Director, Enforcement

FINRA • Denver, NY

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Enforcement Director manages a team of 5-8 Enforcement attorneys developing and resolving Enforcement cases through all stages, from inception to completion. The Director is the day-to-day manager of a large and diverse docket of cases, responsible for ensuring that the outcome in every matter is supported by complete, accurate and well-supported factual findings applied to a clear legal framework. The Director is also responsible for monitoring the aging and progress of cases to ensure that matters are resolved promptly and prioritized appropriately using FINRA’s risk-based approach. The Director works closely with the Chief Counsel and other Enforcement managers to achieve consistent and foreseeable Enforcement outcomes, including by identifying and escalating interpretive issues. The Director also facilitates active and effective collaboration between Enforcement attorneys and FINRA investigative staff. Finally, the Director manages staff performance and development by working with the Chief Counsel to achieve appropriate staff assignments and development opportunities. Essential skills include the ability to communicate effectively with team members in different geographic locations, to assess the quality of cases by applying a rigorous analytical framework, to effectively prioritize and progress matters in a timely fashion, to successfully collaborate with senior management in Enforcement and other departments, and to manage personnel effectively. Essential Job Functions: Enforcement Directors are responsible for ensuring that Enforcement attorneys conduct thorough and thoughtful factual and legal analysis to achieve optimal outcomes in every Enforcement matter. The Director manages a team of attorneys, who may be located in different locations, handling a docket of cases covering a number of subject matter areas. The Director works closely with their team to achieve high quality legal work, including monitoring investigations to ensure they are adequate and strategic, and reviewing legal analysis to ensure that conclusions of law are based on clear and well-supported legal principles. Directors are also responsible for monitoring case progress to ensure timely progression and appropriate prioritization of high-risk matters. Directors are required to closely collaborate with investigative staff to jointly develop an accurate and complete factual record governed by a legal framework. The Director also works with the Chief Counsel to identify interpretive questions and potential policy issues that arise during the course of an Enforcement matter and provide guidance to teams regarding FINRA’s position and response on such issues. In addition, Directors work closely with Chief Counsels on staffing assignments and staff development to efficiently leverage attorneys’ skills and expertise and maximize each attorney’s contributions and growth.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree and a minimum of ten years experience in securities regulation, compliance or litigation.
• A law degree and appropriately licensed to practice law in all applicable jurisdictions based on the relevant licensing requirements.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communications ability.
• Demonstrated ability to simultaneously handle numerous and potentially, complex investigations related to securities laws violations.
• FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification or acceptable industry equivalent certification is required upon hire or within 16 months of the start date of the assigned SIE training cohort.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of federal securities laws and specific knowledge of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is a plus.
• Experience managing, leading, and evaluating employees in a team environment a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight, direction and active management to Enforcement attorneys to achieve timely and foreseeable high-quality Enforcement outcomes. This includes working closely with attorneys to assess how the record supports each charge in a matter, and whether the basis for each charge an clear based on existing rules, case law and guidance.
• Monitor case progress and continually assess whether additional staffing or other resources are needed to forward cases in a more timely manner, with an emphasis on rapid resolution of high-risk and other high-priority matters.
• Actively manage and support the attorneys’ working relationships and teamwork with investigators and with other FINRA departments, including Examinations, Surveillance, Office of General Counsel and Office of Disciplinary Affairs.
• Work closely with peers within and outside of Enforcement to achieve effective information-sharing and a strategic partnership in developing a factual record supported by a well-reasoned legal framework.
• Work closely with other managers to prioritize assignments and resolve conflicts on staff members’ dockets.
• Actively manage teams handling matters throughout the lifecycle of the matter, including providing updates as needed to Enforcement senior management and business partners throughout FINRA.
• Provide guidance to attorneys regarding proposed Enforcement outcomes and other regulatory responses to achieve consistent decision-making based on risk.
• Work with Chief Counsel to achieve foreseeable charges and sanctions in Enforcement matters under management, including adherence to FINRA’s priorities and principles.
• Work with Chief Counsel and attorneys to achieve transparency in Enforcement outcomes and documents, such as settlement agreements and Complaints.
• Oversee staff members in litigated matters, including managing discovery, trial preparation and trial performance; provide guidance on litigation strategy and participate in trials as needed.
• Ensure written work product is high-quality, professional and persuasive.
• Identify and escalate potential issues of legal interpretation, policy and risk in Enforcement matters on the team’s docket.
• Effectively and frequently communicate with Enforcement senior management about potential issues and questions.
• Identify and escalate matters involving complex and novel legal theories in order to coordinate as needed, including monitoring developments and advising on risks and outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to enhance effectiveness through cross-staffing and specialized assignments, and solicit and provide feedback to staff based on observations from other managers.
• Continuously provide performance feedback to direct reports.
• Provide performance feedback to other managers regarding their staff’s work and collaboration.
• Review dockets and reports, and meet regularly with staff to monitor quality and timeliness of case progression.
• Demonstration of FINRA’s values.
• Collaboration, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.

Benefits

• comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance
• basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal.
• immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match
• eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution
• tuition reimbursement
• commuter benefits
• adoption assistance
• backup family care
• surrogacy benefits
• employee assistance
• wellness programs
• two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule)
• military leave
• jury duty leave
• bereavement leave
• voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections
• care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment)
• childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment)
• nine paid holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director