Manager, Compliance

Global Merchant & Network Services (GMNS) brings together American Express' merchant and network related businesses to enable a sharp focus on using the power of our network to provide unique value to all our mutual customers. The organization manages the relationships with the millions of merchants around the world that accepts American Express, runs the company’s payment network, and manages bank partnerships globally.

GMNS is looking for an experienced Financial Crimes Manager to assist in ensuring risk and control management is embedded in the day-to-day operations of our organization. This embedded role will involve extensive collaboration with partners across business units, functional areas, and geographies.  This team provides advisory and governance on the execution of financial crime risk management within the GMNS business and is accountable for ensuring the business maintains a strong control environment to prevent, detect, and respond to financial crimes — including anti-money laundering (AML), sanctions evasion, anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), and fraud. The ideal candidate brings deep subject matter expertise in Sanctions (globally), financial crime regulations throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and a pragmatic, partnership-driven approach to risk management.

The Financial Crimes Manager will:

• Consult on the design and implementation of controls tailored to specialized risk areas including Financial Crime and Compliance, with input in broader areas of operational risk 

• Ensure all guidance provided to BU are in alignment with standards set by centralized specialist risk-stripe teams

• Comply with enterprise policies and programs pertaining to specific risk types (e.g., Conduct Risk Management policy), and support with design/ enhancement of BU procedures /standards 

• Maintain awareness and understanding of regulatory updates, emerging trends, and best practices relevant to compliance risks (especially Sanctions) and share this with BU process owners

• Support with the design and dissemination of targeted training and awareness programs to increase understanding and management of specific risk topics within GMNS

Key responsibilities:

• Govern (and develop new) financial crimes controls aligned with enterprise policy and regulatory expectations.
• Partner with business leadership to embed financial crime risk management into day-to-day business operations.
• Monitor and report on financial crime risk indicators, emerging threats, and control effectiveness to business and risk leadership.
• Escalate and remediate control issues or potential violations in partnership with compliance, legal, and audit functions.
• Support internal and regulatory exams, audits, and inquiries related to financial crimes.
• Support financial crimes related training and awareness programs for front-line staff.
• Maintain detailed documentation and records to demonstrate compliance with regulatory and internal standards.

Minimum:

• 3+ years of experience in global sanctions, AML, financial crimes compliance, fraud risk, or business risk within a financial institution.
• Strong understanding of OFAC and internation sanctions regimes, as well as AML and anti-bribery and corruption regulations.
• Proven ability to assess risk, implement controls, and collaborate across functions.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, criminal justice, business administration, or a related field.
• CAMS, CFE, or similar professional certification.
• Experience working in front-line or business control functions.
• Familiarity with screening, KYC, customer risk rating, and KRI/transaction monitoring processes.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Sound judgment and decision-making under pressure.
• Ability to influence and educate business partners on risk concepts.
• Skilled in project management and working in a matrixed organization.
• Experienced in data lineage/provenance and skilled in Microsoft Office.

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in Spain is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.