Director - Business Operations

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. From delivering differentiated products to providing world-class customer service, we operate with a strong risk mindset, ensuring we continue to uphold our brand promise of trust, security, and service.

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.

Description

Global Merchant & Network Services (GMNS) powers the American Express global payments network, enabling more than $1.7 trillion in annual spend across 170+ markets. The GMNS Product Team is responsible for driving products, capabilities, and partnerships that enable merchants, acquirers, ISVs, and payment facilitators to connect to the American Express Network with speed, scale, and reliability. 

How will you make an impact in this role?

The Director, Business Operations will report to the Vice President of GMNS Product Business Operations, and will play a critical execution and leadership role in strengthening GMNS Product’s risk, control, and operational readiness capabilities. 

This Director will be responsible for owning execution, driving alignment, and delivering results across GMNS Product risk, control, and operational readiness activities. 

The role will focus on operationalizing frameworks, managing complex portfolios of work, and leading cross‑functional partners to close issues and mitigate risk.

 

The Director will act as a key liaison between GMNS Product teams and partners across Control Management, Business Operations, Technology, GCO, Compliance, and Internal Audit.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Own monitoring, tracking, and progression of Operational Risk Events (OREs) and issues, including aged OREs and Past Due Findings, proactively identifying blockers and driving resolution in partnership with Product, Technology, and Operations teams

• Support closure readiness by ensuring documentation, approvals, and evidence meet 1LOD and 2LOD expectations

• Support the design and rollout of the GMNS Product operational readiness framework, embedding it into product delivery and change execution processes

• Partner with Product and Technology teams to ensure clear handoffs, readiness criteria, and risk considerations are incorporated into delivery plans

• Drive consistency and discipline in mandate prioritization and intake, ensuring appropriate routing and execution ownership

• Support preparation and execution of GMNS Product Risk Committee meetings, including metric review, materials, action tracking, and follow‑ups

• Actively manage alignment across 1LOD and 2LOD teams, anticipating friction points and resolving issues before they escalate

• Contribute to Control Management governance forums, representing GMNS Product perspectives and ensuring feedback is actioned

• Support risk and control capability uplift across GMNS Product by contributing to training, change management, and awareness initiatives

• Champion adoption of new or updated management policies by supporting intake processes, coordinating reviews, and reinforcing best practices

• Ensure required documentation is produced, reviewed, and stored in line with policy and audit expectations

Skills & Qualifications

• Proven experience leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives in risk, control, operations, product, or technology environments
• Strong execution mindset with the ability to move work forward in time‑sensitive and ambiguous situations
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and improve processes that work across global and local teams
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence and partner effectively with senior leaders and diverse stakeholder groups
• Experience managing multiple competing priorities while maintaining attention to detail and delivery quality
• Collaborative, relationship‑oriented leader with an enterprise mindset
• Experience working with Product, Technology, Control Management, GCO, Compliance, Risk and/or Internal Audit strongly preferred

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
• 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

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.  

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