At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. From delivering differentiated products to providing world-class customer service, we operate with a strong risk mindset, ensuring we continue to uphold our brand promise of trust, security, and service.

As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career. Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

The Global Strategy, Operations & Performance (GSOP) team serves as a Center of Excellence within Global Merchant and Network Services (GMNS) business unit, focusing on enterprise-level strategy, performance management, and operational delivery. We're a fast-moving, high-impact team tackling the company’s most important priorities.

The Risk & Remediation program management office (PMO) is specifically focused on driving GMNS process excellence, Legal Entity Governance, 1LOD Compliance, Data Governance and managing large risk-related initiatives for GMNS.

The GMNS PMO team’s objective is to drive the successful delivery of Project Guardian—a key initiative to enhance the Operational Risk and Control Management strategy within GMNS through strong program management and deep enterprise partnerships.

The successful candidate will support a high-priority, enterprise-wide program, providing global program management across key workstreams and deliverables to advance GMNS toward a more robust risk management model. This role offers exposure to multiple teams across GMNS l and the broader American Express organization.

How will you make an impact in this role?

This role is critical to the successful delivery of Guardian, a high-priority, enterprise-level transformation designed to elevate Operational Risk and Control Management across GMNS. The Manager will provide strategic program leadership and coordination across complex GMNS workstreams, business unit leaders, and enterprise partners, while maintaining close collaboration with Second Line, Third Line, and key enabling functions to ensure the highest standards of governance, control, and compliance.

The successful candidate will be a results-driven transformation leader with a proven ability to operate in fast-paced, high-visibility environments, demonstrate strong executive presence, and influence outcomes across a highly matrixed organization. This role offers significant exposure to senior leaders across GMNS and the broader enterprise, with the opportunity to shape and embed a more mature, sustainable risk management model.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the end-to-end GMNS cross-functional Guardian workplan, ensuring disciplined execution, effective risk management, and timely delivery of all critical program milestones and outcomes
• Serve as the central program management function for Guardian, acting as a trusted conduit between GMNS executive sponsors, business leads, and workstream owners to ensure alignment, transparency, and cohesive delivery
• Provide strategic PMO oversight and active support to the Financial Crimes workstream, a critical enabler of Guardian’s success, ensuring strong integration with broader risk & control objectives
• Partner closely with CLM Leadership, Control Management, Legal Entity Governance, Network & Acquiring Solutions, Financial Crimes, and Second Line of Defense (2LOD) teams to drive enterprise alignment and execution
• Drive senior-level communication and reporting, including progress updates, milestone tracking, risk and dependency management, and escalation of key issues and decision points to enable timely resolution
• Champion change management efforts, supporting clear, effective communication strategies and stakeholder engagement plans to drive adoption and embed sustainable ways of working
• Strengthen organizational alignment across GMNS and the enterprise by identifying interdependencies, managing cross-functional linkages, and proactively addressing execution risks
• Support and lead Guardian PMO governance forums, represent GMNS in enterprise-level committees (e.g., Operational Risk Management Committee), and contribute insights to relevant Communities of Practice
• Establish and maintain rigorous program governance and documentation standards, ensuring all key artifacts, approvals, and evidence of completion are captured in line with Enterprise PMO and regulatory expectations

Minimum Qualifications

• Highly motivated, proactive self-starter with demonstrated ability to deliver strategic thought leadership and lead complex, cross-functional transformation initiatives
• Proven success operating in fast-paced, highly matrixed environments, with the agility to manage ambiguity, shifting priorities, and competing demands while maintaining focus on outcomes
• Exceptional program and project management expertise, with strong execution discipline and the ability to drive results through influence rather than authority
• Working knowledge of Financial Crimes risk and control frameworks, with experience supporting large-scale transformation or remediation initiatives that strengthen governance, controls, and sustainable risk management outcomes
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with a track record of effective engagement with senior leaders and enterprise partners
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex topics and influence decision-making across diverse stakeholder groups
• Resilient, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to navigate challenges with professionalism and composure
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in project or program management, preferably within a large, global, and highly regulated organization
• Bachelor's degree
• Experience with Financial Crimes
• Flexibility to collaborate across multiple time zones due to the international scope of the role
• Based in New York City, with a hybrid work arrangement

Preferred Qualifications

• CAMS certification

Salary Range: $89,250.00 to $150,250.00 annually + bonus + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we’ll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. American Express will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in accordance with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. For positions covered by federal and/or state banking regulations, American Express will comply with such regulations as it relates to the consideration of applicants with criminal convictions.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

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