diff --git a/src/rompy/core/config.py b/src/rompy/core/config.py
index 438b172..5d5c54e 100644
--- a/src/rompy/core/config.py
+++ b/src/rompy/core/config.py
@@ -44,3 +44,23 @@ class BaseConfig(RompyBaseModel):
     # noop call for config objects
     def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self
+
+    def render(self, context: dict, output_dir: Path | str):
+        """Render the configuration template to the output directory.
+
+        This method orchestrates the template rendering process. The default implementation
+        uses cookiecutter rendering with the template and checkout defined on this config.
+        Subclasses can override this method to implement alternative rendering strategies
+        (e.g., direct file writing, Jinja2, custom logic).
+
+        Args:
+            context: Full context dictionary. Expected to contain at least 'runtime' and 'config' keys.
+            output_dir: Target directory for rendered output.
+
+        Returns:
+            str: Path to the staging directory (workspace) containing rendered files.
+        """
+        # Import locally to avoid potential circular imports at module import time
+        from rompy.core.render import render as cookiecutter_render
+
+        cookiecutter_render(context, self.template, output_dir, self.checkout)
diff --git a/src/rompy/model.py b/src/rompy/model.py
index 787bbec..84dcb08 100644
--- a/src/rompy/model.py
+++ b/src/rompy/model.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 from rompy.backends import BackendConfig
 from rompy.backends.config import BaseBackendConfig
 from rompy.core.config import BaseConfig
-from rompy.core.render import render
 from rompy.core.time import TimeRange
 from rompy.core.types import RompyBaseModel
 from rompy.logging import get_logger
@@ -255,10 +254,8 @@ def generate(self) -> str:
             cc_full["config"] = self.config
 
         # Render templates
-        logger.info(f"Rendering model templates to {self.output_dir}/{self.run_id}...")
-        staging_dir = render(
-            cc_full, self.config.template, self.output_dir, self.config.checkout
-        )
+        logger.info(f"Rendering model configurations to {self.staging_dir}...")
+        self.config.render(cc_full, self.output_dir)
 
         logger.info("")
         # Use the log_box utility function
@@ -269,8 +266,8 @@ def generate(self) -> str:
             logger=logger,
             add_empty_line=False,
         )
-        logger.info(f"Model files generated at: {staging_dir}")
-        return staging_dir
+        logger.info(f"Model files generated at: {self.staging_dir}")
+        return self.staging_dir
 
     def zip(self) -> str:
         """Zip the input files for the model run
@@ -366,9 +363,7 @@ def run(self, backend: BackendConfig, workspace_dir: Optional[str] = None) -> bo
         # Pass the config object and workspace_dir to the backend
         return backend_instance.run(self, config=backend, workspace_dir=workspace_dir)
 
-    def postprocess(
-        self, processor: "BasePostprocessorConfig", **kwargs
-    ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    def postprocess(self, processor, **kwargs) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """
         Postprocess the model outputs using the specified processor configuration.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_config_render_delegation.py b/tests/test_config_render_delegation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af51967
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_config_render_delegation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import unittest.mock
+
+from rompy.model import ModelRun
+from rompy.core.config import BaseConfig
+
+
+def test_modelrun_delegates_to_config_render(tmp_path):
+    """ModelRun.generate() delegates rendering to config.render()."""
+
+    # Setup
+    class TestConfig(BaseConfig):
+        def render(self, context: dict, output_dir):
+            # real implementation replaced by mock in the test
+            pass
+
+    config = TestConfig(template="../rompy/templates/base", checkout=None)
+    model_run = ModelRun(run_id="test", output_dir=str(tmp_path), config=config)
+
+    # Patch the class method so the instance call is intercepted. Inspect
+    # positional args to find the context and output_dir regardless of whether
+    # the mock was bound to the instance or the class.
+    # Patch by import path to avoid binding issues with Pydantic-generated classes
+    with unittest.mock.patch.object(
+        TestConfig, "render", return_value=None
+    ) as mock_render:
+        # Execute
+        result = model_run.generate()
+
+        # Verify delegation
+        mock_render.assert_called_once()
+        call_args = mock_render.call_args
+        pos_args = call_args[0]
+
+        # Locate the context dict (contains 'runtime') and the output_dir arg
+        context_arg = next(
+            (a for a in pos_args if isinstance(a, dict) and "runtime" in a), None
+        )
+        output_dir_arg = next(
+            (a for a in pos_args if str(a) == str(model_run.output_dir)), None
+        )
+
+        assert isinstance(context_arg, dict)
+        assert "runtime" in context_arg
+        assert "config" in context_arg
+        assert output_dir_arg == model_run.output_dir
+        assert str(result) == str(tmp_path / "test")