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Wealth Management Branch Examiner

Morgan Stanley · IL · Remote available · Full time

Posted May 20, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a significant finding you raised that management pushed back on. What happened?

What they are checking: Whether they stand by well-supported findings and handle disagreement with evidence, not stubbornness.

As a director on the team, how would you help newer examiners improve their work?

What they are checking: Whether they can mentor and review others' work, as expected at this level.

Exams involve travel and tight timelines. Tell me how you've managed a heavy schedule of fieldwork.

What they are checking: Whether they can stay organized and thorough when moving quickly between locations.

What would you do

You're interviewing a Financial Advisor who gives vague answers about a pattern you found. How do you handle the conversation?

What they are checking: Whether they can question producers firmly and respectfully and get facts without becoming adversarial.

You find something during an exam that could be serious misconduct. What do you do next?

What they are checking: Whether they know to escalate promptly through the proper channels and preserve evidence rather than investigating alone.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd plan a risk-based branch exam, from the risk assessment to choosing your samples.

What they are checking: Whether they can focus testing where risk is highest and set sample criteria that will hold up to review.

What sales practice red flags would you look for when reviewing a branch's books and records?

What they are checking: Whether they know signs like unsuitable recommendations, excessive trading or concentration that point to client harm.

What patterns in money movement would concern you during a branch inspection?

What they are checking: Whether they can spot third-party wires, address changes and other signs of fraud or misappropriation.

How do you judge whether a branch's supervisory process is actually effective, not just documented?

What they are checking: Whether they test real practice and outcomes instead of checking that procedures exist on paper.

How do you write an exam finding so branch management understands it and fixes the root cause?

What they are checking: Whether they write clear, actionable findings tied to risk instead of long lists of minor exceptions.

What FINRA and SEC rules come up most in branch examinations?

What they are checking: Whether they know the core supervision, books and records and suitability rules behind the exam program.

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The full job description

As published by Morgan Stanley.

We’re seeking someone to join our team as a Branch Examiner in WM Compliance to perform independent oversight and execution of risk-based branch examinations across retail locations, serving as a key partner in strengthening supervisory practices and safeguarding the Firms regulatory integrity. In the Legal & Compliance division, we assist the Firm in achieving its business objectives by facilitating and overseeing the Firm’s management of legal, regulatory and franchise risk. This is a director level position within the Branch Examinations Team, which is responsible for performing risk-based inspections of retail branch offices, including evaluating books and records, testing for sales practice compliance, money movement, and assessing the effectiveness of supervisory processes and procedures. 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. The Role: - Perform pre-exam testing by analyzing risk assessments, establishing sample selection criteria, testing selected samples per departmental procedures and reviewing relevant documentation. - Conduct onsite branch inspections, review electronic and physical reports and documents, and interview financial advisors, support staff and branch management. - Leverage your expertise and judgment to evaluate testing results and assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the branches control environment. - Hold meetings with branch management to discuss preliminary findings, identify root causes of noted issues, and obtain formal responses to exam results. - Collaborate with local management and key personnel to address identified business risks and policy violations and develop comprehensive corrective action plans to facilitate the timely remediation of identified issues. - Collaborate with branch examination management to assess whether a branch office complies with regulatory requirements and Firm policies and procedures. - Oversee multiple examinations and projects concurrently. - Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry and regulatory changes. Qualifications : What you'll bring to the role: - Knowledge of the Financial Services Industry - Prior examination or testing experience a plus - Team-oriented with the ability to interact with diverse remote teams, branch staff and management - Strong communication, detail oriented, analytical, critical thinking and organizational skills - Objectivity with the skill to make independent decisions associated with Compliance testing procedures - Enthusiastic, disciplined and self-motivated - Ethical standards, sound judgment and integrity - Domestic travel approximately 30 to 40% required - 3+ years Financial Services Industry Experience - FINRA licenses a plus 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: $70,000 and $125,000 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 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 .

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