Job Description
Global Compliance
Our division prevents, detects and mitigates compliance, regulatory and reputational risk across the firm and helps to strengthen the firm’s culture of compliance. Compliance accomplishes these through the firm’s enterprise-wide compliance risk management program. As an independent control function and part of the firm’s second line of defense, Compliance assesses the firm’s compliance, regulatory and reputational risk; monitors for compliance with new or amended laws, rules and regulations; designs and implements controls, policies, procedures and training; conducts independent testing; investigates, surveils and monitors for compliance risks and breaches; and leads the firm’s responses to regulatory examinations, audits and inquiries. You'll be part of a team with members from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, such as law, accounting, sales, and trading. We look for those who possess sound judgment, curiosity, and are able to adapt to a changing regulatory landscape.
The Government Sanctions Group (GSG) is seeking a Vice President to lead strategic optimization initiatives supporting the firm's global sanctions screening, surveillance, and oversight programs. This role combines deep sanctions compliance knowledge with strong project management, process improvement, and technology implementation experience.
The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying and executing opportunities to enhance the effectiveness, scalability, and efficiency of sanctions controls through automation, workflow redesign, data analytics, false positive reduction strategies, and collaboration with Engineering, Operations, and business stakeholders. The role requires an individual who can translate regulatory and sanctions risk requirements into sustainable operational and technology solutions while managing complex initiatives from concept through implementation.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Program and Project Management
- Lead complex cross-functional initiatives involving Compliance, Engineering, Operations, Data & Analytics, Corporate Treasury, and other stakeholders.
- Develop project plans, business requirements, governance materials, milestones, success metrics, and implementation strategies.
- Coordinate user acceptance testing (UAT), change management activities, implementation readiness reviews, and stakeholder communications.
- Track project progress, risks, dependencies, and issue resolution to ensure successful delivery of strategic initiatives.
- Prepare executive-level updates and governance reporting for senior management.
Screening Optimization and Automation
- Drive initiatives focused on screening effectiveness.
- Partner with technology teams to develop automation solutions that reduce manual processes while maintaining effective sanctions risk coverage.
- Support implementation of machine learning, analytics, and other advanced technologies within sanctions screening and other control-related workflows.
- Identify opportunities to migrate manual workflows into scalable technology solutions and user interfaces.
- Contribute to the development of long-term optimization strategies for sanctions screening and surveillance programs.
Stakeholder Management and Leadership
- Build strong partnerships across Compliance, Engineering, Operations, and business units.
- Influence decision-making across multiple stakeholder groups and drive consensus on strategic priorities.
- Present recommendations and project outcomes to senior management and governance forums.
- Mentor junior team members and contribute to the development of an innovative, continuous-improvement culture.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Significant experience in sanctions compliance, financial crime compliance, transaction screening, customer/reference data screening, and/or related control functions.
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale projects, technology implementations, or transformation initiatives.
- Strong understanding of screening systems, sanctions controls, alert management processes, and operational risk considerations.
- Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience drafting business requirements, process documentation, governance materials, and executive presentations.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex data into actionable recommendations.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience presenting to senior stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with sanctions screening platforms, workflow tools, case management systems, or compliance technology solutions.
- Experience leading automation, machine learning, or data analytics initiatives within a compliance or risk management environment.
- Familiarity with regulatory expectations related to sanctions compliance and screening effectiveness.
- Experience partnering with engineering and product teams to deliver technology solutions.
- Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile, Lean, Six Sigma, or similar certifications are a plus.
- Experience working in global financial services, banking, securities, or asset management organizations.
Key Competencies
- Sanctions expertise
- Program and project management
- Strategic execution
- Process optimization
- Technology transformation
- Data-driven decision making
- Stakeholder management
- Risk assessment
- Executive communication
- Cross-functional leadership
ABOUT GOLDMAN SACHS
At Goldman Sachs, we commit our people, capital and ideas to help our clients, shareholders and the communities we serve to grow. Founded in 1869, we are a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Headquartered in New York, we maintain offices around the world.
We believe who you are makes you better at what you do. We're committed to fostering and advancing diversity and inclusion in our own workplace and beyond by ensuring every individual within our firm has a number of opportunities to grow professionally and personally, from our training and development opportunities and firmwide networks to benefits, wellness and personal finance offerings and mindfulness programs. Learn more about our culture, benefits, and people at GS.com/careers.
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Goldman Sachs is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veterans status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
