Director - TVM Operations

You Lead the Way. We've Got Your Back. At American Express, we empower our colleagues to deliver meaningful impact through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. As part of the Technology Vendor Management (TVM) organization, the Director of TVM Operations will play a critical leadership role in driving operational excellence, standardization, and AI-enabled transformation across our global TVM organization. How will you make an impact in this role? The Director of TVM Operations will provide strategic leadership with a strong focus on our regional support teams by driving operational consistency, process excellence, and continuous improvement across the varied Technology Vendor Management functions. This role will partner closely with TVM leaders to identify cross-functional synergies, optimize resource utilization, and accelerate the adoption of AI and automation to improve service delivery and business outcomes. Develop and lead the global operating model for TVM teams, driving consistency, governance, capacity planning, and operational performance. Partner with functional leaders across Business Process Services, Financial Management, Reporting & Controls, Software, Infrastructure, IT Labor & Cloud to identify opportunities to simplify processes, eliminate duplication, and improve productivity. Define and execute the TVM AI and automation strategy by identifying high-value use cases, implementing AI-enabled workflows, and embedding automation into core vendor management processes. Establish operational governance, performance metrics, and executive reporting to provide transparency into productivity, service quality, risk, and business outcomes. Lead strategic programs and cross-functional initiatives supporting the TVM roadmap, including process transformation, location strategy, operational readiness, and enterprise tooling implementations. Develop Outcome Key Results to drive strategic performance and track to completion. Build a culture of continuous improvement by standardizing processes, documenting best practices, and implementing scalable operational controls. Develop a high-performing global team, fostering collaboration, innovation, and career development while strengthening organizational capability. Partner with Enterprise Technology, Finance, Risk, Global Supply Management, and other key stakeholders to ensure operational priorities align with enterprise objectives and American Express Leadership Behaviors. Minimum Qualifications Demonstrated experience leading program management or business operations functions within a complex technology organization. Proven ability to lead cross-functional transformation initiatives and influence senior stakeholders across multiple business areas. Experience implementing operational excellence frameworks, process improvement methodologies, and governance models. Strong analytical skills with experience leveraging data to drive strategic decisions and operational performance. Excellent communication and executive presentation skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels. Experience leading geographically distributed teams and developing high-performing organizations. 10+ years of experience in Technology Operations, Business Operations, Program Management Office (PMO), Shared Services, Technology Business Management (TBM), Vendor Management, or a related function. Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Finance, Operations Management, or a related discipline. Proven experience leading large-scale operational transformation, process optimization, and enterprise-wide initiatives within a complex technology organization. Demonstrated success influencing senior leaders and driving cross-functional alignment without direct authority. Experience establishing operational governance, OKRs, executive reporting, workforce planning, and performance management. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to translate data into actionable business insights. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to executive leadership. Preferred Qualifications MBA or Master's degree in Business Administration, Technology Management, Information Systems, Data Analytics, or a related field preferred. Experience within Enterprise Technology, Technology Vendor Management, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Technology Business Management (TBM), or Global Operations. Experience leading AI-enabled transformation, automation, and digital productivity initiatives. Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or other continuous improvement methodologies. Demonstrated success building global operating models, driving organizational change, and developing high-performing teams across multiple locations.