Director - Quality Assurance (QA)

Global Merchant & Network Services (GMNS) powers the American Express global payments network, enabling more than $1.7T in annual spend across 170+ markets. Within GMNS, Global Governance, Risk, Remediation and Operations (GRRO) drives strategy, governance, and execution to enable a profitable, compliant, and vibrant network. Reporting to the VP, Financial Crime Delivery (Lauren Germaise) within GRRO, the Director, Quality Assurance (QA) will establish and lead the newly formed QA function supporting Financial Crime and KYC operations across GMNS. The Director will build and develop a high-performing team and partner across the business to strengthen oversight of operational quality and proactively identify and mitigate financial crime risk. The Director will be accountable for establishing and continuously enhancing a robust, risk-based QA framework that provides objective assurance and challenge over operational KYC processes and quality control activities. The role will provide senior leadership with meaningful insights into quality, control effectiveness, emerging risks, and systemic issues, while driving sustainable improvements across Financial Crime and KYC operations. Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Quality Assurance team supporting Financial Crime and KYC operations across GMNS. Establish and own the Quality Assurance strategy and framework, including methodologies, risk-based sampling, governance, SLAs, operating standards, and escalation protocols. Provide strategic oversight of QA activities, ensuring effective assessment of operational performance, control effectiveness, and adherence to regulatory requirements and internal standards. Develop and deliver executive reporting and actionable insights on quality trends, systemic issues, emerging risks, root causes, and remediation progress to senior leaders and governance forums. Provide effective challenge and establish escalation mechanisms to ensure material findings and risks are appropriately understood, prioritized, and addressed. Drive continuous improvement across Financial Crime and KYC operations, partnering with Global Servicing to address root causes, strengthen controls, and improve customer and regulatory outcomes. Partner across Operations, Risk, Compliance, and other control functions to translate QA findings and evolving regulatory requirements into sustainable process improvements and risk mitigation actions 8+ years of relevant experience in Financial Crime, KYC/AML, Quality Assurance, Compliance, Risk Management, Controls, or related disciplines within financial services; payments experience preferred. Strong knowledge of Financial Crime and KYC regulatory requirements, risk management principles, and operational control frameworks. Demonstrated experience establishing, leading, or materially enhancing Quality Assurance, testing, monitoring, or operational risk programs. Strong understanding of acquiring, merchant, and/or payments operations and associated financial crime risks. Proven track record of leading and developing high-performing teams in a global, matrixed environment. Demonstrated ability to identify systemic risks and control weaknesses and translate complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership. Strong risk mindset with the ability to assess, articulate, and escalate risks and required mitigations transparently and effectively. Strategic thinker with sound judgment and demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, create structure, and translate complex information into clear priorities and decisions. Strong executive communication, consultation, facilitation, and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive outcomes across organizational boundaries. Proven ability to build strong partnerships across Operations, Risk, Compliance, and other control functions in a highly matrixed organization. Ability to lead through change and operate effectively in a dynamic and evolving regulatory environment.