Vice President, HR Process Optimization Lead

Morgan Stanley; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Stanley in New York, NY is seeking a senior Talent Transformation professional to lead enterprise‑wide initiatives across HR, Technology, and business stakeholders. You will design operating models, optimize processes, and drive adoption of new systems to improve how the firm attracts, develops, and retains top talent.

This senior role requires strong program management, data‑driven decisions, and the ability to influence senior leadership across global teams.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in Talent, HR transformation, or related roles.
• Strong understanding of talent processes and HR operating models.
• Proven program and project management experience.
• Ability to identify pain points and design scalable operating models.
• Analytical skills using data, metrics, and stakeholder feedback.
• Excellent communication and executive-ready storytelling.
• Collaborative and able to work across regions and functions.
• User-centered, commercially minded with execution discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives that advance enterprise Talent priorities across HR, Technology, and business stakeholders.
• Identify, redesign, and scale Talent operating models to simplify workflows and improve consistency.
• Evaluate Talent processes for optimization, automation, and improved user experience.
• Develop concise recommendations and leadership updates outlining risks, trade-offs, and impact.
• Manage complex programs from concept to delivery with governance and risk management.
• Coordinate with HR, Technology, vendors, and partners to implement new systems and procedures.
• Use data and metrics to evaluate performance and prove impact of Talent initiatives.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder management

Change management

Data-driven decision making

Executive storytelling

HR transformation

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Location: New York, NY (4x per week in office).

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives that advance enterprise-wide Talent priorities, partnering across HR, Technology, and business stakeholders to improve how the Firm attracts, develops, and retains employees.
• Identify, redesign, and scale key Talent operating models to simplify workflows, reduce manual effort, and improve consistency across regions and businesses.
• Evaluate existing Talent processes to identify opportunities for optimization, automation, standardization, and improved stakeholder experience.
• Develop insightful recommendations, decision materials, and leadership updates that clarify trade-offs, dependencies, risks, and expected impact.
• Manage complex programs from concept through implementation, establishing governance, driving stakeholder alignment, mitigating risks, and ensuring successful delivery of high-impact Talent initiatives.
• Coordinate closely with HR, Technology, vendors, and business partners to support implementation, testing, deployment, adoption, and continuous improvement of new systems, tools, and business procedures.
• Use data, feedback, and process metrics to evaluate performance, identify improvement opportunities, and demonstrate the impact of Talent initiatives.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in Talent, Human Resources, HR transformation, process optimization, strategy, consulting, or related roles, ideally within a complex global organization.
• Strong understanding of talent processes, employee lifecycle moments, HR operating models, and the practical realities of implementing change across large stakeholder groups.
• Proven program and project management experience, including ownership of complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from strategy through execution.
• Demonstrated ability to identify process pain points, simplify complex workflows, and design scalable operating models, tools, or procedures that improve efficiency and user experience.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with experience using data, benchmarking, metrics, and stakeholder feedback to inform recommendations, measure impact, and guide investment decisions.
• Excellent communication and executive‑ready storytelling skills, with the ability to create clear materials, synthesize complex information, and influence senior stakeholders.
• Highly collaborative and team‑oriented, with the ability to work effectively across regions, functions, and levels while building trusted partnerships.
• User‑centered and commercially minded approach, with a focus on reducing friction, improving execution quality, and enabling the Talent function to focus on higher‑value strategic work.
• Proven ability to operate in a high‑volume, fast‑paced environment, managing multiple priorities with strong attention to detail, urgency, risk management, and execution discipline.

Compensation

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $120,000 and $180,000 per year at the commencement of employment. The 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.

Benefits

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.

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