Director, Risk AI & Innovation

American Express•New York, NY

About The Position

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. Overview: The Enterprise Risk Management and Risk Oversight (ERMRO) organization within Global Risk and Compliance (GRC) is responsible for strengthening risk governance and enabling effective oversight across the enterprise. The Director, Risk AI Products will play a critical leadership role in shaping and delivering AI-enabled products that enhance risk, compliance, and control capabilities across the firm. This role blends product leadership, AI strategy, and enterprise stakeholder management. The Director will lead multidisciplinary teams of product managers and data scientists, drive prioritization of high-impact AI use cases, and partner closely with Risk, Compliance, Technology, Data Governance, and Legal stakeholders to ensure solutions are scalable, responsible, and aligned with enterprise standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field.
Proven experience in developing and implementing AI solutions, particularly Generative AI.
Significant experience leading product, analytics, or AI initiatives in a complex, regulated environment.
Demonstrated success leading and scaling cross-functional teams, including product managers and data scientists.
Strong ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels.
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to senior, non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Experience with AI tools and frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or similar.
Experience delivering AI or advanced analytics products in risk, compliance, or financial services contexts.
Familiarity with AI governance, model risk management, and data privacy considerations.
Comfort partnering with engineering and data science teams, without needing to be deeply hands-on technically.
Proven ability to lead through ambiguity and drive outcomes in large, matrixed organizations.

Responsibilities

Own the product vision and roadmap for Risk AI products, with a focus on Generative AI and advanced analytics use cases across ERM, ORM, Compliance, and Financial Crimes.
Translate complex risk and regulatory needs into clear product strategies and outcomes.
Balance innovation with risk management, governance, and regulatory expectations.
Lead, mentor, and develop teams of product managers and data scientists, fostering a strong culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
Set clear goals, success metrics, and career development paths for team members.
Act as a connector between technical teams and business stakeholders.
Partner closely with senior leaders across Risk, Compliance, Technology, Data Governance, Privacy, and Legal to align on priorities and delivery.
Navigate complex, sometimes competing stakeholder needs and drive alignment through clear communication and influence.
Represent Risk AI initiatives in executive forums and governance committees.
Guide the responsible design and deployment of AI-enabled solutions, ensuring alignment with enterprise AI risk management, data privacy, and governance standards.
Support the definition of success metrics (e.g., business impact, adoption, model performance) and continuous improvement practices.
Stay informed on evolving AI regulations and industry best practices and incorporate them into product strategy.
Oversee delivery of AI products from concept through production, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, and well-adopted.
Partner with Technology teams to ensure effective integration with enterprise platforms and approved data sources.
Ensure outcomes focus on measurable improvements in efficiency, risk insight, and decision-making.

Benefits

Competitive base salaries
Bonus incentives
6%25 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