Global Financial Crimes Testing, Vice President (Digital Assets)

PowerToFly; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 95,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401(k) plan

Paid Time Off

Disability insurance

Job summary

A global financial services firm based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, seeks an experienced Vice President Tester to strengthen its financial crime prevention framework. You will lead risk assessments and evaluations related to financial crimes, including AML and digital assets. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in financial crimes compliance and excellent analytical skills. This role offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits in a dynamic environment focused on innovation and compliance.

Qualifications

• 8 - 10 years of relevant experience in financial crimes compliance, audit, assurance, or testing.
• Strong understanding of AML, Sanctions, Anti‑Corruption, and related financial crimes frameworks.
• ACAMS or equivalent certification (or required within 15 months).

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute risk based reviews across all financial crimes domains.
• Incorporate expertise to evaluate crypto and digital asset related controls.
• Assess the design and operational effectiveness of controls.

Skills

Financial crimes compliance

Audit

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Vice President Tester to join the Global Financial Crimes (GFC) Testing team with a specialized focus on Crypto & Digital Assets. This role is critical in strengthening the Firm's financial crime prevention framework by providing deep subject‑matter expertise on emerging digital asset risks, and by overseeing the governance, assessment, and validation of the Firm's Anti‑Money Laundering (AML), Sanctions, Anti‑Corruption and Government and Political Activities controls.

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. As a Vice President Tester on the GFC Testing team, you will be responsible for evaluating and assessing control effectiveness, identifying risk themes, and supporting continuous enhancement of the Firm's global financial crimes program.

Since 1935, Morgan Stanley is known as a global leader in financial services, always evolving and innovating to better serve our clients and our communities in more than 40 countries around the world.

In Global Financial Crimes (GFC), you will play a critical role in identifying potentially suspicious activity, protecting vulnerable individuals, and safeguarding the integrity of the financial system. GFC coordinates day‑to‑day implementation of the Firm's financial crime prevention efforts, including governance, oversight and execution of the Firm's Anti‑Money Laundering (AML), Sanctions, Anti‑Corruption and Government and Political Activities Compliance programs.

If you are passionate about financial crimes prevention, seeking a rewarding and dynamic career, and focused on making a difference, then GFC might be the right team for you.

What you'll do in the role:

• Lead and execute risk based reviews across all financial crimes domains, including AML, Sanctions, Anti Corruption, Government and Political Activities
• Incorporate expertise to evaluate crypto and digital asset related controls as part of broader testing plans, ensuring coverage of emerging risks and regulatory expectations
• Collaborate with GFC Testing colleagues, business units, GFC teams, and technology partners to develop test scopes, walkthroughs, and detailed test steps
• Assess the design and operational effectiveness of controls performed by first and second lines of defense, as well as key third party service providers
• Execute and oversee all phases of the review lifecycle, including planning, fieldwork, issue identification, documentation, and reporting; review and guide work produced by junior testers
• Communicate test results, identified issues, and recommendations to stakeholders and senior management, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and actionable insights
• Work with the business and GFC teams on remediation plans, tracking progress and verifying corrective actions
• Maintain high quality documentation aligned to Firm standards, regulatory expectations, and audit readiness requirements
• Partner across Compliance Monitoring & Testing groups and Internal Audit to enhance methodologies, share insights, and promote alignment across the Firm
• Stay current on regulatory developments, enforcement trends, and industry best practices across traditional financial crimes domains and digital assets

What you'll bring to the role:

• 8 - 10 years of relevant experience in financial crimes compliance, audit, assurance, or testing within a financial institution, consulting firm or regulatory authority
• Strong understanding of AML, Sanctions, Anti‑Corruption, and related financial crimes frameworks, along with hands‑on experience with crypto and digital assets risk, controls, or monitoring preferred
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (or equivalent) with strong academic credentials
• Ability to assess complex processes and design risk based testing approaches across diverse business lines and technology environments
• Demonstrated experience leading reviews and developing junior staff
• Understanding of the audit and testing processes and approaches
• Strong analytical, investigative, and problem solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex issues succinctly to senior audiences
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent assignments in a dynamic and fast paced environment
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• ACAMS or equivalent certification (or required within 15 months); CIA, CFE, CPA, ACCA, ACA, or similar certifications are a plus

Typically, 8+ years' relevant experience would generally be expected to find the skills required for this role.

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.

Salary range for the position: $95,000 to $165,000 per year. The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive compensation award. The successful candidate may be eligible to participate in the relevant business unit’s incentive compensation plan, which also may include a discretionary bonus component. Morgan Stanley offers a full spectrum of benefits, including Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Dependent Day Care Savings Account, Life Insurance, Disability and Other Insurance Plans, Paid Time Off (including Sick Leave consistent with state and local law, Parental Leave and 20 Vacation Days annually), 10 Paid Holidays, 401(k), and Short/Long Term Disability, in addition to other special perks reserved for our employees. Please visit mybenefits.morganstanley.com to learn more about our benefit offerings.

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.