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With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you’ll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that’s unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.

At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact—every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

Join Team Amex and let's lead the way together.

Vice President & Senior Counsel

The General Counsel’s Organization (GCO) at American Express is seeking a Vice President & Senior Counsel to serve as the lead lawyer for the Global Client Group within the Global Merchant Services division (GMS).  The successful candidate will lead a team of highly skilled lawyers responsible for negotiating complex commercial agreements and providing day-to-day legal and strategic advice in respect of the Company’s most significant global merchant relationships – ranging from the Company’s largest travel partners to the digital giants and retail leaders.  This position requires regularly navigating novel business and legal issues across a broad range of matters and working seamlessly with colleagues on a global basis.  It also provides the opportunity to lead and contribute to a host of strategic projects across GMS and to collaborate with colleagues across business units and the GCO on significant enterprise initiatives.

The GMS business is a core business of American Express and fundamental to the operation of the American Express global payments network. GMS builds and maintains relationships with merchants that choose to accept the American Express Card, simultaneously delivering differentiated products and services and driving revenue growth for both Merchants and American Express.  The GMS business is responsible for signing merchants to accept the Card, processing Card transactions and providing marketing and other innovative programs and services to grow our merchant relationships. The Client Management Organization within Global Merchant Services is responsible for overseeing the company’s large and strategic Merchants.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of talented attorneys tasked to provide legal and strategic advice on a broad range of matters impacting key global merchant relationships, all within a dynamic business and regulatory environment  
• Negotiate and guide implementation of complex Card acceptance agreements and other commercial contracts, working in close collaboration with legal and business colleagues and other subject matter experts to deliver company objectives and mitigate risk 
•  Engage in strategic projects spanning GMS and the broader enterprise to advance cutting-edge business opportunities and address emerging industry trends
• Identify and lead process improvements to promote agility in legal and related business operations
• Serve on the leadership team of the GMS Legal Team, offering thought leadership on cross-functional issues and initiatives
• Build and leverage your leadership, negotiation and subject matter expertise to serve as an engaging mentor, advisor and leader to colleagues on the team and across the General Counsel’s Organization 

Minimum Qualifications:

• J.D. with admission to practice law in the U.S.
• 8+ years of relevant work experience in a law firm and/or in-house corporate legal environment
• Direct experience leading, negotiating and managing complex commercial transactions and relationships
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with passion for generating creative and innovative solutions
• Strong ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively, in both written and oral format, and to synthesize complex issues for senior business leaders
• Excellent collaboration and teamwork skills and ability to work well in cross-functional team settings
• Strong interpersonal skills, executive presence and ability to effectively interact at all levels within the organization and with external counterparties
• Proven ability to act as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders
• Ability to understand and integrate details of business operational/systemic environment in applying legal and policy requirements
• Self-motivated, high level of personal energy and commitment

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Prior experience in fintech, banking or payments
• Proven experience leading a team of talented lawyers and collaborating on a cross-functional basis

Salary Range: $220,000 to $320,000 annually + bonus + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we'll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:

• Competitive base salaries 
• Bonus incentives 
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan 
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support 
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits 
• Flexible work arrangements and schedules with hybrid and virtual options with Amex Flex 
• 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

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site.

At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact—every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

US Job Seekers/Employees - Click here to view the “Know Your Rights” poster and supplement and the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.

If the links do not work, please copy and paste the following URLs in a new browser window: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/posters to access the three posters.

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