Director State Relations Government Affairs

FINRA • Full-time • 1700 K Street, NW • 1d ago

With the Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, manages State governmental affairs for FINRA. The position serves as a central point of contact between FINRA, state financial services regulators and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and other state-based associations of state regulators. FINRA has a broad range of regulatory, legislative, operational and technology interactions with State regulators, legislatures and state associations. These interactions frequently involve issues of regulatory and reputational import to FINRA, with corresponding risks and opportunities. Assists in recommending and implementing strategy to achieve FINRA goals on legislative and regulatory initiatives.

Essential Job Functions:

Oversee federal legislative and regulatory actions that are important to state securities regulators and individual state initiatives that affect FINRA or its regulated firms. Analyze and track those actions and communicates that information to FINRA staff. Monitor national and state issues concerning state securities regulators and NASAA.
Serve as primary point of contact for state regulators and state-based associations to facilitate communication between FINRA and state officials and staff, and lead or participate in, as appropriate, negotiations to resolve issues among the organizations.
Develop and maintain relationships with state regulators and state-based associates to foster better FINRA interaction with those individuals. Establish reputation as trusted, credible source of information for both FINRA and external officials.
Monitor state actions and regulations that could affect FINRA programs and firm compliance, such as those pertaining to arbitration, the Uniform Securities Act, breaches of data security and use of social media communications. Prepare comment letters and testimony on state legislative proposals as needed.
Effectively respond to request for information from state regulatory officials and staff, state legislative staff, contract lobbyists. In addition, must be proactive with state regulators on issues and policies of importance to FIRNA. The position will also assist the Office of Government Affairs with preparing responses to inquiries related to congressional or other government initiatives and issues.
Develop and manage FINRA's relationship with state regulators and NASAA – across FINRA departments/divisions. This position requires extensive partnership with Member Regulation, the Office of General Counsel, Registration and Disclosure, and other FINRA business units on developing and implementing policy issues that have a significant state regulator interaction.
Represent FINRA at events featuring state regulators and NASAA officials. Support FINRA’s Office of Government Affairs on maintaining constant awareness of proposed legislation, regulations, rulemakings or other regulatory initiatives and issue of state regulators and state-based associations that could affect FINRA interests.

Other Responsibilities:

Other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience Requirements:

BS/BA degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant business preferred, including a strong working knowledge of federal and state securities regulation and working on securities issues of national and state importance. Graduate degree recommended. Legislative or regulatory experience is strongly desired, including knowledge of state governmental processes, both legislative and administrative. In addition, excellent judgement as well as analytical, communication (both oral and written) and interpersonal skills are essential. A working knowledge of FINRA and securities markets and regulation is strongly desired. Ability to manage relationships with a diverse group of constituents and stakeholders with varying (and often conflicting) interests. Must be able to communicate directly with top state regulatory officials and have public speaking experience. Ability to operate effectively in a highly complex operational, technical, policy and legal environment that is both high stakes and high volume.

Working Conditions:

Normal office conditions. Travel required. Position based in Washington, DC.

For work that is performed in CA, CO, HI, MN, VT, IL, Jersey City, NJ, NY, NY, MD, Washington DC, and WA the chart below outlines the proposed salary range for the corresponding location. In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and internal peer compensation comparisons.

CA: Minimum Salary $146,200, Maximum Salary $296,100

CO/HI/MN/VT*: Minimum Salary $127,300, Maximum Salary $246,600

IL*: Minimum Salary $139,800, Maximum Salary $271,400

Jersey City, NJ/NY, NY: Minimum Salary $152,700, Maximum Salary $296,100

MD/Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $146,200, Maximum Salary $283,800

WA: Minimum Salary $127,300, Maximum Salary $283,800

*Including positions performed outside the state but reporting to an office or manager in that state.

Candidates can expect salary offers that range from the minimum to the mid-point of the salary range. FINRA provides full pay ranges so that the candidate can consider their growth potential while at FINRA.

#LI-Hybrid

To be considered for this position, please submit an application. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.

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Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law. As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance. Additional insurance includes 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. FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.

Time Off and Paid Leave*

FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program of 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year). Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule). Other paid leave includes 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); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment). Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.

*Based on full-time schedule

Important Information

FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator. FINRA employees are required to disclose to FINRA all brokerage accounts that they maintain, and those in which they control trading or have a financial interest (including any trust account of which they are a trustee or beneficiary and all accounts of a spouse, domestic partner or minor child who lives with the employee) and to authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements for all of those accounts. All of those accounts are subject to the Code’s investment and securities account restrictions, and new employees must comply with those investment restrictions—including disposing of any security issued by a company on FINRA’s Prohibited Company List or obtaining a written waiver from their Executive Vice President—by the date they begin employment with FINRA. Employees may only maintain securities accounts that must be disclosed to FINRA at one or more securities firms that provide an electronic feed (e-feed) of data to FINRA, and must move securities accounts from other securities firms to a firm that provides an e-feed within three months of beginning employment.

You can read more about these restrictions here.

As standard practice, employees must also execute FINRA’s Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement without qualification or modification and comply with the company’s policy on nepotism.

Search Firm Representatives

Please be advised that FINRA is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, a valid written agreement and task order must be in place before any resumes are submitted to FINRA. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at FINRA without a valid written agreement and task order in place will be deemed the sole property of FINRA and no fee will be paid in the event that person is hired by FINRA.

FINRA is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or any other classification protected by federal state or local laws as appropriate, or upon the protected status of the person’s relatives, friends or associates.

FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.

FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified protected veterans, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans.