Vice President, HR Process Optimization Lead

474 MS Services Group, Inc.; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Stanley is seeking an experienced Talent and HR transformation professional to lead enterprise-wide initiatives in New York, NY. The role involves partnering with HR, technology, and business stakeholders to redesign operating models, automate processes, and deliver high-impact Talent programs.

The position requires a proven track record in program management, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven decision making within a global organization.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in Talent, HR transformation, process optimization, strategy, consulting, or related roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives to 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 to identify opportunities for optimization, automation, and standardization.
• Develop recommendations and leadership updates clarifying trade-offs, risks, and impact.
• Manage complex programs from concept through implementation with governance and risk management.
• Coordinate with HR, Technology, vendors, and partners to support rollout and adoption of new systems and procedures.

Skills

Talent management

HR transformation

Process optimization

Strategy

Program management

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Executive communication

Job description

Location: New York, NY (4x per week in office) Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, and individuals from more than 1,200 offices in 43 countries. 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 integrity, excellence, and strong team ethic. Morgan Stanley can provide a superior foundation for building a professional career - a place for people to learn, to achieve and grow. A philosophy that balances personal lifestyles, perspectives and needs is an important part of our culture. This role is responsible for leading high-impact process optimization and strategic talent enablement initiatives across Talent globally. The individual will partner closely with HR, Firmwide Technology, and business stakeholders to identify, redesign, and scale the processes, operating models, tools, and governance needed to deliver Firmwide Talent priorities with greater consistency, efficiency, and impact. This role requires strong strategic problem-solving, disciplined program management, comfort operating at the intersection of HR and technology, and the ability to drive change across complex, global stakeholder groups. The ideal candidate can move from strategy to execution - bringing structure to ambiguous priorities, simplifying complex workflows, and delivering practical, commercially relevant solutions that improve the employee and manager experience.

In partnership with the Talent team, you will:

• 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.

What you'll bring to the role:

• 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.

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 $120,000 and $180,000 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.