Institutional Equity Division - Director/VP, Fund Services - Documentation (New York/Purchase)

Summary of Purpose:

Morgan Stanley Fund Services (MSFS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley that administers over $900 billion of private fund (hedge fund, private equity, and family office) assets. Using the Firm’s proprietary, globally accessible technology platform, the business provides a full range of fund administration services, including daily accounting and financial reporting; transfer agency and investor services using an online Investor Portal; middle and back-office support; and integrated portfolio analytics. Morgan Stanley Fund Services is supported by more than 1300 professionals based in New York, London, Hong Kong, Dublin, Glasgow, Bangalore and Mumbai.

We are seeking a candidate to join our Documentation Team in NY. The Documentation Team works closely with all groups within MSFS. These include accounting and investor services professionals, tax, risk and transition management. Interaction with the Morgan Stanley Legal Department, offshore counsel, and Global Financial Crimes (AML) group is common. Communication with clients and their counsel is a regular component of the job. The position involves support for the preparation, management and maintenance of various documentation types across a wide range of clients.

An ever present element of the role is the need to keep current with evolving business needs and regulatory changes. Examples include new laws enacted in the United States and offshore jurisdictions addressing how alternative funds operate, and the ongoing evolution of privacy laws globally (e.g., GDPR).

Principal Responsibilities and Duties:
•Drafting and negotiating administration/service agreements with private fund clients;
•Reviewing client offering documents, organizational documents and subscription documents and working with internal teams to provide comments back to client/client counsel;
•Implementing MSFS technology initiatives (e.g., Online Forms) – daily communication and coordination with internal operational teams globally;
•Managing document process workflows to ensure document updates are properly implemented, reviewed and presented to client with a low tolerance for drafting errors;
•Direct engagement with clients (in-house and external counsel, investor relations, COO/CFOs), and investors – clients are located in US, Europe, Australia and Asia;
•Coordinating the review and resolution of legal-related issues/questions that arise from the investor services and accounting teams (e.g., FINRA new issue, ERISA benefit plan investor status, pledges, transfers).

Minimum requirements to qualify for this position:

1. Knowledge/experience:

•The optimal candidate has experience in a legal role with a law firm, bank, hedge fund administrator, investment adviser or in a legal role otherwise supporting investment management.

•Experience preparing and presenting subject matter trainings related to alternative investments, and developing team knowledge resources.

•Comfortable speaking with clients, fund directors, and stakeholders across functions to manage issues and deliverables under time-pressure deadlines.

•Experience with AML regulation of financial institutions and policy document drafting

•Familiarity with CIMA and Cayman Islands regulation over alternative funds

•ERISA knowledge a plus

2. Skills:

•Excellent verbal, written and organizational skills including the ability to draft/review/negotiate contracts and prioritize multiple tasks – possess a strong sense of urgency and excellent judgment.
•Collaboration oriented – teamwork is essential and the ability to work well with colleagues face-to-face and overseas is vital.
•Very strong execution, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
•Ability to learn quickly.
•Strong interpersonal and client management skills, with the ability to work well both independently and in a team environment.
•High attention to detail and good judgment.
•Management or supervisory experience preferred.
•Facility with Excel and ability to readily learn new proprietary systems – the latter is a must.

3.Technical/professional qualifications and accreditations:

•JD with experience in corporate law environment

•Financial services and alternative investments-related experience

4. Personal qualities/competencies:
•Professional demeanor, polite and well-spoken
•Good written/verbal communication skills
•Attention to detail and good data processing skills.

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.

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Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $90,000 and $200,000 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.

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