Job Description:

FINRA is dedicated to protecting investors and ensuring the integrity of America's financial system. At FINRA we are focused on employee career development, offering learning opportunities, resources, and tools to help you achieve your professional aspirations. We have an exciting opportunity for a Application Manager, MAP:

The Application Manager supervises the membership application process relating to matters filed with FINRA, which includes new and continuing membership applications, materiality consultations, two principal waivers, and membership agreement updates. This is a senior-level professional position supervising examiners and support staff of all levels, defining their assigned roles, increasing their skills, and providing the staff with general guidance.

Essential Job Functions:

• Actively supervises application staff in the execution of the Department’s risk-based application program of member firms, in compliance with FINRA’s Standards of Admission as noted in NASD Rule 1014 and processes outlined in NASD Rule 1017, and other department goals and policies. This includes assignment of applications, monitoring the start, progress and timely completion of applications, review of the business plans and all documentation submitted by the applicants, review and approval of correspondence generated by the application program staff, engaging in efficient collaboration with internal and external constituents, timely issue spotting, prompt assessment and escalation of unique, complex or novel matters, review of all submitted material for compliance with applicable federal and FINRA rules and regulations, guide application staff regarding next steps, recommend to program senior management appropriate dispositions resulting from the review of each application and supporting material, review of examiners summary of disposition, review of membership agreements and decision letters prior to submission to senior management.

• Participates in pre-filing meetings and Membership Interviews with existing or potential applicants, as well as meetings with other FINRA staff, and staff of other regulatory agencies, to gather data pertinent to applications and reviews. Testifies at and participates in hearings. Prepares or supervises the preparation of certain hearing exhibits and materials or application deposition documents. Researches rules, regulations, guidelines, records, and databases to identify relevant data for an application or other review.

• Monitors and analyzes staff productivity to ensure achievement of Program goals and rule mandated deadlines. Promote open dialogue with staff about the programs through the utilization of management reports as well as hold staff accountable for meeting deadlines with high quality, including timely resolution of tasks, applications and objectives.

• Effectively and timely communicates key issues, complex novel, unique matters and possible denials or approvals with restrictions to the programs senior management, District Office staff the membership. Actively communicates, collaborates, supports and implements corporate, division and department decisions. Identifies and raises to senior management notable trends, risks and/or issues in industry practices, products and procedures.

• Recruits, develops and retains staff.

• Supervises the development and mentoring of application and support staff at varying levels of expertise; prepares, executes and monitors staff training and development plans; assesses performance of staff; prepares and delivers performance evaluations; and participates in recruiting, interviewing, retaining and recommending pay actions for staff.

• Helps to establish and maintain desired work environment and culture. Facilitates regular and ongoing discussions with individuals to ensure understanding of how individual achievements, behaviors and actions contribute to Department goals. Fosters an environment where open dialogue and feedback is sought and valued.

• Participates in the development and execution of the Department’s compliance programs. Serves as a presenter or panelist for member conferences and training. Attends conferences related to securities industry rules and regulations.

• Coordinates and communicates effectively with FINRA personnel and member firms and consultants. Provides member firms, district offices and others with timely, accurate responses to inquiries.

• Demonstrates strong collaboration and interpersonal skills and the ability to manage multiple, complex projects at one time.

• Ensures regulatory programs serve departmental goals and FINRA’s mission in an efficient and effective manner.

• Demonstrates strong critical thinking, written, interviewing, communication, research and quantitative skills.

Education/Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree is required. Major in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field preferred; advanced degree preferred.


• Advanced knowledge of securities industry rules, regulations and guidelines and significant and equivalent experience in a directly related securities industry position may substitute for bachelor’s degree.


• Excellent oral and written communications and presentation skills required. Possess excellent time management skills. Exemplify the FINRA Leadership Characteristics and serve as a role model for staff in the department. Applicants without FINRA Member Regulation experience may be asked for writing samples.

Work Conditions:

Work is normally performed in an office environment at FINRA premises. Intermittent overnight travel is required. Extended hours are frequently required. Work environment includes high productivity expectations and tight deadlines.

For work that is performed in CA, Washington, DC, CO, HI, New York, NY 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.

California: Minimum Salary $124,300, Maximum Salary $235,500

Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $124,300, Maximum Salary $225,700

Colorado/Hawaii: Minimum Salary $108,200, Maximum Salary $196,200
New York, NY:   Minimum Salary $129,800, Maximum Salary $235,500
Washington State: Minimum Salary $108,200, Maximum Salary $225,700

#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.

Please note: If the “Apply Now” button on a job board posting does not take you directly to the FINRA Careers site, enter www.finra.org/careers into your browser to reach our site directly.

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. 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 and many other benefits. 

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 (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.

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