Global Financial Crimes (GFC) : Strategy & Program Management Executive Director

Morgan Stanley•New York, NY

5d•$165,000 - $275,000

About The Position

We are seeking someone to join our team as a Global Financial Crimes (GFC) : Strategy & Program Management Executive Director. 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. This is an Executive Director level position within GFC Strategy and Program Management which plays a critical leadership role in shaping and delivering the Firm's global financial crime agenda. This individual will act as a strategic partner to senior GFC leadership, driving enterprise level initiatives that strengthen program effectiveness, enhance execution discipline, and address emerging financial crime risks. The role combines strategic ownership, cross functional leadership, and execution accountability, with a focus on prioritization, governance, and delivery of complex, multi year initiatives across a global footprint. 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. Global Financial Crimes (GFC) coordinates the Firm's enterprise wide financial crime prevention efforts. GFC is responsible for the governance, oversight, and execution of the Firm's Anti Money Laundering (AML), Economic Sanctions, Anti Corruption, and Government and Political Activities Compliance programs. This includes policy development, regulatory engagement, and ensuring the Firm effectively prevents, detects, and reports potentially suspicious activity across all businesses and geographies. What you'll do in the role: Define and drive enterprise level strategic priorities for GFC, serving as a trusted thought partner to senior leadership. Own the end to end lifecycle of major GFC initiatives, from strategic design and prioritization through execution, governance, and delivery. Translate regulatory, risk, and strategic objectives into clear roadmaps and executable plans, ensuring alignment across businesses, regions, and functions. Provide oversight and direction for program execution, including scope definition, resourcing, milestone management, risk and issue resolution, and dependency management. Establish and maintain robust governance, controls, and reporting frameworks to support regulatory commitments and senior management oversight. Partner closely with GFC, Technology, Operations, Legal, and Risk stakeholders to ensure coordinated and timely delivery of initiatives. Monitor and assess emerging risks and regulatory developments, incorporating forward looking considerations into GFC strategy and planning. Prepare and deliver concise, decision oriented updates to senior management and governance forums. Identify opportunities to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and enhance program effectiveness across the global GFC operating model. Support regulatory exams, audits, and independent reviews, including engagement with regulators as required. What you'll bring to the role: 12+ years of experience in BSA/AML and financial crime compliance within a global financial institution, financial services regulator, or leading consulting firm. Strong understanding of global AML regulatory frameworks and evolving legislative requirements. Demonstrated experience designing, executing, or enhancing KYC / Enhanced Due Diligence programs. Proven ability to lead complex, cross functional initiatives within a regulated environment. Deep understanding of the project management lifecycle, including experience in Agile and hybrid delivery models. Track record of effective collaboration with Legal, Risk, Technology, and Operations partners. Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex issues for senior audiences. Strong judgment, independence, and ability to manage competing priorities under tight timelines. ACAMS certification or equivalent AML certification (or commitment to obtain within 15 months of hire). Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Jira. Experience leveraging data, analytics, and emerging tools (including AI enabled capabilities) to improve reporting, oversight, or execution effectiveness. Experience across KYC, Transaction Monitoring, and Screening programs. Familiarity with emerging financial crime risks, including cryptocurrency, fintech, and digital banking. Prior experience interfacing with regulators and leading transformation or remediation initiatives. 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 165000 and 275000 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).

Requirements

12+ years of experience in BSA/AML and financial crime compliance within a global financial institution, financial services regulator, or leading consulting firm.
Strong understanding of global AML regulatory frameworks and evolving legislative requirements.
Demonstrated experience designing, executing, or enhancing KYC / Enhanced Due Diligence programs.
Proven ability to lead complex, cross functional initiatives within a regulated environment.
Deep understanding of the project management lifecycle, including experience in Agile and hybrid delivery models.
Track record of effective collaboration with Legal, Risk, Technology, and Operations partners.
Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex issues for senior audiences.
Strong judgment, independence, and ability to manage competing priorities under tight timelines.
ACAMS certification or equivalent AML certification (or commitment to obtain within 15 months of hire).
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Jira.
Experience leveraging data, analytics, and emerging tools (including AI enabled capabilities) to improve reporting, oversight, or execution effectiveness.
Experience across KYC, Transaction Monitoring, and Screening programs.
Familiarity with emerging financial crime risks, including cryptocurrency, fintech, and digital banking.
Prior experience interfacing with regulators and leading transformation or remediation initiatives.

Responsibilities

Define and drive enterprise level strategic priorities for GFC, serving as a trusted thought partner to senior leadership.
Own the end to end lifecycle of major GFC initiatives, from strategic design and prioritization through execution, governance, and delivery.
Translate regulatory, risk, and strategic objectives into clear roadmaps and executable plans, ensuring alignment across businesses, regions, and functions.
Provide oversight and direction for program execution, including scope definition, resourcing, milestone management, risk and issue resolution, and dependency management.
Establish and maintain robust governance, controls, and reporting frameworks to support regulatory commitments and senior management oversight.
Partner closely with GFC, Technology, Operations, Legal, and Risk stakeholders to ensure coordinated and timely delivery of initiatives.
Monitor and assess emerging risks and regulatory developments, incorporating forward looking considerations into GFC strategy and planning.
Prepare and deliver concise, decision oriented updates to senior management and governance forums.
Identify opportunities to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and enhance program effectiveness across the global GFC operating model.
Support regulatory exams, audits, and independent reviews, including engagement with regulators as required.