Senior Manager - Audit
About the Internal Audit Group at American Express
Our Internal Audit Group is a worldwide function with 300+ team members and offices across nine countries within American Express. Our mission is to protect and enhance organizational value by providing independent, objective, risk-based assurance, advisory services and to influence the way the company manages risk.
We are committed to growing our audit staff significantly as we continue to expand and enhance the Internal Audit Group. Our assurance and risk professionals have diverse backgrounds including internal controls, consumer compliance, technology, operational risk, financial accounting, data analytics, and banking operations. Our audit teams align to key risk areas and business units to ensure IAG can provide comprehensive and risk-based audit coverage. In addition, IAG has a Professional Practices group responsible for managing audit operations, quality, and standards; regulatory relations; reporting; training and professional development; and key internal capabilities and technologies.
About the Role
This Senior Manager role is within the IAG Financial Crime Audit Team. The successful candidate will serve as the Audit in Charge (AIC) for audits across key financial crime domains, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), Sanctions, Customer Due Diligence (CDD/KYC), and Financial Crime Governance, providing independent, risk-based assurance across global operations.
While the role is based in India, it will involve working with fellow IAG colleagues and client stakeholders located in countries globally and operating with a global lens as you support global, US, and international activities.
Act as an Auditor in Charge (AIC) on complex Financial Crime audits and/or lead multiple simultaneous lower-risk audits, managing audit engagements end-to-end, including planning, defining scope and objectives, conducting walkthroughs, performing L1 reviews, and coordinating with business stakeholders and external auditors.
Execute risk-based audits across key Financial Crime domains, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), Sanctions, Customer Due Diligence (CDD/KYC), Transaction Monitoring, Name Screening, Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC), Fraud Risk Management, and Financial Crime Governance.
Assess the design and operating effectiveness of financial crime controls against applicable regulatory requirements, internal policies, and industry leading practices.
Evaluate the effectiveness of Financial Crime governance, risk assessments, policies, control frameworks, customer lifecycle controls (including onboarding, CDD/EDD, periodic reviews, and beneficial ownership), and transaction monitoring and sanctions screening programmes.
Analyze audit results, synthesize findings, develop audit reports, and provide practical, risk-based recommendations to strengthen the control environment.
Assess the effectiveness of regulatory remediation activities and Management Action Plans (MAPs), ensuring root causes are appropriately addressed and sustainable outcomes are achieved.
Support ongoing business monitoring activities by identifying emerging financial crime risks, regulatory developments, enforcement actions, and industry trends to inform audit planning and continuous risk assessment.
Identify opportunities to leverage data analytics and technology to enhance audit coverage and provide insights across financial crime risks.
Build and maintain effective relationships with Financial Crime Compliance, Global Compliance & Ethics, Risk Management, Operations, Technology, and business stakeholders globally.
Delegate work effectively, coach and develop team members, review workpapers, and provide timely, actionable feedback to support high-quality audit delivery and colleague development.
Serve as a People Leader, providing mentorship, coaching, performance feedback, and career development support for direct reports.
Act as the first point of escalation for audit issues, communicate audit outcomes with management, support regulatory examinations, and follow up on the timely closure of Management Action Plans.
Minimum Qualifications
8+ years of audit experience.
Prior experience working at a Big Four firm and/or a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB).
Working knowledge of Financial Crime Risk Management, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Sanctions, Customer Due Diligence (CDD/KYC), or related financial crime disciplines.
Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills to deliver high-quality audit outcomes and provide actionable, value-added feedback to management.
Effectively leads teams in a fast-paced environment, utilizing project management skills, sound judgement, and the ability to manage competing priorities.
Applies critical thinking, data analysis, and risk and control knowledge to solve complex problems and reach risk-based conclusions.
Applies control theory and professional auditing practices throughout the audit lifecycle.
Understands relevant financial crime regulations, regulatory expectations, and financial services industry practices, incorporating these into the audit approach.
Preferred Qualifications
Understanding of U.S. and international Financial Crime laws, regulations, and regulatory guidance.
ACAMS certification (or working towards certification) and/or other relevant professional qualifications (e.g. CIA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, CISA).
Experience auditing Financial Crime Risk Management frameworks within a large financial institution.