Analyst/ Associate

About the Role

Morgan Stanley is seeking an Analyst/Associate to join the North American Security Settlements team within Firmwide Operations. The team is responsible for the clearance and settlement of Fixed Income and Equity securities across North American markets, ensuring timely exchange of cash and securities, and safeguarding the Firm against financial, operational, and regulatory risk. The function supports a broad market footprint including DTC, U.S. Treasury and Agency settlement, Canada, LATAM, Prime Brokerage, physical settlements, buy-ins, and regulatory close-out activities. This role offers an opportunity to gain front-to-back exposure to the trade lifecycle, develop expertise across multiple market infrastructures, and contribute to strategic transformation initiatives modernizing the settlement operating model.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the settlement of Fixed Income and Equity transactions across North American markets, ensuring timely settlement and accurate books and records.
• Investigate and resolve settlement exceptions, failing trades, breaks, and discrepancies with internal and external counterparties.
• Partner with Trading, Prime Brokerage, Operations, Technology, Compliance, Risk Management, Agent Banks, Custodians, and Depositories to facilitate successful settlement outcomes.
• Monitor settlement exposures and identify potential financial, franchise, or regulatory risks, escalating issues appropriately.
• Perform daily controls and reconciliations to ensure internal records align with depository, custodian, and agent records.
• Analyze operational trends and risk indicators including settlement fails, breaks, mismatches, aging items, and critical deadlines.
• Contribute to automation, reporting, and platform modernization initiatives designed to improve efficiency, scalability, transparency, and control effectiveness.
• Develop product, market structure, and process expertise while building relationships across Operations and business stakeholders.
• Continuously identify opportunities for process improvement and operational excellence.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong risk awareness.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy.
• Strong teamwork and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to identify issues, assess risk, and escalate appropriately.

Qualifications

• Basic understanding of accounting principles and financial markets.
• Understanding of securities trade lifecycle and front-to-back operational processes.
• Knowledge of Equity and/or Fixed Income products.
• Familiarity with DTC, Fedwire, Canadian, or international settlement markets.
• Experience with data analysis, process improvement, automation, or operational transformation initiatives preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $64,000 - $107,000 per year.
• Eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive compensation award.
• Eligibility to participate in the relevant business unit’s incentive compensation plan, which may include a discretionary bonus component.
• Comprehensive benefits package including: Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Dependent Day Care Savings Account, Life Insurance, Disability and Other Insurance Plans, Paid Time Off (including Sick Leave, Parental Leave, and 20 Vacation Days annually), 10 Paid Holidays, 401(k), and Short/Long Term Disability.