Director, Senior AML Compliance

Director, Senior AML Compliance – Sydney, Australia

Are you interested in being part of a cutting-edge compliance team? Would you like to work for a global company in Money Transfer that believes when money moves, better things can happen? Join Western Union as a Director, Senior AML Compliance.

Western Union powers your pursuit.

The Senior level Director, AML Compliance responsible for overseeing regulatory and anti–money laundering compliance programs in Australia, New Zealand and several additional countries within the Asia–Pacific region.

This role provides strategic leadership and subject matter expertise in managing regulatory relationships with AUSTRAC in Australia and DIA in New Zealand, and responsible for the development, implementation, and continual enhancement of country-specific compliance programs, as well as remediation uplifts. It will also play a key role in business expansion of Western Union products and services and provide support in M&A and obtaining new licenses where necessary.

The Senior level Director leads a geographically dispersed team of compliance professionals to ensure effective execution of risk based regulatory requirements, alignment with enterprise compliance expectations, and consistent adherence to global policies and standards.

This position plays a key role in regional regulatory engagement, supports enterprise initiatives, and partners closely with cross functional leaders to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate financial crime risks.

Role Responsibilities:

• Regional AML / Regulatory Compliance Oversight: Oversee execution of AML and regulatory compliance programs in Australia & New Zealand, as well as select APAC markets.
  • Provide strategic oversight of AML/CTF and regulatory compliance across APAC, ensuring alignment with global risk frameworks while acting as the primary escalation authority for complex, high‑risk matters and regulatory challenges.
  • Lead regional risk assessments and shape APAC‑wide AML strategies, driving control effectiveness, identifying emerging threats in high‑risk markets, and tailoring compliance approaches to jurisdiction‑specific regulatory expectations.

• Leadership & People Management: Lead and develop a regionally dispersed compliance team.
  • Provide strategic leadership to a geographically dispersed compliance team, ensuring strong people development, succession planning, and consistent performance across APAC markets.
  • Set the strategic direction for the APAC AML function, establishing priorities, driving alignment, and embedding a strong culture of compliance, transparency, and operational consistency across countries and cross‑functional partners.

• Regulatory Engagement & Issue Management: Manage relationships with regulators, FIUs, and law enforcement.
  • Serve as the senior regional representative with APAC regulators, overseeing examinations, reviews, and inquiries while ensuring high‑quality, coordinated responses and effective remediation to maintain strong regulatory standing.
  • Navigate evolving regulatory landscapes and lead cross‑market issue management, advising enterprise leadership on emerging impacts and ensuring timely resolution of regulatory findings, audits, and compliance escalations.
  • Drive remediation programs and deliver uplift initiatives across APAC and partner with global controls and operation process owners to ensure adherence to country specific regulatory requirements and close oversight of outsources functions. 

• Governance, Reporting & Stakeholder Management: Provide risk reporting and insights into senior leadership.
  • Deliver high‑quality reporting and strategic insights to senior leadership, local boards and governance committees, ensuring AML risk trends, regulatory developments, and program performance are clearly articulated, challenged, and appropriately escalated through regional governance forums.
  • Serve as a trusted strategic advisor across the organization, guiding business leaders on compliance implications of products and initiatives while strengthening cross‑regional alignment through close partnership with global AML, Legal, Risk, and Operations teams.

• Policy, Process & Program Enhancement: Enhance AML policies and ensure alignment across markets.
  • Drive continuous enhancement of AML/CTF programs by identifying control gaps, improving processes, and leveraging technology, data, and analytics to modernize capabilities and increase program effectiveness.
  • Lead APAC‑wide harmonization and policy development, ensuring consistent compliance frameworks, risk‑based procedures, and strategic initiatives—such as automation, monitoring upgrades, and regulatory change efforts—that elevate the maturity of the regional AML function.

Western Union Competencies:

• Customer Focus
  • Engage regularly with internal stakeholders and APAC regulators to strengthen compliance delivery and protect customer trust by anticipating regulatory risks and ensuring a resilient operating environment.
• Management & Planning
  • Designs and oversees complex regional compliance processes, executes APAC priorities, and leads transformation initiatives that improve efficiency, automation, and regulatory alignment.
• Business Expertise
  • Brings advanced understanding of APAC regulatory environments, global AML/CTF trends, and financial crime risks; advises senior leaders on regulatory impacts, business expansion, and enterprise risk strategy.
• Leadership
  • Leads multi‑country compliance teams and influences senior cross‑functional stakeholders; sets vision, drives performance, and builds future compliance leadership across the region.

Core Factors:

Functional Knowledge

• Demonstrates deep expertise in AML/CTF regulations, financial crime typologies, and APAC regulatory environments.
• Interprets complex regulatory developments and translates emerging risks into actionable compliance strategies.
• Applies advanced understanding of cross‑jurisdictional supervisory expectations and regulatory change impacts.
• Recognized subject‑matter expert who advises senior leadership and guides enterprise‑wide compliance initiatives.

Area of Impact

• Influences multiple country compliance teams and shapes regional risk outcomes across APAC.
• It impacts the organization’s regulatory posture, licensing obligations, and operational resilience.
• Drives consistent, scalable, and risk‑aligned implementation of AML/CTF frameworks across diverse markets.
• Partners with business units, risk teams, and global compliance functions to strengthen execution across countries.

Nature of Impact

• Ensures the effectiveness and continuous improvement of AML controls and regulatory compliance programs.
• Shapes long‑term compliance strategies and leads the organization through regulatory change.
• Reinforces a strong culture of risk awareness, accountability, and regulatory compliance.
• Acts as an escalation point for high‑risk issues requiring advanced judgment and enterprise‑level perspective.

Problem Solving

• Apply advanced analytical and conceptual thinking to resolve complex, multi‑jurisdictional compliance challenges.
• Addresses ambiguous regulatory expectations, emerging risks, and cross‑regional inconsistencies.
• Designs long‑term, forward‑looking compliance solutions and remediation plans.
• Provides expert guidance on escalated issues and influences senior leaders to adopt effective risk‑mitigation strategies

Role Requirements:

• 12–15+ years of AML/financial crime or regulatory risk experience in global or multinational financial services, including 7+ years leading cross‑country or cross‑functional teams and working directly with regulators across multiple APAC jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated success managing enterprise‑level AML/CTF programs, major remediation initiatives, regulatory exams, and cross‑regional projects, with proven experience providing strategic advice to senior executives and shaping complex compliance frameworks.
• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Finance, Law, Criminal Justice, Risk, Economics or related field); advanced degree preferred (JD, MBA, or Master’s in Compliance/Financial Crime).
• Industry certifications strongly preferred, such as ACAMS (CAMS, CGSS, CCAS, CAMS‑FCI), ICA Diplomas in AML/Financial Crime/GRC, or relevant risk/audit certifications (e.g., CRCM, CRMA).

Additional Skills:

• Advanced expertise in AML/CTF frameworks, including FATF standards, typologies, and regulatory expectations across multiple APAC jurisdictions, with strong capability in leading complex regulatory engagements and multi‑country examinations.

• Advanced skills in risk assessment, control design, and cross‑market program alignment, supported by strong project/program management experience and the ability to interpret data trends, oversee analytics, and leverage AML technologies (TM, sanctions, KYC/CDD, automation, AI/ML).

• Advanced leadership and strategic capabilities, including leading multi‑country teams, shaping long‑term compliance strategy, and influencing senior stakeholders across complex, matrixed environments.

• Advanced judgment, communication, and cross‑cultural collaboration skills, with the ability to make high‑impact decisions, communicate effectively at the executive level, and drive innovation, problem‑solving, and consistent compliance outcomes across diverse APAC markets.

We make financial services accessible to humans everywhere. Join us for what’s next.

Western Union is positioned to become the world’s most accessible financial services company —transforming lives and communities. We’re a diverse and passionate customer-centric team of over 8,000 employees serving 200 countries and territories, reaching customers and receivers around the globe. More than moving money, we design easy-to-use products and services for our digital and physical financial ecosystem that help our customers move forward.

Just as we help our global customers prosper, we support our employees in achieving their professional aspirations. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and build a career, as well as receive a great compensation package. If you’re ready to help drive the future of financial services, it’s time for Western Union. Learn more about our purpose and people at https://careers.westernunion.com/.

Benefits

You will also have access to short-term incentives, accident and life insurance, and access to best-in-class development platforms, to name a few (https://careers.westernunion.com/global-benefits/). Please see the location-specific benefits below and note that your Recruiter may share additional role-specific benefits during your interview process or in an offer of employment.

Your Australia specific benefits include:

• Life / Accident Coverage
• Superannuation Plan
• Paid Time Offs
• Employee Wellness
• Global Recognition and Rewards Programs

We are passionate about diversity. Our commitment is to provide an inclusive culture that celebrates the unique backgrounds and perspectives of our global teams while reflecting the communities we serve. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. The company will provide accommodation to applicants, including those with disabilities, during the recruitment process, following applicable laws.

Estimated Job Posting End Date:

04-06-2026

This application window is a good-faith estimate of the time that this posting will remain open. This posting will be promptly updated if the deadline is extended or the role is filled.