Director, Compliance - job 2 of 5

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.

How will you make an impact in this role?

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director, Compliance to lead compliance risk identification, management, and mitigation across U.S. Consumer Business Services within the 1st Line of Defense. This role is responsible for advising the business on regulatory obligations and ensuring that front-line activities operate within internal policy and external regulatory frameworks. The ideal candidate has strong subject matter expertise across key banking regulations and excels in balancing risk with practical business needs. 

This role is part of a team that executes a variety of 1Line Of Defense compliance activities including:

Advisory: 

• Providing business-specific Compliance expertise to the Business Unit (BU)
• Review customer-facing materials- marketing, letters, disclosures, digital journeys, etc. 

Regulatory Change Management: 

• Executing impact assessments for regulatory changes impacting the BU  
• Coordinating with BU to implement required changes  

New Product Approval: 

• Coordinating, executing and providing consultation throughout the BU’s NPA process
• Drafting NPA risk assessment and driving strong governance around execution
• Update BU Risk and Control Assessment based on new and/or revised products 

Controls & Issue Management: 

• Complaints review activity for the BU
• Implementation and monitoring of new controls for the BU
• Issue Management for the BU, including leading action plan management process and escalating issues to senior management 

Reporting, Policies and Procedures: 

• Compliance metrics tracking and reporting for the BU
• Owning, drafting, and updating BU Compliance procedures, and communications for Compliance related BU issues 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Serve as the primary 1LOD compliance partner within the business, ensuring adherence to applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., consumer protection, fair lending, privacy, market conduct, etc.)
• Proactively identify and assess compliance risks inherent in products, services, processes, and controls
• Consult with business leadership and second line compliance to design and implement effective controls and mitigation strategies
• Support the execution of business-level compliance risk assessments and control self-assessments
• Support regulatory exam readiness, issue remediation, and corrective action planning
• Coordinate with compliance, legal, risk, and audit teams to ensure consistent interpretation and application of rules and policies
• Provide guidance on new business initiatives, product launches, and system changes to ensure compliance risks are appropriately addressed
• Monitor and report compliance performance metrics and emerging risk trends
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, supporting a culture of compliance and accountability. 

Qualifications: 

• 7–10+ years of compliance, legal, or risk experience within a financial institution
• Deep knowledge of U.S. banking regulations (e.g., BSA/AML, Reg Z, Reg E, Reg W, Fair Lending, UDAAP, etc.)
• Experience designing and implementing compliance controls, programs, and assessments
• Strong understanding of the regulatory environment and expectations of federal and state banking regulators. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree (e.g., JD, MBA, MPA) or professional certifications such as CRCM, CAMS, or CCEP. Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, law, or a related field
• Experience working with compliance technology tools and issue management systems
• Familiarity with global compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, MiFID II) if applicable
• Experience in compliance program development  

Key Competencies: 

• Strong business acumen and judgment
• Regulatory interpretation and control design expertise
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to influence and advise senior leaders
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities in a complex, matrixed environment 

 ORMCM