Manager – Compliance: Investigations Procedures

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.

American Express’s Global Financial Crimes Surveillance Unit (GFCSU) and the US Investigations Unit (USIU), within Global Financial Crimes Compliance (GFCC), in partnership provide end-to-end support and oversight of global financial crimes investigations. In conjunction with GFCC partners, the GFCSU and USIU develop and implement automated transaction monitoring rules, reports, and other processes designed to identify activity potentially indicative of criminal behavior. The GFCSU and USIU also investigate potentially suspicious financial activity and, when appropriate, file suspicious activity reports (SARs) with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which is part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and/or refers matters to internal compliance partners for review and reporting globally. In addition, the GFCSU and USIU manage risk associated with politically exposed persons and persons and entities on core sanctions and risk lists through regular screening, and manage risk associated with improper payments that could be indicative of bribery, corruption, or other illicit activity by reviewing internal American Express payments and expenditures. The GFCSU and USIU together perform a critical role in ensuring that American Express complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), the USA PATRIOT Act, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and provides law enforcement with key information for the investigation and prosecution of money laundering and terrorist financing, credit card fraud, identity theft, and other criminal activity.

The GFCSU/USIU Training and Procedures team will be tasked with creating, maintaining and delivering all GFCSU/USIU  Investigations-related Procedures and Training Material  (AML, Screening, Enhanced Due Diligence and Payments Monitoring) in accordance with GFCC-issued standards; overseeing and collaborating on GFCSU/USIU  training efforts; aligning with the GFCSU/USIU  and stakeholders on efficiencies to improve investigative processes; collaborating with international markets to align on processes and expectations; serving as a liaison for quality control-related referrals impacting the GFCSU/USIU ; aligning with key stakeholders in the GFCSU/USIU  and GFCC on various procedural, operational, and training impacts; and other related responsibilities in support of the success of the program. 

This role will serve as a Procedures Manager supporting the responsibilities noted above, with an emphasis on the procedural process.

The ideal candidate should have a strong passion for process improvement and training and development, possess a fundamental understanding of GFCSU/USIU processes and procedures, and a proactive drive to partner with Investigations Leaders to drive effective procedural processes. 

Job Responsibilities

• Drafting, maintaining and delivering procedures, guidance, and other communications related to GFCSU/USIU processes and day-to-day work functions for all pillars of the GFCSU/USIU program as needed;
• Ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory standards, as well as internal quality requirements for investigations and local market SAR/STR filings;
• Reviewing internal audit and regulatory exam requests and drafting and aligning with leadership on formal responses for the same;
• Providing applicable training and coaching tailored to strengthen ability to support effective and adaptable procedures and training sessions based on individual and business needs
• Evaluating team and individual performance against expectations and deliverables of GFCSU/USIU Training and Procedures team initiatives, and supporting team engagement and dynamics
• Partnering with global investigations teams on areas of training and alignment need;
• Providing feedback to and acting as a resource for investigative analysts and leaders on a multitude of investigative and program topics;
• Assisting with alignment and remediation tasks in support of the GFCSU/USIU’s Quality Control process;
• Engaging in quality-related analysis and trend identification of investigative work, and proposing remedial steps to address deficiencies;
• Strategizing on how to drive innovation and efficiency for GFCSU/USIU processes and GFCC initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Equivalent work experience or a bachelor's degree in one of the following fields of study: Criminal Justice, English, Journalism, Finance, Accounting, or other fields involving intensive research, writing, or data analysis
• 2+ years of work experience developing and supporting a department procedural process, including drafting new procedural process and revising existing processes.
• Experience supporting and responding to external regulatory reviews and internal governance reviews
• Knowledge of criminal typologies associated with financial products and services
• Experience supporting and responding to external regulatory reviews and internal governance reviews
• Ability to demonstrate strategic thinking, implement innovation and change, introduce and champion new processes
• Experienced leader, capable of driving performance by coaching and motivating people for success, identifying their strengths and opportunities
• Ability to influence, gain support, and resolve conflict
• Keen attention to detail, proven analytical and problem-solving skills, demonstrated leadership abilities, and effective communication skills
• Proficient with all Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in GFCSU/USIU Polices, Process and Procedures as well as understanding of AML-related laws and regulations and other guidance
• 6+ years of work experience in a financial services institution or payment institution in any of the following areas is highly preferred: Anti-Money Laundering, Suspicious Activity Reporting, financial crime, enhanced due diligence, or law enforcement
• Experience with creating and delivering effective training with demonstrable results, coupled with a strong drive to develop and coach GFCSU/USIU team members
• A strong candidate will also be able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously; be an enthusiastic self-starter; and deadline-driven team player
• CAMS certified or equivalent preferred

Salary Range: $90,000.00 to $165,000.00 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.

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