Associate Principal Investigator, NCP - IRG - All FINRA Locations (Open)

FINRA’s Initial Review Group (IRG) is the centralized unit for the intake, review, and analysis of regulatory intelligence received through a variety of sources, including internal sources, regulatory tips, customer complaints, firm regulatory filings, arbitration filings, and referrals from other regulators, with an eye toward quickly identifying and escalating higher-risk matters.
The Associate Principal Investigator, IRG, will perform Intake & Assessment with moderate supervision, and will demonstrate competency in investigative techniques and an understanding of relevant FINRA rules, federal securities laws, and markets and trading.
Upon receipt of a triggering event (tip, complaint, firm filing, etc.), IRG investigators:
(1) Analyze the information received and identify the regulatory issues raised to determine, among other things, whether FINRA has jurisdiction; (2) Collect and analyze additional relevant information obtained from internal and external systems to assess the risk to the investing public and the securities markets; (3) Collaborate with other internal and external stakeholders as needed to share relevant information; and (4) Make well-reasoned recommendations for the appropriate regulatory response (i.e., referral to NCP for cause exam or to another FINRA department for further investigation, referral to the appropriate regulatory agency, or close the matter with no further review). 

• Reviews triggering event information and clarifies firm filing information by contacting firm personnel in order to determine jurisdiction of individuals, products, accounts, and firms identified in triggering events
• Gathers background intelligence using external and internal resources (including people and systems) in order to assess risk and regulatory implications and determine appropriate intake disposition
• Performs additional outreach, as needed, including requests for additional information from the complaint/tip submitter and/or firm in order to analyze the regulatory intelligence
• Conducts interviews with relevant parties (e.g. firms, reps, customers, attorneys) in order to gather facts related to the matter
• Assesses and analyzes information gathered in order to identify if there are potential violations of FINRA rules and/or federal securities laws, and if it is appropriate to expand the scope of the review
• Identifies and elevates apparent trends to manager, to be raised to internal FINRA groups (e.g. firm, industry, product trends)
• Collaborates within NCFC, and with other FINRA departments as needed (e.g. Enforcement), to share relevant information
• Recommends and drafts appropriate assessment dispositions, including closing the matter, issuing cautionary action, promoting to investigation, or referring to internal or external parties
• Participates in special projects to address ongoing program enhancements, as assigned
• Trains and mentors junior staff and new hires
• Conducts specialized areas of review (e.g. MSRB, BSA, SEC referrals), as assigned

Other Responsibilities:

Education/Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience; required. Advanced degree or law degree, preferred.
• Substantive knowledge of relevant FINRA rules and the federal securities laws.
• Substantive knowledge of the securities markets and member firm operations and its books and records.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate and complete high quality reviews and investigations, including an ability to work quickly on multiple time-sensitive matters.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency using computer programs with the full suite of Office software applications.

For work that is performed in CA, CO, HI, MN, VT, IL, Jersey City, NJ, New York City, NY, MA, WA, MD, Washington, DC, NJ State and NY State, please refer to the chart below for the 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 $94,200, Maximum Salary $176,000

CO/HI/MN/VT*: Minimum Salary $81,900, Maximum Salary $146,600

IL*: Minimum Salary $90,100, Maximum Salary $161,300
Jersey City, NJ/NYC, NY: Minimum Salary $98,300, Maximum Salary $176,000

MA/WA: Minimum Salary $81,900, Maximum Salary $168,600

MD/Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $94,200, Maximum Salary $168,600
NJ State: Minimum Salary $90,100, Maximum $176,000

NY State: Minimum Salary $81,900, Maximum Salary $176,000

*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.

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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FINRA strives to make our career site accessible to all users. If you need a disability-related accommodation for completing the application process, please contact FINRA's Employee Relations team at 240.386.4865 or by email at EmployeeRelations@finra.org. Please note that this process is exclusively for inquiries regarding application accommodations. 

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 strives to make our career site accessible to all users. If you need a disability-related accommodation for completing the application process, please contact FINRA's Employee Relations team at 240.386.4865 or by email at EmployeeRelations@finra.org. Please note that this process is exclusively for inquiries regarding application accommodations.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, veteran status or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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.

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