Sanctions Controls Business Analytics / Project Manager, Director (AVP equivalent)
Glasgow
JR024028
We are seeking someone to join our team as a Sanctions Controls Business Analytics / Project Manager, Director. The Business Analyst / Project Manager will act as a bridge between Compliance, Operations, and Technology teams to ensure effective sanctions screening of transactions using tools such as Firco Continuity, Accuity Compliance Link, Actimize, WorldCheck, and Refinitiv. This role combines business analysis, project management, and subject matter expertise to drive both day-to-day operations and strategic transformation initiatives. The successful candidate will support compliance with global regulatory requirements, optimize screening processes, and deliver on key change programs.
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.
The Sanctions Controls team is a central program management team of specialists and experts responsible for managing complex, cross-functional initiatives as well as the development, enhancement and governance of technology controls that support the Firm's Sanctions obligations. The remit of the team includes sanctions evasion controls, including name and transaction screening, sanctioned securities controls, and geo-location monitoring.
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.
What You'll Do In The Role
Project & Change Management
- Lead and manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and budget.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, including timelines, milestones, and resource allocation.
- Oversee project risks, issues, and dependencies, implementing effective mitigation strategies.
- Support the Product Owner with tracking in-flight initiatives and partner with Financial Crimes technology teams.
Requirements Gathering & Documentation
- Capture and document business requirements for enhancements, rule tuning, and system configuration changes.
- Prepare Business Requirement Documents (BRDs), functional specifications, and process flows.
- Manage project backlogs and ensure requirements are prioritized and delivered in line with business needs.
System Optimization & Testing
- Analyse alerts generated by sanctions controls to identify patterns, trends, and root causes of false positives.
- Perform deep-dive analysis on alert volumes across watchlists (OFAC, EU, UN) and transaction types.
- Review and recommend enhancements to sanctions screening tools and systems.
- Collaborate with technical teams to optimize matching rules and screening configurations.
- Support tuning initiatives to reduce false positives and improve detection accuracy.
- Participate in user acceptance testing (UAT) and validate configuration changes or upgrades
Reporting, Analytics & Regulatory Compliance
- Develop dashboards and reports to track KPIs, alert volumes, and tuning effectiveness.
- Ensure processes and documentation comply with internal policies and global sanctions regulations.
- Assist in audits and respond to regulatory inquiries with evidence of screening decisions.
- Prepare and submit necessary reports to regulatory bodies and senior management.
What We’re Looking For
- Technical Expertise: Strong working knowledge of Fircosoft products (Firco Continuity, Firco Trust) or equivalent tooling such as WorldCheck, Refinitiv, Actimize, etc., fuzzy matching logic, watchlist management, and alert disposition workflows. Familiarity with SWIFT and ISO 20022 payment formats is a plus.
- Project Management: Demonstrated experience managing complex projects, preferably with recognized project management certifications.
- Analytical Skills: Proficiency in SQL, Excel, and data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau). Ability to analyze large datasets and identify optimization opportunities.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Understanding of global sanctions regimes (OFAC, UN, EU, UK) and AML compliance requirements.
- Communication & Organizational skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for stakeholder engagement and training delivery and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Desirable: Exposure to automation tools (e.g., WorkFusion), knowledge of machine learning or AI-based false positive reduction strategies, and experience with regulatory exams and audits.
- Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Information Technology, or a related field. Certifications (e.g., CAMS, ACAMS, PMP, PRINCE2) preferred.
- Experience: 3-5 years in Financial Crime Compliance, AML Sanctions Screening, or related project management roles within financial services.
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 89 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.
Certified Persons Regulatory Requirements
If this role is deemed a Certified role and may require the role holder to hold mandatory regulatory qualifications or the minimum qualifications to meet internal company benchmarks.
Flexible work statement
Interested in flexible working opportunities? Morgan Stanley empowers employees to have greater freedom of choice through flexible working arrangements. Speak to our recruitment team to find out more.
Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunities employer. We work to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where all individuals can maximize their full potential. Our skilled and creative workforce is comprised of individuals drawn from a broad cross section of the global communities in which we operate and who reflect a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences. Our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion is evident through our constant focus on recruiting, developing, and advancing individuals based on their skills and talents.
