Group COO, Japan Operations

Company Profile 

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. Since 1935, the Firm has continued to evolve and innovate to better serve clients, colleagues and communities in more than 40 countries around the world. 

Japan Operations

In the Japan Operations division is a diverse organization of approximately 200 professionals covering multiple Operations functions, across two locations, Tokyo and Osaka. We partner with business units across the Firm to support financial transactions, devise and implement effective controls and develop client relationships, driving strategic automation solutions by embracing a transformation mindset and challenging the status quo.

Morgan Stanley Japan is seeking an experienced and highly motivated leader to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Japan Operations group. Reporting to the Head of Operations Japan, the COO will be responsible for developing strategy, organizational direction, and execution oversight.

This role serves as a key member of the Japan Operations leadership team and is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, delivering strategic transformation initiatives, strengthening risk and control frameworks, and fostering a high-performance culture aligned to the Firm's values.

What you'll do in the role

• Develop leadership strategies to manage a complex Operations organization of approximately 200 professionals across multiple functions and locations, establishing clear priorities, accountability, and performance standards.
• Develop and execute the strategic agenda for Japan Operations, ensuring alignment with global business objectives, regulatory requirements, and organizational priorities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and partner to senior management, providing leadership across organizational planning, resource management, operating models, and business execution.
• Foster a strong culture of excellence, collaboration, inclusion, and accountability, creating an environment where employees can perform at their best while upholding the Firm's Core Values.
• Drive organizational effectiveness through workforce planning, succession management, talent development, leadership coaching, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Oversee governance, risk, and control frameworks to ensure operational activities are conducted in a safe, efficient, and compliant manner.
• Partner with regional and global stakeholders to identify opportunities for operational enhancement, scalability, and service excellence.
• Champion innovation by promoting a culture of continuous improvement and encouraging teams to challenge existing processes and identify efficiencies.
• Represent Japan Operations in interactions with senior executives, regulators, internal partners, and external stakeholders as required.
• Ensure the Firm's Five Core Values are consistently reflected in leadership decisions, employee development, client service, and day-to-day operations.

Expected Skills and Experience

• Leadership experience within Financial Services, Investment Banking, Markets, Wealth Management, Operations, or related Infrastructure functions.
• Demonstrated success leading large, complex organizations with responsibility for people management, business execution, and strategic transformation.
• Proven ability to build, inspire, and develop high-performing teams while fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to influence senior leaders across multiple regions and business areas.
• Extensive experience leading organizational change, transformation initiatives, technology adoption, and process optimization programs.
• Deep understanding of operational risk management, governance frameworks, regulatory expectations, commercial awareness and control environments within financial institutions.
• Highly effective at managing competing priorities and navigating ambiguity in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
• Experience developing talent pipelines, succession plans, leadership capabilities, and employee engagement strategies within large organizations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to leverage data and metrics to inform decision making.
• Experience working within global organizations and partnering effectively across regions, cultures, and business disciplines.
• Business-level proficiency in both Japanese and English.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years.  Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.

To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices​ into your browser.

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.

Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.

For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.