Director-Strategic Planning - job 1 of 3

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. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this 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. 

With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you’ll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that’s unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally. 

At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact—every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong. 

Join Team Amex and let's lead the way together.

American Express Global Commercial Services (GCS) is the Global leader in the Commercial Payments Solutions space and subsequently continues to be an exciting and fast-growing segment. To maintain success, accelerating sales and driving growth are critical for the organization while maintaining the highest levels of control and compliance standards.

 You will be joining a high priority and high visibility program management team that touches many teams within GCS and across American Express. The successful candidate will be responsible for providing program management support across deliverables and ensuring we seamlessly advance the business unit to an elevated risk management model. This individual will ensure the timely and structured management of the multi-year program for GCS. The role involves critical coordination across GCS workstreams, business unit leaders, and extensive collaboration with partners in second-line, third-line, and supporting areas to ensure we continue maintaining the highest levels of control and compliance standards. 

Core Responsibilities:

• Develop and support an E2E cross-functional workplan enabling the delivery and oversight of project deliverables
• Partner with Sales, Product, Servicing, Compliance, GCO, Control Management, Technologies, 2LOD/3LOD
• Serve as the program management function, acting as a conduit between GCS sponsors/leads and the critical workstreams delivering on project mandates 
• Ensure clear communication of progress up to top level management; report on milestone progress, raise key decisions and issues for resolution where required.
• Collaborate closely with external parties (i.e. consulting partners) and support all engagements to ensure key decisions are made and progress is achieved. 
• Identify learning needs and form communication strategies as the program progresses.
• Develop linkages and dependencies with groups within and outside the Global Commercial Services
• Champion change management by establishing appropriate governance and communication cadence, driving organizational alignment to further our control and compliance outcomes.
• Support PMO forums for GCS, interface with organization-wide committees (e.g., Operational Risk Management Committee), and share insights (e.g., Community of Practice) 
• Execute on protocol for capturing all key artifacts including approvals and evidence of task completion to support appropriate milestone completion, in line with Enterprise PMO guidance

Minimum Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated self-starter who is able to deliver strategic thought leadership and lead projects with limited guidance. 
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, highly complex environment with a proven ability to quickly adjust to shifting priorities, multiple demands, ambiguity and rapid change. 
• Excellent project/program management and organizational skills with a demonstrated ability to build ‘results driving’ relationships. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proven ability to influence without authority. 
• Proven track record of developing strategic frameworks for vaguely defined business problems and ability to turn those frameworks into actionable projects/initiatives that drive meaningful results.
• Strong thought leadership including ability to quickly understand critical linkages and implications of program strategies on the business at large. 
• Proven track record of building relationships and successfully operating in a highly matrix environment and being able to lead and influence without direct authority.
• High level of integrity with ability to handle sensitive issues with complete confidentiality 
• Experienced people leader, growth mindset focused, with ability of managing, developing and motivating a diverse team of colleagues and consultants/contractors.
• Knowledge of commercial payments industry & economics advantageous.
• Experience in Strategic Planning, Program Management, Project Management, Consulting, and/or Process Transformation supporting a large cross-functional, change-management initiative that supports multiple domains 
• Demonstrated control mindset, with preference of previous experience in operational risk and compliance at a Bank.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding or prior experience in Global Commercial Services 

Salary Range: $130,000.00 to $205,000.00 annually + bonus + equity (if applicable) + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we’ll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

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

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries 
• Bonus incentives 
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan 
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support 
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits 
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need 
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy 
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location) 
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program 
• Career development and training opportunities

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. American Express will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in accordance with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. For positions covered by federal and/or state banking regulations, American Express will comply with such regulations as it relates to the consideration of applicants with criminal convictions.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

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