The Manager – First Line Risk Management will play a key leadership role in strengthening the First Line risk and control environment within GSM Payment Operations, driving proactive risk management and ensuring effective execution of key governance, testing, issue management, and audit activities.

This is a people manager role requiring strong risk and control expertise, leadership capability, sound judgment, and executive presence. The role involves extensive engagement with internal stakeholders, auditors, and external stakeholders and requires the ability to communicate complex risk matters clearly, provide constructive challenge, and drive sustainable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Drive strong First Line ownership of risk and controls, partnering with business leaders to proactively identify, assess, manage, and mitigate key risks.
• Lead the review and refresh of the AEMP01 Policy, ensuring requirements remain relevant, effective, and aligned with the evolving business and risk environment.
• Lead independent PRSA/RCSA  testing within the First Line, ensuring testing is robust, evidence-based, and provides meaningful assessment of control effectiveness.
• Oversee ORE and Issue Management, ensuring appropriate identification, assessment, escalation, root-cause analysis, remediation, and sustainable closure.
• Identify emerging, recurring, and systemic risk themes and translate insights into tangible improvements to the control environment.
• Serve as a key First Line representative to auditors, leading and coordinating audit engagements, walkthroughs, evidence requests, management responses, findings, and remediation activities.
• Build credible and effective relationships with senior business leaders, auditors, external stakeholders, Second Line Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, and other control partners.
• Provide effective risk expertise and constructive challenge, influencing stakeholders to strengthen controls and achieve appropriate risk outcomes.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of risk professionals, establishing clear priorities, accountability, and performance expectations.
• Foster a strong risk culture focused on ownership, accountability, constructive challenge, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Significant experience in First Line Risk Management, Operational Risk, Controls, Governance, Audit, Compliance, or a related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of risk and control frameworks, including risk assessment, control design and effectiveness, control testing, issue management, and remediation.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex risk and control matters and driving sustainable remediation.
• Experience leading or supporting audit engagements and effectively representing the business with auditors and other stakeholders.
• Proven people management and leadership experience, including coaching, developing, and motivating teams.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility and effectively engage senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate complex risk matters clearly and confidently.
• Strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and demonstrated ability to identify root causes and translate risk insights into practical actions.
• Ability to operate effectively in a complex environment, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality outcomes within established timelines.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant professional experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or relevant professional qualification in Risk Management, Audit, Compliance, Finance, Business, or a related discipline.
• Professional certifications in risk, audit, controls, or related fields.
• Deep experience in First Line operational risk and control management, particularly within a large, complex, or highly regulated organization.
• Experience leading policy governance, risk and control assessments, independent control testing, and issue remediation.
• Strong track record of managing high-profile or complex audit and external stakeholder engagements.
• Demonstrated ability to identify cross-cutting and systemic risk themes and drive enterprise-level or business-wide control improvements.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior leaders, navigate challenging conversations, and represent the First Line confidently with external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build and develop high-performing risk teams while promoting a culture of strong risk ownership and accountability.

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.