You Lead the Way. We’ve Got Your Back.

With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you’ll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that’s unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.

At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact—every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

Join Team Amex and let's lead the way together.

How will you make an impact in this role?

This position is responsible for the effective and efficient execution and improvement of a Compliance program consistent with Spanish regulatory requirements and American Express Compliance programs and standards, in support of the American Express business in Spain.

Reporting to the VP EU Compliance Head this role will be responsible for all operational aspects of the market compliance program. This role also plays a key role in ensuring the Compliance program is executed through an effective partnership with other groups such as GCO, Operational Excellence, CFR & LOB.

This position will play a key role among Business stakeholders, to provide directions on ensuring controlled risk environment. On another aspect, it will be in charge as point of contact for Regulators in on-site or remote exam supporting the VP EU Compliance Head.

The incumbent will identify applicable requirements and regulations, devise and implement policies and procedures to achieve compliance with legal obligations and Company policy, assure that appropriate compliance-related training programs are conducted, provide guidance to the business as necessary on compliance issues, take appropriate steps to assure that compliance issues are regularly monitored and audited, provide such administrative oversight as is necessary to effectively document compliance activity, deal appropriately with other staff and control functions, assist in the management of regulatory relationships and perform other tasks as requested or necessary from time to time to support the effective running of the compliance program. This role will also require strong people leadership responsibilities.

Principal Accountabilities

• 
  Single point of contact for all Compliance matters pertaining to the Spanish market based legal entities.
• Key contact point for all Spanish regulators for regulatory engagement with American Express.

Responsible for oversight, direction and support for all regulatory compliance related matters within the Market for American Express consumer products & services. Responsible for ensuring that regulatory compliance risks relating to AXP legal entities based in Spain are adequately identified, assessed, monitored, and controlled. Responsible for driving the Compliance Program incorporating enterprise wide requirements. Direct report of Vice President, Head of EU Compliance. Key escalation point in the market for compliance decisions that need resolution

Detailed Responsibilities

• Undertaking the role requirements and registrations of the MCO for Legal Entity.

Maintaining strong working relationships with all applicable supervisory and regulatory agencies. Coordinating and managing supervisory and regulatory examinations and audits. Driving the Compliance strategy and acting as the single compliance voice for the Spanish Market for all compliance risks governed by AEMP39 Providing strategic compliance advice and assurance to market level and Legal Entity Boards and committees. Drives Compliance oversight and 2nd line challenge for new and existing products, services and processes; resolution of compliance-related incidents and gaps; enhancements to the entity’s compliance framework; and the review and approval of business activities. Building deep and effective working relationships with senior business leaders and key stakeholder groups such as GCO, Operational Risk / Excellence, IAG. Driving the development and embedding of appropriate and effective governance practices, controls and approval processes required at business, legal entity and market level, to deliver and evidence regulatory compliance; Ensure an effective 2nd line testing program. Partner with GCO to ensure robust identification of changes in relevant legislation, regulatory environment or changes in the business that have compliance related implications. Reporting to senior management and local authorities, as appropriate, the compliance plan, results of second line of defense monitoring and testing, compliance-related risks and risk indicators, and the escalation of compliance issues and incidents. Ensuring the compliance program is documented in compliance manuals and procedures, and regularly updated and maintained. Coordinating, and as necessary, developing and conducting customized training and communication plans to meet legal entity and business needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of payments and industry.
• Proven ability to build relationship and influence regulators.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability work effectively with very senior levels of AXP management (business and Compliance) and be a trusted advisor.
• Outstanding risk-based decision making, issue resolution and consensus building skills in order to build and run a worldclass compliance program.
• Ability to engage effectively with business teams in assessing large scale change management initiatives, integrating business strategy with Compliance strategy to mitigate risk for the company.
• Highly proactive, outstanding problem solver and successful decision maker.
• Ability to clear articulate rationale for Compliance – at an overall program level or for tactical/ day to day decisions.
• Bi-Lingual fluency in Spanish and English (written and oral).
• Ability to build and foster strong relationships within the Compliance organization globally and regionally, in addition to key stakeholders like GCO.
• Strong management skills to effectively lead, motivate and manage a team of direct reports across multiple markets.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate and/or relevant professional qualification preferred – Law/Finance Degree.
• Compliance/AML Certification with a Legal/Compliance/Audit background desired.

We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• Support for financial-well-being and retirement
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
• 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

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.