Director, Financial Crimes Risk Governance & Exam Management

About This Role

Lead the first line of defense Financial Crimes Risk & Controls center of excellence, focusing on governance execution, operating model enablement, change management, and exam readiness for American Express. This role ensures robust control foundation for FCRM activities across anti-money laundering, sanctions, payments controls, and anti-corruption.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Corporate Secretary for first line of defense financial crimes governance forums, including councils, steering committees, and working groups
• Own governance charters, agendas, materials, decision logs, and action tracking, ensuring forums are decision-oriented with clear accountability and follow-through
• Manage formal escalation pathways for first line of defense financial crimes risks to senior management and enterprise governance forums
• Own the first line of defense change management framework for financial crimes, including intake, triage, prioritization, and implementation of changes
• Ensure changes are clearly communicated, adopted, and embedded across the first line, tracking adoption and effectiveness
• Own the first line of defense intake framework for financial crimes risks, findings, and control gaps entering governance channels
• Establish and maintain exam readiness standards, including evidence documentation, governance artifacts, and senior-leader briefing standards
• Serve as the first line of defense coordinator for regulatory and internal exams, partnering with internal audit for logistics and information requests
• Prepare senior management and governance forums for regulator interactions through concise, risk-focused materials and talking points
• Own the framework and execution of staffing, skill assessment, and training enablement for first line of defense financial crimes governance and execution roles

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in financial crimes governance, risk, compliance, or operating model enablement
• Strong understanding of financial crimes regulatory frameworks (e.g., BSA/AML, sanctions, payments controls)
• Demonstrated experience operating senior-level governance forums and managing regulatory exam readiness, supporting regulatory exams or supervisory interactions in a 1LOD role
• Strong people leadership experience, building and coaching high performing teams
• Proven ability to lead change management and operating model adoption
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder-influencing skills
• High judgment, attention to detail, and ability to operate in ambiguity

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree
• 5+ years of experience in financial crimes governance, risk, compliance, or operating model enablement, preferably within a large, complex financial institution.

Nice to Have

• Professional certifications (e.g., CAMS, CFE)
• MBA Preferred

Benefits