Financial Planning Director

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments and individuals from more than 1,200 offices in 43 countries.

As a market leader, the talent and passion of our people is critical to our success. Together, we share a common set of values rooted in integrity, excellence and strong team ethic. Morgan Stanley can provide a superior foundation for building a professional career - a place for people to learn, achieve and grow. A philosophy that balances personal lifestyles, perspectives and needs is an important part of our culture.

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides holistic financial solutions to individuals, families and institutions. With a legacy of innovation and a commitment to excellence, our Financial Planning Directors empower Financial Advisors and clients to make confident decisions around life’s most complex financial questions.

Position Summary

The Financial Planning Director (FPD) partners with Financial Advisors to deliver a comprehensive and personalized planning experience for high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients. This strategic role provides expertise across advanced planning topics – including tax mitigation strategies, charitable giving, trust and estate planning, and equity compensation – elevating client engagement and enhancing outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Partner with Financial Advisors to create personalized financial plans using both cash-flow and goals-based planning tools offered by third-party vendor, MoneyGuidePro®, and Morgan Stanley’s proprietary planning platform and modeling tools.

Deliver advanced technical guidance in areas such as:

• Tax-efficient portfolio strategies
• Retirement income distribution planning
• Executive compensation and equity planning
• Charitable and philanthropic strategies
• Risk management and insurance planning
• Wealth transfer, trust, and estate planning
• Lead client-facing planning conversations alongside Financial Advisors and Support Professionals, providing clarity on trade-offs, risks, and long-term implications
• Serve as a planning subject matter expert and coach for Financial Advisors, elevating planning integration into the wealth management process and connecting Financial Advisors to relevant Firm resources
• Contribute to meaningful planning outcomes including net acquired assets to the Firm, track planning engagement metrics, and monitor client follow-through
• Contribute to Financial Advisor development through workshops, CE-eligible sessions, and peer mentoring across the financial planning professional network
• Stay current on tax lax, estate regulations, product and strategy solutions, and market trends to ensure up-to-date advice delivery

What Makes This Role Unique

• Impactful Client Work: Work on complex, multigenerational wealth strategies that go beyond basic planning models
• High Advisor Engagement: Collaborate with some of the top Financial Advisors in the industry, supporting their most sophisticated client relationships
• Tech-Enabled Planning: Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver positive outcomes for clients and employees while accessing an ecosystem that integrates seamlessly with client data
• Professional Development: Participate in a robust peer network, continuing education support, and career pathway opportunities within the planning and advisor management tracks
• Firmwide Visibility: Contribute to a firm-level strategic initiative to embed planning in the core of wealth management – driving long-term firm growth

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Certified Financial Planner CFP® designation required
• 5+ years of experience delivering financial plans or wealth strategies to high-net worth clients
• Strong knowledge in tax and estate strategies, and insurance planning
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with client-facing professionals and communicate planning concepts clearly and credibly
• Proficiency with financial planning platforms (Morgan Stanley proprietary tools, MoneyGuidePro®, or equivalent.)
• Series 7/63/65 or 7/66 is required; or must be obtained as condition of employment

**Candidates will be considered for the following locations:

• Tempe/Phoenix, AZ
• Kirkland, WA
• Houston, TX

Hiring Process 

Our hiring procedure is a multistep process that can take four to six weeks to complete. Successful candidates can expect multiple interviews and assessments. All offers of employment are contingent on a background check.

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.

CA - Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $140,000 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.

WA - Salary range for the position: 140,000 and 200,000 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 visitmybenefits.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.