Contractual Terms Risk Management - ISG Management - Associate/VP

Morgan Stanley•New York, NY

About The Position

Morgan Stanley is seeking a Senior Associate/Vice President to join its Contractual Terms Risk Management (CTRM) team within Institutional Securities. CTRM is a first-line risk function responsible for identifying, assessing, and managing risk embedded in the contractual terms of the Firm’s trading agreements with counterparties and the management and maintenance of structured data in Firm systems. The team operates at the intersection of Legal, Risk, Sales & Trading, and Technology, translating complex legal provisions into decision-ready data and actionable risk insights. This is not a document negotiation role—it is a strategic risk management role focused on how contractual terms drive exposure, operational outcomes, and downstream decision-making across the Firm. The role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to firmwide data and infrastructure transformation initiatives, including the expansion of structured contract data and the evolution toward AI-enabled contract analytics.

Requirements

Ability to effectively manage various projects and deadlines, including tracking and coordinating responses to internal and external requests with minimal oversight
Desire to build relationships with senior stakeholders in the Sales and Trading business, Counterparty Risk, Credit, Legal, Compliance, Operations, and Finance, among other support functions
Highly motivated self-starter with the ability to work under pressure and prioritize competing deadlines
Ability to work on challenging assignments in a dynamic environment, synthesize information, gather relevant facts and reach logical conclusions
Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to present ideas concisely and tailor messaging to various stakeholders
Fast Learner with the ability to absorb new concepts and knowledge quickly
Ability to take ideas forward and to challenge others with integrity and maturity
Exceptional organizational skills and a high degree of attention to detail
Strong analytical skills with an ability to understand complex workflows
Strategic thinker with experience coordinating and collaborating with multiple stakeholder groups
5+ years’ experience in negotiating a cross section of trading agreements, including in-depth knowledge of the various provisions contained in these agreements and their negotiability.
Knowledge of and proficiency around the underlying products traded also preferred.
Knowledge of financial services sector preferred
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Teams
Bachelor’s degree required; JD or equivalent legal background preferred

Responsibilities

Assess, interpret, and challenge contractual provisions across a wide range of trading agreements (e.g., ISDA, CSA, Prime Brokerage, Repo, Securities Lending)
Identify risk implications of negotiated terms and escalate to Risk, Credit, and senior stakeholders as appropriate
Provide subject matter expertise on contractual risk exposures, including during counterparty onboarding and lifecycle events
Drive the capture, quality, and expansion of structured contractual data across Firm systems
Contribute to initiatives aimed at transforming legal agreement data into scalable, consumable datasets for risk, trading, and regulatory use cases
Partner with Technology and Strats on initiatives to enhance data models, workflows, and automation
Serve as a key point of contact across Risk, Credit, Legal, Sales & Trading, Operations, and Finance
Lead preparation and coordination of materials for counterparty risk and credit escalation forums
Influence stakeholders by clearly articulating the business and risk impact of contractual terms
Provide oversight and escalation support for core CTRM processes, including but not limited to: Trading without documentation, Monitoring of key contractual provisions, Ad hoc reviews of counterparty documentation, Data quality and governance controls
Respond to time-sensitive issues and deliver clear, actionable recommendations under tight deadlines