Director-Compliance

American Express is seeking a skilled Regulatory Change & Inventory Management Director – Vendor Strategy & Third-Party Oversight responsible for defining and executing the vendor strategy and third-party oversight framework supporting regulatory change initiatives. The Director will ensure that external partners, professional services firms, technology providers, and other third parties are selected, governed, and managed in a manner that supports regulatory commitments, business objectives, risk-management expectations, and sustainable delivery.

This role will serve as a strategic partner across Compliance Regulatory Change, Procurement, Legal, and Technology providing centralized leadership over vendor strategy, third-party performance, commercial effectiveness, and associated risks.

Vendor Strategy & Operating Model

• Develop and maintain an enterprise-aligned vendor strategy for the regulatory change portfolio, including decisions regarding strategic partners, specialized capabilities, capacity augmentation, and insourcing versus outsourcing.
• Assess current and future vendor capabilities against regulatory change priorities and identify capability, capacity, concentration, and dependency risks.
• Drive opportunities to rationalize the vendor landscape, strengthen strategic partnerships, reduce unnecessary complexity, and improve value from external spend.
• Partner with senior leaders to forecast third-party resource and capability requirements based on the regulatory change portfolio.

 

Third-Party Oversight & Risk Management

• Establish robust governance and oversight of vendors supporting regulatory change activities throughout the third-party lifecycle.
• Ensure third-party engagements comply with applicable internal policies, risk-management standards, contractual requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Develop risk-based oversight mechanisms for critical and high-impact vendors, including performance monitoring, issue management, escalation, and remediation.
• Identify and manage third-party risks, including operational, compliance, technology, information security, data, concentration, resiliency, and delivery risks.
• Maintain clear accountability and evidence demonstrating effective oversight of third-party activities supporting regulatory obligations.

 

Vendor Performance & Governance

• Establish standardized performance measures, service-level expectations, scorecards, and governance routines for key vendors.
• Implement mechanisms to identify emerging performance concerns and ensure timely corrective action.
• Establish clear escalation pathways for significant vendor issues and provide transparent reporting to senior management.
• Partner with program and initiative leaders to ensure third-party deliverables meet agreed quality, timing, and regulatory requirements.

 

Commercial & Financial Management

• Partner with Global Supply Management on vendor selection, contracting, renewals, statements of work, and commercial negotiations.
• Ensure commercial decisions appropriately balance cost, capability, regulatory risk, delivery timelines, and long-term strategic value.

• Significant leadership experience in regulatory change, third-party risk management, vendor management, strategic sourcing, transformation, risk, compliance, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience operating in a highly regulated financial-services environment.
• Strong understanding of third-party lifecycle management, vendor governance, risk assessment, contracting, performance management, and commercial management.
• Proven ability to establish governance frameworks, executive reporting, performance measures, and escalation processes.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives and navigate complex, matrixed organizations.
• Excellent judgment, communication, negotiation, and executive presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading vendor strategy or third-party oversight for large-scale regulatory or enterprise transformation programs.
• Knowledge of financial-services third-party risk management and operational resilience expectations.
• Demonstrated success improving vendor performance while reducing cost, complexity, or third-party risk.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant professional certifications preferred.

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 our 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.