Director, Enforcement

About the role

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 serves as the day-to-day manager of a large and diverse docket of cases, ensuring outcomes are supported by complete, accurate, and well-supported factual findings applied to a clear legal framework. The role involves monitoring case aging and progress to ensure timely resolution and appropriate prioritization using FINRA’s risk-based approach.

The Director collaborates closely with the Chief Counsel and other Enforcement managers to achieve consistent and foreseeable outcomes, including identifying and escalating interpretive issues. The role also facilitates active collaboration between Enforcement attorneys and FINRA investigative staff, while managing staff performance and development in partnership with the Chief Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight, direction, and active management to Enforcement attorneys to achieve timely and high-quality Enforcement outcomes, including assessing how the record supports each charge and whether charges are clearly based on existing rules, case law, and guidance.
• Monitor case progress and assess whether additional staffing or resources are needed to advance cases, with an emphasis on rapid resolution of high-risk and high-priority matters.
• Actively manage and support attorneys’ working relationships and teamwork with investigators and 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 strategic partnerships in developing a factual record supported by a well-reasoned legal framework.
• Collaborate with other managers to prioritize assignments and resolve conflicts on staff members’ dockets.
• Actively manage teams handling matters throughout the lifecycle, including providing updates to Enforcement senior management and business partners.
• Provide guidance to attorneys regarding proposed Enforcement outcomes and regulatory responses to achieve consistent decision-making based on risk.
• Work with the Chief Counsel to ensure foreseeable charges and sanctions in Enforcement matters, including adherence to FINRA’s priorities and principles.
• Oversee staff 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 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 and other managers regarding their staff’s work and collaboration.
• Review dockets and reports, and meet regularly with staff to monitor the quality and timeliness of case progression.
• Demonstrate FINRA’s values and collaborate, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of ten years of experience in securities regulation, compliance, or litigation.
• Law degree and appropriately licensed to practice law in all applicable jurisdictions based on relevant licensing requirements.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to simultaneously handle numerous and potentially complex investigations related to securities laws violations.
• Knowledge of federal securities laws, with specific knowledge of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as a plus.
• Experience managing, leading, and evaluating employees in a team environment is a strong plus.
• FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification or acceptable industry equivalent certification required upon hire or within 16 months of the start date of the assigned SIE training cohort.

Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with team members in different geographic locations.
• Ability to assess the quality of cases by applying a rigorous analytical framework.
• Effective prioritization and timely progression of matters.
• Successful collaboration with senior management in Enforcement and other departments.
• Effective personnel management.

Work Conditions

• Hybrid work environment, with defined in-person presence requirements.
• Occasional travel and extended hours may be required.

Pay

FINRA complies with all state and local pay transparency laws and regulations requiring the disclosure of salary ranges for the position. Actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and market considerations.

• Los Angeles, CA: Minimum Salary $207,395, Maximum Salary $311,093
• San Francisco, CA: Minimum Salary $217,765, Maximum Salary $326,648
• CO/FL/TX: Minimum Salary $134,400, Maximum Salary $260,400
• IL/PA: Minimum Salary $147,600, Maximum Salary $286,500
• MA/MD/VA/Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $154,400, Maximum Salary $299,600
• NY/NJ: Minimum Salary $154,400, Maximum Salary $312,600

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.

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 insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, and legal insurance.
• 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 wellness benefits, including adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.

Time Off and Paid Leave

• 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days, and 9 sick days (all pro-rated in the first year).
• 2 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 (based on full-time schedule).

FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures uniquely related to its role as a securities regulator. Employees must disclose all brokerage accounts they maintain or control, including those of a spouse, domestic partner, or minor child living with the employee, and authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements. These accounts are subject to investment and securities account restrictions.