Head of GWIM Investment Stewardship

Job description

Job Description: At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. We do this by driving Responsible Growth and delivering for our clients, teammates, communities and shareholders every day. Being a Great Place to Work and providing a culture of caring is core to how we drive Responsible Growth. We are intentional about fostering an inclusive workplace where every teammate has the opportunity to succeed, build a career and contribute to our shared success. This includes attracting and developing exceptional talent, recognizing and rewarding performance, and supporting our teammates’ physical, emotional, and financial wellness through affordable, competitive and flexible benefits. We value the unique perspectives individuals bring from all backgrounds and career paths - whether shaped by military service, community college education, or a wide range of work and life experiences. These journeys foster resilience, leadership and innovation, strengthening our workforce and positively impact the communities we serve. Bank of America is committed to an in-office culture that supports collaboration, engagement, and career development. Our approach includes clear in-office expectations, while providing an appropriate level of flexibility based on role-specific responsibilities and business needs. At Bank of America, you can build a successful career with opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact. Join us! Job Description: The Head of GWIM Investment Stewardship will lead the GWIM-level function responsible for proxy voting governance, fiduciary stewardship, corporate engagement strategy, shareholder engagement, and GWIM-wide policy alignment across Global Wealth and Investment Management. The role will provide strategic leadership over the stewardship framework supporting both the OCC-regulated fiduciary business and the Merrill RIAs, helping ensure voting and engagement activities are consistent, controlled, and grounded in fiduciary principles. The executive will serve as the firm's senior leader accountable for proxy voting governance and stewardship strategy across GWIM platforms, including governance oversight, voting policy development, issuer and shareholder engagement, disclosure assessment, controversy monitoring, regulatory alignment, stewardship reporting, vendor oversight, and external positioning. The role will support the GWIM Fiduciary Proxy Oversight Committee and provide reporting to senior governance and risk forums, including the GWIM Risk Committee and Fiduciary Risk Committee. The role requires significant engagement with boards, senior executives, shareholders, regulators, and other key stakeholders, as well as close partnership with Legal, Compliance, Risk, Audit, Operations, Technology, Product, and business leaders. The Head will also oversee modernization of stewardship capabilities, including data infrastructure, reporting, automation, and governance for the use of AI-enabled tools within the stewardship function. Responsibilities: Lead the GWIM Investment Stewardship function, overseeing proxy voting governance, fiduciary stewardship, corporate and shareholder engagement, and stewardship reporting across GWIM. Serve as the senior executive accountable for the GWIM stewardship framework across GWIM platforms, including governance, engagement strategy, policy alignment, and program evolution. Drive One Bank consistency across fiduciary and RIA discretionary accounts while maintaining appropriate governance, regulatory compliance, and information controls. Chair the GWIM Fiduciary Proxy Oversight Committee and oversee policy matters, escalations, reporting, and executive communications. Represent stewardship matters before senior leadership, risk, fiduciary, and governance forums, including the GWIM Risk Committee and Fiduciary Risk Committee. Develop and maintain proxy voting guidelines, stewardship standards, governance frameworks, and escalation protocols. Ensure alignment with OCC, SEC, and other applicable fiduciary and investment adviser requirements, including cross-jurisdictional considerations. Lead engagement with issuers, boards, senior executives, shareholders, and other stakeholders on sensitive or complex matters. Oversee analysis of contested, complex, and escalated proxy matters and coordinate recommendations for committee review. Manage strategic relationships with proxy voting, governance research, stewardship, data, and technology providers. Oversee stewardship reporting, including voting, engagement, governance, client, regulatory, committee, and management reporting. Ensure audit and regulatory readiness through oversight of voting records, engagement documentation, policy records, exception reporting, and vendor governance. Partner with Legal, Compliance, Risk, Audit, Operations, Technology, Product, and business leaders to maintain an effective stewardship program. Support stewardship content for RFPs, client acquisition, client retention, and external positioning activities. Lead stewardship technology modernization, including automation, data infrastructure, reporting capabilities, and governance of AI-enabled solutions. Required Qualifications: 15+ years of experience in asset management, wealth management, fiduciary governance, investment stewardship, proxy voting, investment products, governance, risk, compliance, legal, or related financial services disciplines. Demonstrated experience leading senior-level governance programs, enterprise operating models, or cross-functional initiatives within complex financial services organizations. Strong knowledge of fiduciary responsibilities, proxy voting governance, investment adviser obligations, governance frameworks, and regulatory expectations within financial services. Experience presenting to executive committees, risk committees, fiduciary committees, boards, and senior leadership forums. Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders across multiple lines of business, legal entities, and control organizations. Experience engaging with senior executives, directors, issuers, regulators, shareholders, or other external stakeholders on governance-related matters. Strong analytical, communication, policy, governance, and executive presentation skills. Experience managing third-party vendors, external research providers, strategic partnerships, or technology-enabled service models. Ability to lead through regulatory, operational, governance, and reputational complexity. Desired Qualifications: Direct experience with proxy voting, investment stewardship, fiduciary governance, issuer engagement, shareholder engagement, asset management governance, or investment adviser oversight. Knowledge of OCC, SEC, ERISA, Investment Company Act, fiduciary, and investment adviser regulatory requirements. Experience developing proxy voting policies, stewardship frameworks, governance standards, or committee escalation protocols. Experience managing complex, contested, sensitive, or high-profile governance matters. Experience building new functions, enterprise operating models, or centralized governance capabilities. Experience leading geographically dispersed teams and managing enterprise-wide initiatives. Experience developing stewardship reporting, client reporting, regulatory reporting, committee materials, dashboards, or annual stewardship reports. Experience supporting RFPs, client acquisition efforts, client retention activities, or external positioning initiatives. Experience with stewardship technology, workflow automation, data platforms, reporting systems, or governance of AI-enabled capabilities. Skills: Corporate Governance Management Data Governance Issue Management Regulatory Compliance Regulatory Relations Analytical Thinking Oral Communications Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines Risk Management Strategy Planning and Development Credit and Risk Assessment Data Management Research Strategic Thinking Written Communications Shift: 1st shift (United States of America) Hours Per Week: 40 Pay Transparency details US - NY - New York - ONE BRYANT PARK - BANK OF AMERICA TOWER (NY1100) Pay and benefits information Pay range $200,000.00 - $280,000.00 annualized salary, offers to be determined based on experience, education and skill set. Discretionary incentive eligible This role is eligible to participate in the annual discretionary plan. Employees are eligible for an annual discretionary award based on their overall individual performance results and behaviors, the performance and contributions of their line of business and/or group; and the overall success of the Company. Benefits This role is currently benefits eligible. We provide industry-leading benefits, access to paid time off, resources and support to our employees so they can make a genuine impact and contribute to the sustainable growth of our business and the communities we serve.