Institutional Client Specialist, Associate/AVP - New York / Purchase

711 MS Smith Barney, LLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Stanley is seeking an Institutional Client Specialist to deliver end-to-end client service for institutional and family office clients. The role emphasizes onboarding, maintenance, asset reporting, and billing while ensuring compliance with firm policies and risk controls.

Responsibilities include onboarding complex client structures, processing requests, managing documentation, and collaborating with Investment Officers and Financial Advisors to improve service delivery and client

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 3+ years of relevant industry experience preferred.
• Active Series 7, 63, and 65 (or Series 7 and 66) required.

Responsibilities

• Maintain institutional client relationships by delivering timely, high-quality service.
• Process and elevate requests as needed.
• Resolve inquiries and ensure client records remain current.
• Build working knowledge of key third-party custodians to support onboarding and status inquiries.
• Onboard new institutional clients by collecting and validating information and documentation.
• Support contract creation/execution and account setup requirements.
• Collaborate with Investment Officers and Financial Advisors to share best practices and improve service delivery.

Skills

Client service

Relationship management

Detail-oriented

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Regulatory compliance

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

CRM systems

Job description

Institutional Infrastructure Solutions (IIS), a business unit within Institutional Consulting Solutions (ICS), is an integrated client service solution for institutional and family office clients. IIS supports clients in partnership with Financial Advisors, Morgan Stanley Family Office (“MSFO”), Outsourced Chief Investment Office (“OCIO”), Morgan Stanley Fund Services, Graystone Consulting and Wealth Management Operations. The Institutional Client Specialist is responsible for client service execution processes including: Client Onboarding & Maintenance, Investment Execution, Asset Aggregation, Reporting and Billing. The role centered on providing exceptional customer service to an institutional client base, with an emphasis on consistently strengthening and improving the client experience while delivering end-to-end service.

Role Responsibilities

• Maintain institutional client relationships by delivering timely, high-quality service.
• Process and elevate requests as needed.
• Resolve inquiries.
• Ensure client records and documentation remain current.
• Build working knowledge of key third‑party custodians to support onboarding, status inquiries, and service requests.
• Track open items and drive timely resolution through appropriate channels.
• Provide flexible, client‑specific service solutions while adhering to firm controls, documentation standards, and escalation protocols.
• Onboard new institutional clients by collecting, organizing, and validating required information and documentation (including complex entity structures and authorized parties).
• Support contract creation/execution and account setup requirements.
• Participate in client strategy discussions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of service execution.
• Complete required training to remain current on policies, procedures, and risk expectations.
• Leverage firm resources for peer sharing and collaboration.
• Process alternative investment documentation (e.g., subscriptions, capital calls, distribution notices) and coordinate with fund managers, custodians, and internal partners as needed.
• Partner with Investment Officers and Financial Advisors to share best practices and improve service delivery.
• Collaborate across lines of business and operational teams to resolve client issues, ensuring clear communication, thorough documentation, and timely follow‑through.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 3+ years of relevant industry experience preferred.
• Active Series 7, 63, and 65 (or Series 7 and 66) required.
• Additional product licenses may be required.

Knowledge/Skills

• Strong ownership mindset, accountability, and work ethic.
• Highly organized and detail‑oriented; able to prioritize effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (business and technical).
• Collaborative team player with strong stakeholder management skills.
• Solid understanding of industry products and branch procedures.
• Knowledge of applicable compliance requirements and firm policies.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Analytical capability to interpret and act on complex information.
• Ability to perform in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
• Demonstrated leadership and sound judgment.

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.

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $70,000 and $115,000 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long‑term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs.

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.

At Morgan Stanley, we advise, originate, trade, manage and distribute capital for people, governments and institutions, always with a standard of excellence and guided by our core values.

Morgan Stanley is dedicated to providing first‑class service to our clients, in a way that reflects our commitment to creating a more sustainable future and fostering stronger communities around the world. In each line of business, we strive to demonstrate our belief in the power of transformative thinking, innovative strategies and leading‑edge solutions—and in the ability of capital to work for the benefit of all society.

What We Do