Head of Transaction Monitoring Design at American Express
American Express · New York City, United States Of America · Onsite
- Senior
- Office in New York City
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.
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The American Express Global Financial Crimes Compliance (GFCC) function provides second-line policy, framework, oversight and control solutions to meet the Company’s legal, regulatory and risk management mandates in connection with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF), Sanctions and Anti-Bribery and Corruption. The GFCC portfolio comprises all aspects of the Company’s first and second-line financial crime risk management (FCRM) activities, including all lines of businesses in the United States and both proprietary non-proprietary global markets.
Reporting to the Global Head of Head of the Transaction Monitoring (TM), the Head of Transaction Monitoring Design (VP) will oversee the global design, enhancement, governance, and optimization of transaction monitoring rules across the enterprise. This individual will manage a cross-functional team focused on ensuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and regulatory compliance of the TM program. This is a critical leadership role within GFCC, requiring strong domain expertise in AML compliance, advanced understanding of data and rule logic, data science and analytics, technology, and a track record of operational execution within the financial services industry.
Responsibilities
· Support the Global Head of TM in executing the GFCC transaction monitoring program, including coverage assessments, typology inventory, the design and implementation of rules, scenarios, models, advanced technologies (including AI) and other TM tools and methods
· Monitor and control rule changes to ensure alignment with regulatory expectations, internal policies, and evolving risk typologies; develop and monitoring controls to ensure rule changes are implemented as designed
· Drive and implement strategic enhancements to rule coverage through risk-based analysis and tuning
· Prepare and contribute to regulatory engagement materials and meetings in connection with the TM program’s design, governance, and effectiveness.
· Collaborate closely with key stakeholders including the Financial Crimes Compliance Surveillance Unit, U.S. Investigations unit, Threat Assessment Group, Financial Crimes Data Science and Analytics Center of Excellence, Technology, Operations, Model Risk Management, and Business Line Compliance.
· Establish and maintain comprehensive documentation, metrics, and controls around rule performance, thresholds, and alert quality.
· Support and coordinate activities related to regulatory exams, audits, and internal reviews related to transaction monitoring design and governance.
· Supervise and guide a global team of rule designers, data analysts, and compliance professionals supporting program execution.
· Under guidance from the Global Head of AML and Head of TM, support training of GFCC TM team, the FC Data Science CoE and other stakeholders in TM methodologies and best practices, including with respect to advanced technologies
· Provide expert recommendations to coverage and technology solutions, including business requirements and vendor selection
· Maintain awareness of industry developments and regulatory expectations in AML transaction monitoring and financial crimes detection.
· Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Minimum Qualifications
· 8+ years of experience in Financial Crimes Compliance, AML transaction monitoring, or related risk management roles in a large global financial institution.
· Proven expertise in AML transaction monitoring systems, typology translation, alert generation, and tuning.
· Strong knowledge and understanding of global regulatory expectations.
· Demonstrated ability to lead cross-regional and cross-functional teams.
· Strong communication and influencing skills; ability to interact with senior executives and regulators.
· Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required; advanced degree in a related field (e.g., Law, Business, Data Science) preferred.
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This means caring for you and your loved ones%27 physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cul%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3ECompetitive base salaries%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EBonus incentives%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3E6% Company Match on retirement savings plan%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EFree financial coaching and financial well-being support%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EComprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EFlexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3E20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EFree access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EFree and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program%26nbsp;%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3ECareer development and training opportunities%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3C/ul%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EFor a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our %3C/span%3E%3Ca target=%22_blank%22 rel=%22noopener noreferrer%22 href=%22https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/colleagues/benefits%22%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3E%3Cu%3EColleague Benefits Site%3C/u%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3E.%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cspan style=%22font-size:16px;%22%3EAmerican 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. 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