Director-Enterprise Payments Product Operations

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, sharedvaluesand 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.

About the Role

As part of the Global Merchant & Network Services group (GMNS), the Network & Acquirer Solutions (NAS) team is at the core of American Express, uniquely positioned to support every business unit and customer across the Enterprise. The American Express Network enables over $1.6 trillion in annual spend, serving our Issuers and Acquirers in more than 170 markets worldwide. We are driving a strategic, multi-year Enterprise Payments program to bring all payments together into a center of excellence to drive operational excellence for payment execution, enable innovative payment products, services, and capabilities to be built effectively and efficiently, support our BU strategies more closely, and deliver on our customers’ evolving payment needs.

This newly created role of Director, Product Operations is an exciting opportunity to establish and lead the risk, control, and compliance oversight program within the Enterprise Payments Center of Excellence (COE). The incumbent will play a key leadership role in shaping the team and operational foundation of a newly formed function that supports the enterprise-wide modernization of payment execution and governance.

The Director-Product Operations will focus on driving excellence in RCSA (Risk and Control Self-Assessment), Network Rules compliance, Regulatory compliance, and the creation and maintenance of an audit-ready product documentation repository. This role is ideal for a forward-thinking leader with a passion for operational rigor, strong governance practices, and proactive compliance management.

As this team is in the process of being formed, the successful candidate must be comfortable working in a dynamic environment where priorities and responsibilities may evolve:

• The governance team is responsible for a broad range of product operations and risk oversight initiatives, including Operational Risk Events, issue management, audits and exams, new product approval processes, operational resiliency, and other governance-related functions.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to take on new tasks as the organization grows will be key to success

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of RCSA processes, ensuring effective identification, assessment, and mitigation of operational risks.
• Oversee Network Rules and regulatory compliance, ensuring all activities align with applicable payment scheme rules (e.g., Nacha, SEPA, The Clearing House, and other network standards).
• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive governance framework for payment operations that ensures full compliance with regulatory and payments scheme rules requirements.
• Create and manage an audit-ready repository of product documentation, policies, and procedures to support regulatory, risk, and compliance readiness across the organization.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to strengthen enterprise compliance across all three lines of defense and support a culture of risk awareness and accountability.
• Monitor changes in regulatory and scheme requirements, assess impacts to Amex operations, and lead readiness initiatives to ensure timely and compliant adoption.
• Collaborate with Product, Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Audit teams to ensure cohesive governance, consistent processes, and effective communication across all stakeholder groups.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence and compliance through training, consultation, and hands-on leadership.

Requirements / Qualifications:

• Experience: Minimum of 10 years in global non-card payments (ACH, wire, RTP, etc.), ideally within Risk Management, Compliance, or Operational Excellence functions.
• Regulatory expertise: Deep understanding of the regulatory and network rules landscape affecting payment systems, including AML, KYC, OFAC, PSD2, and Nacha/SEPA frameworks.
• RCSA expertise: Proven experience designing and executing effective RCSA programs or equivalent control frameworks.
• Program management: Demonstrated success leading cross-functional governance or compliance programs within large-scale or regulated environments.
• Analytical mindset: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify process improvements and proactively address risk exposures.
• Collaboration: Ability to build and maintain relationships across multiple lines of defense and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proven ability to prepare and present materials to executive audiences.
• Certification: Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) certification is strongly preferred.

Salary Range: $144,250.00 to $256,250.00 annually + bonus + equity (if applicable) + 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 ourColleague 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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Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the United States is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions