Vice President, Financial Planning Director (Southeast Region)

Position Summary

The Financial Planning Director (FPD) partners with Financial Advisors to deliver a comprehensive and personalized planning experience for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth 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.

• 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 them 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
• Support Financial Advisor development through workshops, CE‑eligible sessions, and peer mentoring across the financial planning professional network
• Stay current on tax, 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 beyond basic planning models
• High Advisor Engagement: Collaborate with top Financial Advisors in supporting sophisticated client relationships
• Tech‑Enabled Planning: Leverage Artificial Intelligence to deliver positive outcomes for clients and employees while accessing an integrated ecosystem of 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)
• Current active Series7 and 66 required

Locations

• Charlotte, NC
• Washington, DC

Hiring Process

The hiring procedure is a multi‑step 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.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Day Care Savings Account
• Life and disability insurance plans
• Paid time off, including sick leave, parental leave, and 20 vacation days annually, plus 10 paid holidays
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Short‑ and long‑term disability coverage

Equal Employment Opportunity

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. For more information, visit our EE‑O page.