Senior Manager, KYC Strategy

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, the Global Governance, Risk, Remediation, & Operations (GRRO) team drives strategy, governance, and execution to enable a profitable, compliant, and vibrant network. 

Reporting to the Director, KYC POA Strategy, the Sr. Manager will play a key role in developing and executing the global KYC POA strategy across merchant onboarding, refresh methodology, operating model design, decisioning logic, and procedural and playbook standards. This is a highly execution-oriented role responsible for translating strategic priorities and regulatory requirements into actionable solutions, driving cross-functional workstreams, conducting analysis, and supporting implementation across markets and business segments.

• Support the development and execution of the Global KYC POA strategy across merchant onboarding, refresh methodology, operating model design, decisioning logic, and procedural/playbook standards.
• Own and drive key KYC POA strategy and transformation workstreams
• Translate regulatory, policy, business, and operational requirements into practical KYC strategies, business requirements, decisioning frameworks, processes, and implementation plans.
• Conduct detailed analysis of existing KYC processes, requirements, merchant populations, operational performance, and pain points to identify opportunities to strengthen compliance, reduce risk, improve efficiency, and enhance the merchant experience.
• Develop recommendations and future-state solutions that balance KYC and regulatory requirements with operational scalability and a frictionless merchant experience.
• Develop and maintain KYC procedures, standards, governance frameworks, controls, playbooks, and supporting documentation to drive consistency across geographies and business segments.
• Partner closely with Compliance, GMNS Product, Control Management, second line of defense,  and other business stakeholders to develop requirements, resolve issues, and implement scalable KYC solutions.
• Facilitate cross-functional working sessions to evaluate complex KYC challenges, define solutions, document decisions, and drive actions through completion.
• Monitor the effectiveness of implemented KYC strategies and processes and identify opportunities for continuous improvement, automation, simplification, and enhanced controls.
• Stay informed of evolving KYC requirements, regulatory expectations, industry practices, and internal policy changes and assess their potential impact on merchant KYC strategies and processes.

• 5 years of experience in financial crime compliance, KYC strategy, risk management, merchant/customer onboarding, operations, consulting, or a related function within financial services.
• Strong knowledge of KYC regulatory requirements, processes, onboarding and refresh methodologies, and financial crimes risk management principles.
• Experience developing or implementing KYC strategies, processes, operating models, decisioning frameworks, procedures, or remediation programs.
• Demonstrated ability to independently own complex workstreams and take initiatives from analysis and problem definition through recommendation and implementation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize complex regulatory, operational, and data-driven inputs into clear insights and practical solutions.
• Experience translating business, policy, regulatory, and operational requirements into detailed business requirements, processes, procedures, and implementation plans.
• Strong program and project management capabilities, including milestone management, risk and issue management, dependency tracking, and cross-functional coordination.
• Ability to work effectively across a complex, matrixed organization and build productive relationships with stakeholders across Business, Operations, Technology, Risk, and Compliance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop clear, concise presentations and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to operate with a high degree of ownership and autonomy while knowing when to escalate key decisions, risks, or issues.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant compliance certifications preferred.

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the United States is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.