Vice President, Compliance - Canada

This is a senior role comprising of Country Executive Team Membership.

High level responsibilities:

• Single point of contact for all Compliance matters pertaining to Amex Bank of Canada (Bank), the Canada market, and Canada legal entities.
• Key contact point for all Canada regulators for regulatory engagement with the Bank, the Canada market, and legal entities.
• Serves on the Canada Country Executive Team as the Legal Entity Compliance Officer for the market. Member of the International Compliance Leadership team.
• Responsible for oversight, direction and support for all regulatory compliance risks related matters within Canada for American Express consumer products & services.

• Playing key roles and functions such as Chief Anti Money Laundering Officer (CAMLO), Chief Privacy Officer (CPO), Chief Complaints Officer, and Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer. Some of those roles may be delegated within the compliance team.

  Detailed responsibilities:

• Driving the Compliance strategy and acting as the single compliance voice for the Canada market for all compliance risks governed by the Global Compliance Risk Management Policy.
• Undertaking the role requirements and registrations of the Legal Entity Compliance Officer for the Bank and Legal Entities operating in Canada.
• Managing relationships with all applicable supervisory and regulatory agencies.
• Providing strategic compliance advice and assurance to market level and committees.
• Strategic advisor to the business for all compliance-related matters, including but not limited to the regulatory implications of 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 General Counsel’s Organisation (GCO), 1LOD Business Unit Control Managers, Internal Audit Group (IAG).
• Provide independent, objective oversight, and effective challenge to Business Units on appropriate and effective governance practices, controls and approval processes required at a business, legal entity and market level, to deliver and evidence regulatory compliance.
• Partner with GCO to ensure robust identification of changes in relevant legislation, regulatory environment or changes in the business that have compliance related implications.
• Coordinating and, as necessary, managing supervisory and regulatory examinations and audits.
• Reporting to senior management, Board members and local authorities, as appropriate, the performed activities such as results of second line of defense monitoring and testing, compliance-related risks and risk indicators, and the escalation of compliance issues and incidents.

Required Skills / Qualifications

• Significant financial services Compliance and anti-money laundering experience related to Canada Cards / Payments industry; deep knowledge of Canada requirements for Payment Institutions, for both issuing and acquiring business.
• Strong expertise in interacting with local regulators/national authorities as well as strong networking in the Canada payment/financial/banking community.
• Strong knowledge of local regulations.
• Strong influencing skills in a complex /matrix organization to drive results/design a local robust regulatory compliance framework.
• Strong leadership skills to work effectively with very senior levels of American Express management (business and Compliance) and be a trusted advisor.
• Fluency in leveraging a complex matrix environment to negotiate successfully with key stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to collaborate and build and foster strong relationships within the Compliance organization globally and regionally in addition to key stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills to positively represent in discussions with regulators.
• Strong management skills to effectively lead, motivate and manage a team of direct/indirect reports.
• Graduate and/or relevant professional qualification preferred - Law or Economics Degree, Compliance/AML Diploma, CAMS Certification will be an advantage.
• Job location: Canada

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