and Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR), including an understanding of modeling methodologies, key assumptions, scenario design, and sensitivity analysis related to capital markets, interest rate risk, and liquidity risk.
• Analyzes interdependencies between market risk, liquidity risk, capital, and earnings under normal and stressed market conditions.
• Evaluates the reasonableness of management assumptions, modeling inputs, and mitigation strategies used to manage capital markets, interest rate, and liquidity risks.
• Applies supervisory judgment to derivatives, asset-backed instruments, mortgage hedging strategies, and servicing rights, including associated risks, controls, and valuation considerations.
• Reviews progressively larger and more complex bank balance sheets, including funding structure, risk concentrations, and sensitivity to changing market conditions.
• Evaluates balance sheet management practices and associated risk management frameworks across institutions with varying levels of complexity.
• Analyzes interest rate risk exposures in rapidly changing rate environments and assesses the effectiveness of related risk management practices.
• Evaluates model risk management related to capital markets, interest rate, and liquidity risk models.
• Considers emerging market, investment product, or structural balance sheet risks and their potential supervisory implications.

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Demonstrates and applies knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulation.

• Applies capital markets–related supervisory guidance and regulatory expectations.
• Delivers supervisory guidance related to investment portfolio management, derivatives, and hedging activities.
• Evaluates compliance with internal policies governing capital markets activities and risk limits.
• Assesses board and senior management oversight of capital markets risk-taking.
• Maintains awareness of evolving supervisory priorities affecting capital markets activities.

COMMUNICATIONS - Provides effective oral and written communications:

• Leads meetings and discussions with management and boards of directors on capital markets risk and supervisory conclusions, including managing disagreement, escalation, and resolution of complex or sensitive issues.
• Coordinates examination planning and execution with state and federal supervisory authorities.
• Prepares clear, accurate, and well-supported written supervisory comments and capital markets findings that support ratings, conclusions, and supervisory actions.
• Synthesizes large or complex data sets into clear supervisory conclusions and examination findings.
• Communicates complex capital markets risks, modeling results, and assumptions to non-technical audiences.
• Provides instruction and guidance to junior examiners on capital markets examination practices and supervisory expectations.

CONTINUING EDUCATION / EQUIVALENT CERTIFICATION

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 40 continuing education hours (CEH). If an examiner exceeds this requirement, up to 14 CEHs may be carried over into the new three-year term. Continuing education should be selected with the goal of maintaining, improving, or expanding the examiner’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Participants are also required to review and remain in compliance with updates to certifications. Should a material change related to the certification occur, additional training may be required to maintain certification.

Attendance at the FFIEC Capital Markets Conference is required at least once during each three-year certification term.
The remaining continuing education hours may be satisfied through in-house, interagency, or industry-recognized capital markets training, or other approved training options, as applicable. Acceptable continuing education activities include, but are not limited to:
 

• Additional attendance at the FFIEC Capital Markets Conference 
• Approved university or certificate programs Approved corporate or industry training programs 
• Advanced or specialized capital markets training beyond baseline examiner courses 
• Ongoing professional development related to market risk, modeling, or financial markets 
• Participation in or delivery of in-house capital markets training for supervisory staff

Banking department staff and/or federal counterparty in-house training will be accepted for continuing education credit. Individuals responsible for conducting or developing in-house training must hold the CCME designation or equivalent professional credentials, as determined by CSBS.
University, corporate, or industry training courses and seminars may be approved for continuing education credit when provided by a nationally recognized training provider and when the content is relevant to capital markets supervision. Documentation supporting the applicability and duration of the training must be submitted as part of the recertification process.
Forty (40) continuing education hours (CEHs) will be awarded for each approved capital markets–related professional certification received or renewed during the three-year certification term (e.g., GARP’s Financial Risk Manager (FRM), PRMIA’s Professional Risk Manager (PRM), or CFA Institute’s Charterholder designation). Additional certifications must be pre-approved by CSBS certification staff.