Director, Mastercard Transaction Services, Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)

Our Purpose

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

Director, Mastercard Transaction Services, Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)

Mastercard Transaction Services (MTS) and its subsidiaries are the legal entities under which all Mastercard's licensed money transfer and payment initiation services will be conducted, reporting into the Commercial and New Payments Platform (CNPF) division. The MTS business unit and the MTS shared services functions are housed under the umbrella of MTS and are comprised of components central to the activities of a licensed payment services firm. These components include:

• Payment/Money transmitter licenses for operating payments business in defined jurisdictions
• Contract definition (associated T&Cs) specific to the MTS entity and its umbrella geographies
• Associated settlement accounts and other services for the relevant MTS entity
• Compliance services including, but not limited to, due diligence, real-time sanctions screening/AML/fraud management, etc.
• Regulatory reporting to the relevant regulators on behalf of the regulated business and its subsequent activities

MTS LAC (MTS Mexico) is the authorized and regulated licensed entity within Mastercard Transaction Services (MTS) in Mexico through which regulated payments activity is undertaken for our Mexico-based customers and others around the world. MTS is a division within Mastercard that undertakes payments business wherever a product or business function requires regulated support.

MTS is seeking an MLRO based in Mexico City who will coordinate and maintain a robust AML/CFT (Countering the Financing of Terrorism) and Sanctions program in alignment with Mexican AML/CFT regulations, including the LFPIORPI, CNBV guidelines, and UIF reporting obligations; internal standards; and regional sanctions reporting obligations.

Additionally, the candidate will drive our customer experience strategy forward by consistently innovating and problem-solving in the Compliance arena. The ideal candidate is passionate about the customer experience journey, highly motivated, intellectually curious, analytical, and possesses an entrepreneurial mindset. The successful candidate will also demonstrate strong communication skills, accountability, sound judgment, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced and evolving environment

Role Summary:
The MLRO, MTS Mexico must be knowledgeable and skilled in the relevant AML/CFT/Sanctions Compliance areas. The MLRO will assist the MLRO for North Americas to develop management information systems for regular reporting, including to the MTS US and Mexico Board and Management Committee on the status of the Compliance program and its organization. MTS serves customers based in Mexico and several other countries around the world.

This role requires working as part of a geographically diverse team and a matrix structure collaborating with multiple stakeholders across MTS and the wider Mastercard organization. This role demands excellent, clear, and articulate communication skills, both verbal and written, and the ability to clearly and concisely communicate issues, regulations, and processes.

MTS is poised for further expansion and now requires a seasoned Mexican MLRO to drive process improvement (both effectiveness and efficiency) within the MTS Mexico control framework. The role will also support KYC, customer onboarding, due diligence, and regulatory engagement activities across the broader MTS business.

Key Responsibilities:
1. Report and work closely with the Vice President, MLRO for North Americas to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the Compliance Program and its ability to identify, detect, deter, and report suspicious activity.
2. Ensure timely and accurate submission of reports to the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF) and other relevant authorities, including STRs, threshold reports, and periodic compliance updates.
3. Serve as the primary liaison with the CNBV and other regulatory bodies, representing MTS Mexico in all AML/CFT-related matters.
4. Review laws and regulations that impact the MTS compliance requirements, with emphasis on the MX AML and Sanctions requirements.
5. Undertake comprehensive risk assessments to determine AML/CFT/Sanctions and other risk exposures through collaboration with other functions to develop mitigating controls as required.
6. Maintain compliance policies, programs, and procedures.
7. Ensure all staff, up to and including the Board, are adequately trained in AML/CFT/Sanctions and other relevant regulations.
8. Disseminate information, answer questions, and serve as a subject matter expert for MTS on Mexico-related Compliance issues.
9. Lead MTS Mexico regulatory examinations and audits, including gathering requested information and developing and coordinating responses to such reviews as necessary.
10. Support the business in an advisory capacity, manage customer due diligence escalations, and where necessary, enhanced due diligence of customer relationships to determine risk and mitigating controls, including KYC and customer onboarding activities.
11. Review regulatory findings against other financial institutions for lessons learned, share with the Board, and complete gap analysis against the MTS Compliance program as necessary.
12. Contribute, as a key member of the Compliance leadership team, to the development and implementation of the wider compliance strategy, including staffing.
13. Manage and oversee the expansion of products and services into Mexico and ensure MTS is meeting the business and regulatory requirements.
14. Monitor regulations and guidance released by Mexican AML/Sanctions authorities.
15. Collaborate with Legal, Regulatory, Compliance, and Product/Shared Services, as well as the wider business, on strategic cross-functional implementation, process improvement, and control enhancement activities.

Qualifications
• Must have an active Certificación en materia de PLD, FT y FPADM issued by the CNBV and be able to provide evidence of a valid certification. This is a mandatory requirement.
• Fluent Spanish and strong professional English, with the ability to communicate consistently with all levels of the company.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for policies, documentation, reports and presentations.
• Experience in anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism compliance within a regulated financial institution, bank, payments company, money services business or fintech operating in Mexico.
• Experience with Know Your Customer, customer onboarding, correspondent banking or onboarding financial institutions is highly desirable.
• Experience interacting with regulators and supporting examinations, audits or supervisory reviews is strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated accountability, self-awareness, sound judgment and the ability to learn and adapt.
• Ability to work from the Mexico City office and commute regularly in accordance with Mastercard's workplace expectations.
• Experience with process identification, mapping and improvement.
• Digitally aware and experienced with automation and technology-enabled process improvement.
• Highly competent in PowerPoint, Excel and Visio.
• Data analytics or data science exposure is a plus.

Corporate Security Responsibility

All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

• Abide by Mastercard’s security policies and practices;

• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;

• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and

• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines.