Reference Data Sanctions Screening Professional

Morgan Stanley; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Stanley in Glasgow, UK is seeking a Director, Reference Data Sanctions Screening Professional to lead the reference data sanctions program, combining business analysis, project management and stakeholder engagement to strengthen control governance and data-driven optimization.

You will partner with Client Onboarding and Reference Data Services to oversee platform maintenance, drive improvements in rules and automation, and analyze screening data to support governance and regulatory exams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Data/Analytics, or related field with 5–8+ years of sanctions compliance experience.
• Strong business analysis and project management skills, including requirements definition and stakeholder coordination.
• Advanced Excel; SQL/Python preferred for data analysis.
• Working knowledge of OFAC and global sanctions regulations.
• Experience with sanctions screening platforms and rule/configuration management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for governance, audit and operational audiences.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day management and execution of the reference data sanctions screening program, including initiative tracking, delivery coordination, and issue resolution.
• Manage reference data screening projects from requirements through implementation, including BAU enhancements and transformation workstreams.
• Serve as liaison between Sanctions Screening Controls team and CORDS, ensuring clear communication of requirements and impacts.
• Oversee maintenance activities for the screening platform including list updates and data feed monitoring.
• Monitor platform performance, data quality indicators and alert metrics; escalate anomalies with Financial Crimes Tech.
• Support optimization initiatives including fuzzy logic calibration and automation expansion.
• Perform data analysis to support new product offerings and quantify impact on alerts for governance.
• Support regulatory exams and audits with documented evidence and control narratives.

Skills

Business analysis

Project management

Stakeholder coordination

Excel advanced

SQL

Python

Sanctions screening platforms

OFAC knowledge

Data analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

SQL

Python

Job description

Job Title: Reference Data Sanctions Screening Professional

Job Level and Tier: Director (AVP)

Location: Glasgow, UK

JR038558

Description Of The Role

We’re seeking someone to join our team as a Director, Reference Data Sanctions Screening Professional in Global Financial Crimes combining their business analysis, project management and stakeholder management skills to help lead and enhance the Firm’s reference data sanctions screening program through strong control oversight, cross-functional delivery, and data-driven optimization.

Standard Description of Division + Team Overview

In the Legal & Compliance division, we assist the Firm in achieving its business objectives by facilitating and overseeing the Firm’s management of legal, regulatory and franchise risk. This is a Director level position within the Global Financial Crimes Sanctions Screening Controls team, which is responsible for the design, implementation, and ongoing governance of the Firm’s sanctions screening control framework across reference data and transaction activity.

What you’ll do?

• Support day-to-day management and execution of the reference data sanctions screening program, including initiative tracking, delivery coordination, and issue resolution
• Manage reference data screening projects from requirements through implementation, including BAU enhancements, optimization initiatives, and transformation workstreams
• Serve as a key liaison between the Sanctions Screening Controls team and Client Onboarding and Reference Data Services (CORDS), ensuring clear communication of screening requirements, change impacts, and operational expectations
• Oversee and coordinate maintenance activities for the screening platform related to reference data, including list updates, configuration changes, data feed monitoring, and input/output validation
• Monitor screening platform performance, data quality indicators, and alert generation metrics; elevate anomalies and coordinate resolution with Financial Crimes Technology
• Support optimization initiatives, including fuzzy logic calibration, suppression rule development, pre-screening enhancements, and automation expansion
• Perform data analysis to support new product and business offerings, as well as identify opportunities for tuning, and threshold adjustments; quantify impact on alert volumes and operational outcomes to support governance approval
• Support regulatory examinations and internal audit engagements through clear documentation, evidence packages, and control narratives

What you'll bring to the role?

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Data/Analytics, or a related discipline with 5–8+ years of experience in sanctions compliance, financial crime risk, compliance controls, or risk management within a regulated financial institution
• Strong business analysis and project management skills, including requirements definition, process mapping, stakeholder coordination, and cross-functional delivery
• Demonstrated analytical capability, including experience analyzing screening data and drawing actionable conclusions; advanced Excel required, SQL and/or Python preferred
• Working knowledge of OFAC and global sanctions regulations and their application to reference data and client screening
• Experience with sanctions screening platforms, including configuration, list management, and matching logic concepts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear documentation for governance, audit, and operational audiences
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and deliver results in a fast-paced, matrixed environment

What You Can Expect From Morgan Stanley

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.

To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices into your browser.

Certified Persons Regulatory Requirements

If this role is deemed a Certified role and may require the role holder to hold mandatory regulatory qualifications or the minimum qualifications to meet internal company benchmarks.

Flexible work statement

Interested in flexible working opportunities? Morgan Stanley empowers employees to have greater freedom of choice through flexible working arrangements. Speak to our recruitment team to find out more.

Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents.

Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.

For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.