Regulatory Lead Specialist

At MFS, you will find a culture that supports you in doing what you do best. Our employees work together to reach better outcomes, favoring the strongest idea over the strongest individual. We put people first and demonstrate care and compassion for our community and each other. Because what we do matters – to us as valued professionals and to the millions of people and institutions who rely on us to help them build more secure and prosperous futures.

THE ROLE

The Regulatory Lead Specialist is a board governance paralegal role, primarily responsible for developing, reviewing and ensuring production of fund board materials for the board of MFS-sponsored US 1940 Act open and closed end funds, including exchange-traded funds. Additionally, the role includes preparing associated regulatory filings, drafts and updates of fund organizational documents, fund agreements, and other related activities. This position assists fund attorneys in addressing various board matters, filings, and drafting of board materials.

The Regulatory Lead Specialist regularly interacts with individuals across departments at MFS, including MFS executives and other senior leadership, in order to liaise on board matters and resolve related issues. This role also communicates frequently with the independent trustees and external counsel to the funds and independent trustees, works on systems deployment at MFS relating to board governance functions, and participates in other special projects.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Assist MFS’ counsel in the administration of all aspects of board and committee meetings, including developing, coordinating, drafting, and reviewing, as well as ensuring proper, accurate, and timely production of board meeting agendas, memoranda, votes, minutes, consents and other meeting materials, including assistance with annual 15(c) review process.

• Develop and maintain board calendar, board/committee charters and forward agendas; coordinate scheduling of all board meetings and ad-hoc meetings, as well as calls with board members and external counsel and internal parties, as needed.

• Work extensively with executives and senior leadership and other MFS personnel, internal and external board members, external counsel, and vendors on assigned projects and board inquiries.

• Take ownership of facilitating board meetings, manage internal and external presenters at meetings, manage board book process (on-line or physical), serve as primary support contact for board books software technology issues, and interface with external board books vendor.

• Coordinate with MFS events team and corporate travel team members to facilitate meetings and logistics for board members.

2. Coordinate and maintain responsibility for certain fund regulatory filings and industry surveys in a timely and thorough manner (gather data for inclusion in these filings and make assessments as to the data’s use and appropriateness).

3. Assist MFS’ counsel to draft and maintain fund organizational documents, fund agreements and investment advisory agreements, including amendments, and coordinate with other fund paralegals.

4. Coordinate board member onboarding and training; coordinate collection of fund director and officer questionnaires; assist MFS’ counsel as needed in connection with preparation for fund shareholder meetings and related proxy statements.

5. Maintain active awareness of changes at MFS and changes with respect to the funds in relation to the potential impact on fund regulatory filings and fund organizational documents, interface with attorneys and external counsel regarding same.

6. Maintain fund records, files and other reference documents and charts, electronic and paper records and e-mail communications and group resources relating to the funds and the board, including agreements; establish, maintain and follow policies, procedures, protocols and schedules relating to the board.

• Develop or assist in development of guides, manuals and handbooks for MFS and its employees with regard to board-related activities, regulatory filings or other matters of similar importance.

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7. Increase technological knowledge as needed to fully employ systems or develop internal systems utilized in the board process and continue to build these skills during tenure to enhance functioning of assigned projects and improve work product deliverables.

8. Participate in other fund or non-fund related highly specialized projects that involve multiple concerns throughout MFS and its subsidiaries. Interact with others to achieve project goals and ensure timely and efficient production.

9. Assume additional responsibilities as required.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

1. Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of relevant work experience. Significant prior exposure to fund board functions and related rules and regulations and/or asset management industry is preferred as is experience working in a legal-related function.

2. Must be thorough, detail-oriented, persistent, self-motivated, team-oriented, as well as able to function with a high degree of independence and accuracy, and to work on multiple projects while meeting competing deadlines.

3. Ability to work effectively with employees and outside parties at all organizational levels. Must be able to take ownership for the delivery of projects while also operating successfully and collaborating in a cross-functional, team environment. The desire to further develop and foster strong interpersonal relationships with internal and external stakeholders and to maintain effective cross-functional teams is needed; presentation skills and communication skills are essential for the role.

4. Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and able to develop proficiency in required systems and board books software to perform the duties of this position.  

5. Strong writing, problem-solving, organizational, recordkeeping and analytic skills.

6. Understanding of the business operations and practices, procedures, and controls specific to the areas/functions supported is required. Desire to keep abreast of best practices as well as evolving issues within scope of the position is required.

PREFERRED SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

1. Prior exposure to the asset management industry is strongly preferred.

#LI-JN1

Base Salary Range: $79,000.00 - $113,000.00 This position is eligible for competitive incentive bonus. 

At MFS, we believe in fair and transparent compensation. For that reason, we’re including the salary range for this position. This range reflects our good-faith expectation for what we’ll pay depending on the candidate’s experience, training and education. In addition to the salary, we also offer significant and competitive incentive compensation based on both individual and company performance. Other components of our Total Rewards Package include:

• MFS contributes an amount equal to 15% of your base salary to your retirement account that is separate from the company -sponsored 401(k) 

• Education Assistance: MFS contributes $100 monthly up to $10,000 lifetime maximum directly to loan provider

• Education Assistance: Tuition reimbursement up to $8,000 annually 

• Education Assistance: Access to discounted tutors and college coaches

• Generous time off and fully paid leaves including 20-weeks for maternity, 12-weeks for parental and caregiver leaves

• Choice of medical and dental plans and an and an employer contribution into the Health Savings Account

• Tax deferred commuter benefits & flexible spending accounts (medical & dependent care)

• Wellness Programs: Robust wellness webinars, employee assistance program with a focus on mental health, subsidized fitness benefit via Wellhub (formerly Gympass), where you can workout at gyms, studios and boutique fitness locations near you, join virtual personal training sessions and access a wide variety of well-being apps

Our compensation philosophy is to pay competitively for talent while ensuring equity across employees performing comparable work. We are committed to transparency – if you have questions about how we arrived at this range or what additional benefits and bonus opportunities come with the role, we’ll be happy to discuss them

#LI-HYBRID

At MFS, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply - you might be just the right candidate for this role or others.

MFS is a hybrid work environment (remote/onsite) unless otherwise stated in the job posting.

If any applicant is unable to complete an application or respond to a job opening because of a disability, please contact MFS at 617-954-5000 or email [email protected] for assistance. 

MFS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and it is our policy to not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local laws. Employees and applicants of MFS will not be subject to harassment on the basis of their status. Additionally, retaliation, including intimidation, threats, or coercion, because an employee or applicant has objected to discrimination, engaged or may engage in filing a complaint, assisted in a review, investigation, or hearing or have otherwise sought to obtain their legal rights under any Federal, State, or local EEO law is prohibited. Please see the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal document, linked for your reference.