Senior Director, Head of Strategic Policy Initiatives - Visa

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

The Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) is Visa’s flagship research and thought leadership platform. VEEI publishes insights on the future of payments, digital infrastructure, financial inclusion, and cross-border commerce and money movement. 

Job Responsibilities:

• Builds and operates the platforms that support the Visa Global Policy Institute and public policy thought leadership more broadly.  These platforms include:
  • The Visa Institute Advisory Council – a community of senior thought leaders that help shape, elevate, and expand Visa’s thought leadership:
  • The Regulatory Monitoring and Analysis platform – a proprietary database of payments policies spanning 200 countries and territories
  • The Global Policy Knowledge Hub – a global repository of policy insights, positions, and case studies:
  • The Visa Institute web presence.
• Serves on the Global Policy Leadership Team.
• Partners with the Visa Institute’s Head of Research to develop and execute an annual content strategy that combines original knowledge products, events, and bespoke client engagements.   

• Builds consensus across global and regional Visa business leaders to ensure that Global Policy Institute research accurately reflects corporate perspectives and positions.
•  Manages a team of public policy strategists, instilling a culture of accountability and performance.
• Aggregates and communicates objectives, key results, and impact metrics to internal stakeholders.
• Ensures that the Global Policy Institute’s research and advocacy teams have access to relevant internal data and insights for use in syndicated research and bespoke client engagements.
• Sets and enforces a high standard of quality control for all Visa Global Policy Institute publications.
• Manages a budget and instills an impact investing mindset.
• Represents Visa in meetings with external stakeholders.

Note: As a senior member of the Global Policy Institute, the Senior Director will also have opportunities to publish articles under her own name and represent Visa in external speaking engagements.

This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office 2-3 set days a week (determined by leadership/site), with a general guidepost of being in the office 50% or more of the time based on business needs.

Basic Qualifications:
• 12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 10
years of work experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA
/JD/MD), or a minimum of 5 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications:
• 15 or more years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 12 years of
experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, or MD), PhD with
9+ years of experience
• Multidisciplinary backgrounds ideal. Ideal candidate may have an MBA and a
JD or a PhD in international economics or public policy, or relevant area.
• 15+ years progressive experience developing, managing, and implementing
thought leadership content, preferably in a global corporate environment,
required.
• Strong understanding of the payments business preferred. Ability to work
closely with the business to receive input, collaborate, prioritize projects based
on business objectives and methodology.
• Experience supporting senior executives (Cabinet minister, CEO, or equivalent)
in private sector and/or government.
• Media trained and accustomed to organizing, moderating, and participating in
all forms of panels and round tables.
• Experience providing commentary in prestigious news publications (such as
the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, BBC, etc).
• Strong track record of publications on topics of relevance to Visa, our clients,
and policymakers such as the Financial Stability Board, Bank for International
Settlements, International Monetary Fund, and G20 central banks.
• Management consulting or corporate strategy experience strongly preferred.
• Background in international trade, government, public affairs, digitization,
finance, globalization, innovation and economics.
• Track record of managing a team of subject-matter experts, budget and
functional operations.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and consulting skills. Ability to assess
needs, influence, collaborate, and partner at the most senior levels in the
organization.
• Experience working with a diverse group of highly technical learners and
subject matter experts such as economists, product developers and
strategists.
• Highly skilled in building external partner relationships and vendor
management.
• Ability to build collaborative, trustworthy relationships across functions and
geographies.
• Strong business acumen, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Superior writing skills and the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences
including C-level executives, subject matter experts, external stakeholders, and
clients.
• Critical and strategic thinking skills, with strong focus on service excellence,
efficiency, accuracy, and effective project/stakeholder/relationship skills.
• Proven ability to connect technical subject matter such as financial
infrastructure and payments policy to the broader public discourse around
geopolitics, economic growth, and empowerment.

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting.  The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Visa is an EEO Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.  Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.

Visa will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable local law, including the requirements of Article 49 of the San Francisco Police Code.

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY: The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is 192,700.00 to 301,150.00 USD per year, which may include potential sales incentive payments (if applicable). Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position may be eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 (k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness Program.