The Institutional Securities Group (ISG) Financial Crimes team is seeking a Vice President – Sanctions Transformation Specialist to support the implementation of the firm’s global sanctions transformation program within the First Line of Defense.

While the sanctions transformation program will be defined and led by Second Line Compliance, this role will represent ISG business interests, ensuring successful implementation across ISG products, workflows, and systems. The role will act as the primary liaison between ISG business units, technology, operations, and Second Line Compliance, helping translate program requirements into practical, scalable solutions within the business.

The ideal candidate will combine transformation delivery experience, strong stakeholder management skills and familiarity with financial crime compliance to support the rollout of strategic sanctions enhancements across the ISG franchise.

Key Responsibilities

Sanctions Transformation Implementation (First Line)

• Support the implementation of the firm-wide sanctions transformation program within the Institutional Securities Group.

• Translate Second Line–defined program requirements into actionable implementation plans across ISG processes, systems, and workflows.

• Identify business impacts, operational considerations, and implementation risks associated with sanctions program enhancements.

• Coordinate ISG participation in transformation initiatives including screening enhancements, control changes, and data improvements.

Business Representation & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Serve as the primary ISG representative across sanctions transformation and enterprise data governance forums and working groups to ensure alignment for strategic initiatives

• Ensure ISG perspectives and operational realities are appropriately incorporated into program design and implementation decisions.

• Facilitate alignment between ISG business units, Financial Crimes teams, technology, operations, and Second Line Compliance.

• Escalate implementation challenges and propose solutions that balance risk management objectives with business efficiency.

Change Management & Program Execution:

• Support the execution of sanctions transformation initiatives by coordinating implementation activities across ISG stakeholders.

• Develop and maintain business requirements, impact assessments, and implementation plans related to sanctions control enhancements.

• Assist in user acceptance testing (UAT), process design, and post-implementation monitoring for new or enhanced sanctions controls.

• Track progress of ISG-related initiatives and provide updates to senior management and governance committees.

Risk & Control Alignment:

• Ensure ISG implementation of sanctions transformation initiatives aligns with regulatory expectations and internal risk management standards.

• Assess the impact of sanctions control changes on ISG products, client onboarding, payments, trading activities, and other business workflows.

• Support the development of First Line procedures and controls related to new sanctions processes.

• Identify opportunities to improve automation, data integrations and control effectiveness within sanctions processes

Regulatory & Governance Support:

• Assist in preparing materials for internal governance forums, regulatory engagements, and internal audit reviews related to sanctions transformation.

• Maintain documentation of ISG implementation activities and control enhancements supporting the transformation program.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7–10 years of experience in financial crimes, sanctions compliance, financial crime risk management, or related transformation roles within a global financial institution or consulting firm.

• Experience within markets, investment banking, or institutional securities businesses.

• Understanding of first line vs. second line governance frameworks in financial crime risk management.

• Ability to interpret policy and regulatory requirements and translate them into business implementation plans.

• Strong stakeholder management skills with experience working across business, compliance, technology, and operations teams.

• Demonstrated experience supporting large regulatory or control transformation initiatives.

• Experience working with sanctions screening programs (e.g., payments screening, name screening, client screening), including technology implementations and enhancements

• Familiarity with screening platforms such as Firco Soft, Actimize, Lexis Nexis, or similar vendor solutions.

• Sound understanding of global sanctions regulations including OFAC, EU, UK, and UN sanctions regimes.

• CAMS, CGSS, or equivalent certification preferred

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 $140,000 and $250,000 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.