Vice President of Digital Assets - Technology and Information Security Risk, Digital Assets

Morgan Stanley is seeking a Vice President of Digital Assets to join the Cyber, Technology and Information Security (CTIS) Risk Coverage team.  This role provides independent oversight of risks across the Firm’s digital asset ecosystem, including crypto trading platforms, custody solutions, and distributed ledger infrastructure. It covers key risk areas such as private key management, wallet security, smart contract risk, digital ledger technologies, third-party dependencies, and transaction monitoring. The candidate will assess control effectiveness, challenge risk decisions, and influence remediation strategies across business and technology stakeholders. The role supports broader non-financial risk initiatives related to digital assets across the firm and offers the opportunity to shape the Firm’s approach to managing risks in a rapidly evolving digital asset landscape.

The cornerstone of Morgan Stanley's risk management philosophy is the execution of risk-adjusted returns through prudent risk-taking that protects Morgan Stanley's capital base, liquidity and franchise. Non-Financial Risk (NFR) refers to the risk of actual or potential economic, reputational, regulatory, financial reporting and client impact, resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people, and systems, or from external events impacting the full scope of its business activities, including revenue-generating activities and infrastructure groups. NFR is part of the Second Line of Defense providing independent oversight and challenge to management across compliance and operational risks. Non-Financial risks are managed at multiple levels (e.g., Firmwide, as well as Regional, Business Unit, Infrastructure Group, Control Function and Legal Entity).

The NFR Cyber, Technology and Information Security (CTIS) Department is focused specifically on managing cyber, technology and information security risks. NFR CTIS brings together rules management, standard setting, monitoring risk, process and controls by technology domains, advising the business, and a testing function to provide comprehensive risk management oversight of cyber, technology and information security related risks. Cybersecurity, Information Security and Technology risk management is critical to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Firm Information, Systems and Assets. Cybersecurity risk refers to managing and protecting the Firm’s information assets and operations from cyber threats, e.g., cyber events or attacks resulting from inadvertent or intentional acts involving deception, falsification, destruction, etc. Information Security risk refers to protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Firm’s information and systems, e.g., internal and external threats that could result in unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration or destruction of confidential information and systems. Technology risk refers to ensuring and protecting the availability, stability, capacity and recovery capabilities of the Firm’s key systems (e.g., loss, damage or business disruption resulting from inadequate or failed processes, people and systems or from external events).

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:

• Drive independent reviews of digital asset risk exposures across custody, trading, blockchain infrastructure, tokenized assets and supporting platforms
• Provide subject matter expertise and independent oversight of key digital asset risk areas, including private key and wallet security, smart contract vulnerabilities, blockchain infrastructure resilience, third-party dependencies, and transaction monitoring risks.
• Identify and escalate material control gaps impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability to senior management / governance forums
• Improve risk visibility through enhanced metrics, reporting, and scenario analysis
• Influence business and technology leaders on remediation priorities and risk acceptance decisions
• Participate in preparation for regular regulatory meetings and responses to regulatory queries.
• Build and maintain strong positive relationships with the existing cyber and information security risk community specifically within the digital asset ecosystem teams, becoming a trusted advisor.
• Build and maintain strong engagement with 2nd line colleagues who cover Business Units and Infrastructure Groups, assessing impact of cybersecurity risks on business and support processes to drive an integrated risk management response.
• Report on evolving and emerging technology, security risk issues as well as internal and external incidents related to the digital asset ecosystem
• Support NFR management and technology and business stakeholders in the delivery of the Firm’s regulatory obligations relating to CTIS risk management of digital assets and distributed ledger technologies.
• Coach and train resources within the NFR CTIS team.

What you'll bring to the role:

• Degree: Computer Science or Cyber / Information Security (preferable but not essential)
• Strong understanding of blockchain and other Web3 activities including crypto trading, wallet infrastructure, asset tokenization, custody, and digital identity, as well as associated rules and regulations
• 5+ years’ worth of technology and/or security risk related work experience, preferably in the financial services industry working with digital assets
• Experience assessing or managing risks related to digital assets, including private key and wallet security, smart contract vulnerabilities, blockchain infrastructure, third-party dependencies, and transaction monitoring.
• Experience in Technology/Security Risk Management and/or Technology/Security Audit including digital assets and/or distributed ledger technologies is a plus
• Relevant industry certifications (e.g., CISM, CISA, CISSP) are a plus
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written; ability to tailor communication to technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills for working in a team-oriented environment
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills

Please note that the location listed for this role is temporary. The position’s work location will transition to 1445 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75202 at a future date. In-Person interviews will be required for the role. 

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.

Salary range for the position: $110,000 and $162,500 per year. The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive compensation award. The successful candidate may be eligible to participate in the relevant business unit’s incentive compensation plan, which also may include a discretionary bonus component. Morgan Stanley offers a full spectrum of benefits, 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 consistent with state and local law, Parental Leave and 20 Vacation Days annually), 10 Paid Holidays, 401(k), and Short/Long Term Disability, in addition to other special perks reserved for our employees. Please visit mybenefits.morganstanley.com to learn more about our benefit offerings.

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.