Analyst - Payment Vendor Relations

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. 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 Merchant and Network Services Group (GMNS) brings together all of the American Express businesses that serve our key partners – merchants, banks, and strategic partners – to enable a sharp focus on using the power of our network to provide unique value to all of our mutual customers. Payments Consulting sits within Global Strategy, Operations & Performance (GSOP). GSOP powers day-to-day operations, delivering exceptional merchant and partner experiences, whilst supporting GMNS in achieving its long-term goals.

Payments Vendor Relations (PVR) is part of the broader Payments Consulting Team, which plays a critical role in supporting the GMNS business and GSOP mission by delivering go-to-market strategies, deploying new and emerging payment solutions, and ensuring seamless transaction processing experience in over 20 markets globally. PVR specifically focuses on managing relationships with our payment vendors and 3rd party partners, enabling scalable, compliant, and innovative acceptance solutions to meet the evolving needs of our business and customers.

The Analyst, Payment Vendor Relations (PVR) role will report to the Senior Manager, Payment Vendor Relations. This individual will play a key role in managing technical partnerships and related compliance, driving project execution, and broadening availability of solutions in the acceptance channel. The role offers a unique opportunity to collaborate cross-functionally across Network and Acquirer Services, Merchant Services, Operational Excellence, with global Payments Consulting and other key stakeholders, while gaining deep exposure to emerging payment technologies and industry trends.

Key responsibilities include:

• Manage a portfolio of third-party vendors, with responsibility for building strong working relationships and ensuring performance expectations are met.
• Identify potential future service providers, relevant in the Americas markets, to grow availability of American Express products for our customers.
• Coordinate and facilitate regular vendor meetings to ensure alignment on deliverables, project timelines, and compliance milestones.
• Oversee vendor registration, onboarding and product implementation efforts, supporting the Integrated Payment Providers Program (IPP) and Amex Enabled platform activities.
• Partner with the quality and oversight and product teams to ensure latest third-party management standards and product adoption requirements standards are used in the onboarding and oversight of vendor relationships, and in product implementations.
• Contribute to the development and evolution of PVR documentation, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and support materials in alignment with risk, compliance, and control standards.
• Represent the team at payment technology conferences, host vendor visits, and support innovation storytelling
• Support and co-lead execution of the annual Amex Exchange conference, which includes overseeing logistics, content curation, and participant engagement.
• Identify process improvement opportunities that enhance vendor oversight and streamline cross functional collaboration.
• Provide voice-of-customer input to Network Acquiring Solutions and Global Merchant Services product owners.
• Support the strategic growth of the AMEX Payments Innovation Lab by sourcing emerging technologies from partners and developing internal/external awareness campaigns. (Strategy and development).

Minimum Qualifications:

• 1-3 years of experience managing external relationships, compliance, in payments or related fields.
• Knowledge of the payments ecosystem, including authorization, submission, and payment processes.
• Proven ability to build, maintain, and leverage strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including industry partners.
• Strong project management skills, with proven ability to manage multiple priorities and drive work to completion in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to facilitate cross functional collaboration and influence.
• Experience in analyzing existing processes, proposing improvements, and developing supporting documentation to standardize practices.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity, manage change effectively, and solve complex challenges in an ever-changing environment.
• Willingness to travel to support conferences and vendor events. (10% travel estimate).
• Proven Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint skills, Visio and SalesForce desired.
• Education: Bachelor’s preferred or equivalent industry experience.
• Location: Phoenix-Hybrid (Relocation and/or visa assistance not provided).

Salary Range: $55,000.00 to $105,000.00 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.

US Job Seekers - Click to view the “Know Your Rights” poster. If the link does not work, you may access the poster by copying and pasting the following URL in a new browser window: https://www.eeoc.gov/poster

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