Safety and Soundness Certification

Candidates for the CLIE designation must provide evidence of the following:

• Expected to have skills and experience associated with CEIC level or equivalent. Senior examiner experience aligned with skills for large bank specialties considered on a case-by-case basis. Training should include large bank focused course, including training from FDIC, FRB, FFIEC, CSBS; or specialized subjects such as SNC, Energy Lending, Enterprise Risk Management, Model Risk Management, CCAR, LCR, etc.
• Portfolio of examinations demonstrating qualifying experience and involvement in accordance with the skills detailed below.
• Attestation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by the applicant's direct supervisor or another individual familiar with the applicant's performance.

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 which could include:

• Working knowledge of FDIC and/or Federal Reserve Large Bank Operating Procedures;
• Effectively acting in the role of Central Point of Contact (CPC), Examiner In Charge (EIC), Assistant CPC, Assistant EIC, Team Lead, Subject Matter Expert, or Target Review Lead of a large institution;
• Overseeing personnel to ensure adherence to examination procedures and policies;
• Participating in development of the annual supervisory plan to include the target review schedule;
• Participating in and review quarterly ongoing monitoring that includes any major changes/events since the last quarter; target review results; and overview of CAMELS, BSA, and IT, as applicable;
• Participating in development of scope memos, first day/request letters, summary conclusion memos, and supervisory letters;
• Monitoring or supporting the progress of personnel to ensure accurate and timely completion of work on target reviews, continuous monitoring, and roll up exam assignments;
• Effectively supervising and/or participating in the organization and documentation of work papers according to prescribed procedures; and
• Effectively supervising and overseeing OR supporting the entire examination process, including coordination of the examination team, compilation of examination findings, and communicating recommendations to institution management. 

CONCEPTUAL – Provides effective and accurate evaluation of the overall activities of financial institutions which could include:

• Demonstrated ability to identify systemic risks and trends through the evaluation of credit and capital markets activities and operations and to opine on credit and capital market risk practices;
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and direct large bank risks with a focus on strengthening and improving an institution's condition;
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate new business objectives along with future possible scenarios for potential positive and detrimental outcomes;
• Maintaining knowledge of key large bank accounting, reporting and regulatory changes;
• Maintaining an understanding of comparable institutions in the peer group including horizontal reviews, understanding selection of comparable institutions for valuation and variable lines of business;
• Participating in the continuous monitoring program to obtain pertinent information that will help identify emerging/changing risks, new/unusual business segments, and allow examiners to remain fluid with management’s current business plan;  
• Reviewing outstanding findings, monthly board and committee packages and minutes, and other pertinent data through ongoing monitoring;
• Developing or monitoring the list of specific internal reports, board, and committee minutes that CPCs and specialists would like to continuously review and have the bank produce those items on a quarterly basis;
• Participating or conducting data analytic reviews; ability to customize data reporting to agency needs and/or identify and utilize necessary reporting;
• Monitoring and tracking outstanding regulatory issues and compare and reconcile to the bank’s outstanding issues tracking report;
• Documenting how past regulatory issues were closed and maintain list of current outstanding issues;
• Effectively demonstrating an understanding of the material risks present in institution practices; and  
• Effectively understanding "downstream" or "counterparty" risks arising from transactions with other insured depositories or financial intermediaries. 
   

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE – Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules, and regulations.

• Participates in supervisory target reviews and as applicable, the annual roll up examination.
• Assesses risk management frameworks/processes, determine adequacy in relation to best practice/regulation and in relation to the risk profile of the bank, and assess compliance with those approved frameworks through effective transaction testing.
• As applicable, participates as a Subject Matter Expert of large bank related examination areas.

COMMUNICATIONS – Provides effective oral and written communications which could include:

• Participates in ongoing/quarterly updates and discussions with bank management;  
• Maintains records of ongoing management meetings for benefit of examination team;  
• Participates in calls with bank executives prior to publication for topics such as earnings or other press releases;
• Participates in annual meetings with key bank board members (including the chairs of the board, audit, and risk committees);
• Engages with bank committees during regulatory-relevant examination work;
• Engages in vetting meetings with federal regulators;
• Establishes and maintains communication channels with other regulatory constituencies, such as the CFPB and other federal and state authorities;
• Provides own state department/agency commissioner and senior management team with at least a semiannual update of the large bank; and
• Provides effective training of large bank program to examiners participating in target reviews, roll up examination, and/or ongoing participation in large bank program.

RECERTIFICATION

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 63 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.