Job Description

The Manager, Strategic Risk sits within Global Strategy, Operations & Performance (GSOP), a Center of Excellence for Global Merchant & Network Services (GMNS). GSOP partners across the organization to drive strategic initiatives, enhance operating rigor, and deliver against enterprise priorities.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguous, fast-moving environments, enjoys solving complex problems, and can bring structure, clarity, and momentum to cross-functional initiatives.

About the Role

You will be part of a small, high-impact team that operates at the intersection of strategy, operations, and risk, leading priority initiatives that span multiple teams, markets, and senior stakeholders.

The role is less about owning a single domain and more about acting as a strategic operator, someone who can quickly get up to speed on new problems, define a path forward, and drive execution across a matrixed organization.

You’ll work closely with partners across GMNS, Risk, Compliance, and other functions to:

• Translate complex challenges into clear, actionable plans
• Align stakeholders around a common direction
• Drive execution with discipline and transparency

Key Responsibilities

• Lead high-priority, cross-functional initiatives from problem definition through execution, bringing structure to ambiguous business challenges.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to shape strategic direction, align on priorities, and drive decision-making across teams.
• Break down complex problems into clear workstreams, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring progress is tracked and communicated effectively.
• Synthesize inputs from multiple sources (data, stakeholder perspectives, regulatory considerations) into clear insights and recommendations.
• Establish and run governance forums, including executive updates, to ensure alignment, visibility, and accountability.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and trade-offs, and proactively work with stakeholders to navigate them.
• Drive collaboration across global teams, adapting approaches to different markets, functions, and operating environments.
• Support the design and implementation of sustainable processes, frameworks, and ways of working.

Qualifications

• 4–7 years of experience in management consulting, strategy, business operations, or program management within a complex, matrixed organization.
• Demonstrated ability to structure ambiguous problems and drive them to execution.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear, concise narratives for senior stakeholders.
• Proven experience influencing across teams and levels without direct authority.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to use data to support decision-making.
• Experience working on cross-functional or enterprise-wide initiatives is strongly preferred.
• Exposure to risk, compliance, or regulatory environments is helpful, but not required.

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