KYC and Screening Platforms (Investment Management Financial Crimes Risk) - Executive Director

Morgan Stanley; New York (NY); On-site; USD 160,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a KYC and Screening Platforms Executive Director to lead their Financial Crimes Risk Team. In this pivotal role, you will oversee critical KYC and Screening processes, ensuring compliance with BSA/AML regulations while collaborating with diverse stakeholders across the organization. Your expertise will drive the implementation of innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency and improve client engagement. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, this organization offers a dynamic environment where your contributions will make a significant impact. Join a company that values integrity and excellence, and take your career to new heights in the financial services sector.

Benefits

Comprehensive employee benefits

Incentive compensation

Discretionary bonuses

Short and long-term incentive packages

Career development opportunities

Diversity and inclusion programs

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in BSA/AML regulations within financial services.
• Strong ability to gather and document business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Oversee KYC and Screening platforms, ensuring compliance with regulations.
• Manage technology-driven transformation projects for KYC and Screening.

Skills

BSA/AML Regulations

Data Analytics

Business Requirements Gathering

UAT Processes

Analytical Tools

Problem-Solving Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Degree in Data Analytics

Degree in Statistics

Degree in Computer Science

Degree in Finance

Tools

SQL

Python

R

Tableau

Power BI

AML Software (e.g., Actimize)

Job description

Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm that conducts its business through three principal business segments - Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management. Morgan Stanley provides comprehensive financial advice and services to its clients including brokerage, investment advisory, financial and wealth planning, credit and lending, deposits and cash management, annuities, insurance, retirement, and trust services.

As a market leader, the talent and passion of our people is critical to our success. Together, we share a common set of values rooted in doing the right thing, putting clients first, leading with exceptional ideas and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Morgan Stanley can provide a superior foundation for building a professional career – a place for people to learn, achieve, and grow.

Department Profile:

The Investment Management (IM) Financial Crimes Risk Team is embedded within the Firm’s business line. It is responsible for identifying, assessing, and escalating potential money laundering and reputational risk issues associated with higher risk client types. The IM Financial Crimes Risk Team is considered the first line of defense and supports the onboarding, enhanced due diligence, and negative news processes for Morgan Stanley.

Primary Responsibilities:

The KYC and Screening Platforms ED is responsible for executing the firm’s first line Financial Crimes program for IM. The role will be to partner with stakeholders across the first/second lines of defense, technology, and operations to support and drive all IM KYC and Screening processes/initiatives. Upon implementation, the KYC and Screening Platforms ED will work to identify areas of opportunity to further enhance and streamline systems, processes, and control/reporting environments to continuously drive improvements to workflow and client experience / engagement. This position will work closely with Global Financial Crimes (GFC) stakeholders to ensure the business is compliant with all relevant Financial Crimes standards, policies, procedures and applicable laws and regulations.

The KYC and Screening Platforms ED will:

1. Oversee projects involving KYC and Screening platforms with regards to data management principles, workflows, customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence to ensure adherence with BSA/AML rules, regulations, and Morgan Stanley policies.
2. Work closely with all stakeholders to gather, analyze, and document detailed system requirements for new features and enhancements.
3. Manage technology-driven transformation projects that involve system integrations, in-house and third-party solutions, and customized tooling for KYC and Screening.
4. Develop process maps and detailed documentation to capture current and future state KYC and Screening business processes, ensuring alignment with system capabilities.
5. Credibly challenge functional specifications / user stories from system developers, ensuring clarity and completeness.
6. Design and develop UAT strategies, test plans, and test cases in collaboration with business users to validate that systems meet business requirements.
7. Assist in change management efforts by identifying potential impacts to business processes and systems and supporting the development of mitigation strategies.
8. Develop and compile periodic reporting to senior stakeholders including the identification of emerging risk themes/trends.
9. Track and report status on multiple cross-divisional projects/programs across divisions, functions and workstreams.
10. Escalate issues, risks, and concerns pertaining to KYC and Screening initiatives timely and appropriately to stakeholders.
11. Document and track change control milestones and tasks for multiple projects and programs.
12. Host governance forums including Sr. Executive governance forums, drive discussions and decisions, and assist in action item tracking, project plans, milestones, and meeting documentation.
13. Develop training and communication plans.
14. Use data analytics to optimize workflows, reduce false positives, drive decisions, and enhance efficiencies.
15. Identify gaps in current operational processes and recommend data-driven solutions for improvement.
16. Design user-friendly dashboards and reports for FCR teams to review trends, risk metrics, and performance indicators for KYC and Screening.
17. Present insights to key stakeholders, ensuring clear communication of complex findings.
18. Provide subject matter expertise in Financial Crime systems, including transaction filtering, reputational and sanctions screening, and KYC to strengthen compliance and reduce operational risk.
19. Drive the development of robust governance frameworks for the monitoring of complex rules engines leveraged by 1LOD to monitor for risks associated to transactional activity, negative news, reputational risk and Economic Sanctions screening.

Required Experience and Skills:

1. 12+ years of relevant experience with BSA/AML Regulations within the financial services industry, or at a financial services regulator (e.g., FINRA, Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Reserve Bank, etc.)
2. Degree in Data Analytics, Statistics, Computer Science, Finance, or other related fields.
3. Knowledge of Financial Crimes laws and regulations and familiarity with best practice first line procedures and processes.
4. Comfort working with technology and the ability to learn and display proficiency on technical systems and programs.
5. Strong experience in gathering and documenting business requirements, with a keen ability to translate them into technical specifications.
6. Solid understanding of UAT processes, test case design, and defect management, with experience in executing and managing UAT phases.
7. Familiarity with system development lifecycles (SDLC), and experience with testing tools.
8. Ability to analyze complex systems and processes, identifying potential issues and opportunities for improvement.
9. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
10. Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, including developers, QA testers, and business users.
11. Proficiency in analytical tools and programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python, R).
12. Familiarity with AML software and systems (e.g., Actimize, Mantas, or similar tools).
13. Experience with visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, or similar.
14. Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot issues and drive them to resolution in a timely manner.
15. Functional knowledge end-to-end system workflow design.
16. Strong leadership qualities with the ability to manage teams and evidence a strong work ethic as well as a high degree of integrity.
17. Implementation and execution of Financial Crimes Programs requirements.
18. Operate with confidence and comfort in high-paced and high-profile environments.
19. Analyze, summarize and communicate effectively.
20. Distill complex ideas and concepts into actionable items.
21. Identify issues, investigate root causes and propose comprehensive solutions.
22. Handle highly confidential information professionally and with appropriate discretion.
23. Certified as an Anti-Money Laundering Specialist by ACAMS or equivalent AML certification/license is a plus.
24. Strong time management and planning skills.
25. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
26. Experience in supporting audit and regulatory inquiries and interactions.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

We are committed to maintaining the first-class service and high standard of excellence that have defined Morgan Stanley for over 85 years. At our foundation are five core values — putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back — that guide our more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find trusted colleagues, committed mentors and a culture that values diverse perspectives, individual intellect and cross-collaboration. We Firm is differentiated by the caliber of our diverse team. While our company culture and commitment to inclusion define our legacy and shape our future, helping to strengthen our business and bring value to clients around the world. Learn more about how we put this commitment to action: morganstanley.com/diversity. 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.

We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $160,000 and $270,000 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's goal is to build and maintain a workforce that is diverse in experience and background but uniform in reflecting our standards of integrity and excellence. Consequently, our recruiting efforts reflect our desire to attract and retain the best and brightest from all talent pools. We want to be the first choice for prospective employees.

It is the policy of the Firm to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sex stereotype, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy, veteran or military service status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversifying its workforce (M/F/Disability/Vet).