Vice President, International Privacy and EU Data Protection Officer (DPO)

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. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career.

Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

How will you make an impact in this role?

About the Role

The Global Privacy Oversight team at American Express is a second line of defense function, responsible for overseeing, providing expertise in, and challenging the identification, management, and mitigation of privacy risks across the company in line with the privacy framework and the company’s vision to provide the world’s best customer experience every day.

Description

The Vice President, International Privacy and EU Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for leading the organization's global privacy strategy and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and related EU laws. This executive role combines strategic leadership, operational oversight, and expert guidance to safeguard personal data and manage privacy risks across all international operations.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the company's global privacy strategy by designing and managing a data protection program that meets business goals and regulatory standards.

Serve as the designated DPO for EU operations, acting as the primary point of contact with EU supervisory authorities and ensuring GDPR compliance.

Oversee developments in global privacy laws and regulations, provide guidance to the business regarding compliance requirements, and ensure that all policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated as necessary.

Conduct privacy impact assessments, identify risks related to personal data processing, and implement controls to mitigate those risks.

Maintain records of data processing activities, prepare regular reports for senior leadership and boards, and support audits and regulatory inquiries.

Exceptional knowledge of key privacy concepts including lawful usage, purpose limitation, minimization, retention and deletion requirements.

Experience working in a highly controlled environment and governing supporting policies and procedures.

Experience in leading the uplift and deployment of governance capabilities and frameworks supporting the privacy risk domain.

Detailed knowledge of operational processes required to support critical privacy requirements, e.g.data subject rights.

Familiarity with related risk types including AI, Data Risk and Information Security.

Minimum Qualifications:

10+ years of experience in privacy, data protection, or compliance roles, including significant leadership responsibilities.

10+ years’ experience in a Risk Management/Compliance/Audit role or a highly regulated domain.

Deep expertise in GDPR and global privacy regulations.

Demonstrated ability to lead a team of risk professionals to accomplish privacy risk management goals, best practices and risk mitigation strategies.

Ability to build rapport with First Line Business Units, risk oversight functions, compliance, operational excellence, information security, GCO and many others to drive privacy best practices throughout the enterprise.

Excellent relationship building skills to partner effectively across diverse, multinational environments and cross-functional teams in complex and rapidly changing environments.

Experienced leader, able to engage and influence while motivating diverse teams through complexities and change to deliver results.

Outstanding problem-solving and analytical skills, with strong learning agility and willingness to embrace and lead through change.

Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, able to create compelling arguments and influence across all levels of the organization.

Demonstrated leadership skills with a proven ability to communicate effectively.

Location: Hybrid (Spain)

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

Competitive base salaries

Bonus incentives

Support for financial-well-being and retirement

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)

Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need

Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)

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

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.