VP, Head of Product, SSA at Visa

Job Description

To provide thought leadership and strategic intent for the development and delivery of solutions that our clients need in the market place.  Specifically, the role will provide leadership and execution ‘governance’  for a fully integrated team including innovation & design, strategic partnerships, consumer payment solutions & CVP, solutions architecture and other local Product teams.

The Regional Solutions Leader will manage the SSA Product team for maximum impact reflecting clear prioritization, strong stakeholder alignment and using key principles of collaborative, agile workforce management.

Success in the role is aligned closely to the regional scorecard, including revenue & profitability outcomes. The role will also anchor a transformation in the way we work, moving from a traditional product focus to a solutions-centric mind-set – this will demand a strong focus on talent, strategic workforce planning and a critical market-driven focus as we architect new commerce solutions with clients & partners. 

The role will provide leadership in portfolio management & optimization practices as well as the curation & delivery of core value propositions to maintain & grow business in the region as measured by financial, share & (client/partner) satisfaction outcomes.

Based in SSA and reporting to the CEMEA Solutions SVP, this individual will lead the Regional team in SSA and have a dual reporting relationship to the Regional GCM and will be part of the CEMEA Product Leadership Team. Leading a team of product experts through effective people management and development programs that are in accordance with Visa’s Leadership Principles is an important purpose of this role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, deliver and activate strategies and solutions plans that drive Visa’s competitive advantage and revenue growth agenda in SSA

• Lead category wide initiatives with key stakeholders & x-functional teams to deliver outcomes that are quantifiable and aligned with the corporate and customer’s/partner’s strategic objectives

• Span core & digital solutions portfolios to identify & bring to life fit for purpose solutions that leverage innovation leadership, Visa platforms & services, strategic partnerships and commercial architectures

• Design & deliver compelling, differentiated and relevant solutions that leverage Visa assets, client assets, partnerships and partner assets to positively influence revenue growth in SSA

• Lead a team of innovative and engaged individuals focused on delivering best in class solutions to address preference and anticipated needs of local customers as well as all stakeholders across the geography.

• Effectively manage a team that grows and guides the evolution of solutions to meet and exceed the needs of all stakeholders across the geography

• Manage planning, forecasting and financial reporting

• Manage performance against plans & forecasts

• Drive performance management, career development, recruitment, succession planning and talent assessment for the team

• Understand economic implications of Visa business strategy and manage budget, investment and solutions profitability to meet business objectives

• Exhibit leadership behaviors in respect of being an advocate of Visa’s solutions and initiatives in the industry, including preparation and delivery of ‘the Visa narrative’ at forums, conferences and customer events

Key Competencies

The successful candidate will possess the following competencies:

Results Orientation: This will be demonstrated by the success achieved in managing or leading a product management team towards building substantially differentiated and innovative products and services.  S/he will have also shown success as a pioneer for the products that resulted in increasing levels of customer adoption.

Collaboration and Influencing: Given that this role is a critical leadership role, the successful candidate will have demonstrated an outstanding ability to influence leaders in a global matrixed organization. S/he will ensure alignment on the priorities of the sub-regional team and facilitate a proactive dialogue with the company’s leadership team on the possibilities and constraints of the business.

Strategic Orientation: This will be demonstrated by a strong track record of developing and driving product strategy combined with monitoring strategic trends that impact the payments product industry. The successful candidate will have also demonstrated strong skills in determining the implications of these trends on the customer experience and behaviours and align the company’s roadmap accordingly. S/he must also know how to create and manage a clear and organized solution enablement process, and ensure that the entire company is aligned to that process.

Team Leadership: The successful candidate will have shown the ability to lead a high performing product management team, where individuals take initiative and drive themselves beyond their comfort zone. S/he will have demonstrated a consistent ability to attract, assess, select, develop, motivate and retain the best talent. Specifically s/he also needs to demonstrate the ability to upgrade talent where required.

Qualifications

Professional
• Minimum 15 years’ experience in payments/digital commerce/banking/technology at senior, leadership levels
• Experienced at senior leadership levels
• Experience in both emerging & developed markets
• Experience in solutioning outcomes spanning commercial & technical capabilities & architectures

Technical
• Advanced understanding payment & commerce solutions and processes
• Sound knowledge of agile solutioning practices, product management & commerce business models
• Strong business acumen including an ability to develop/challenge new/existing commercial architectures

Business
• A naturally inquisitive problem-solver
• Strong analytical, quantitative, commercial, project management and interpersonal skills
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills
• Disciplined and tolerant of ambiguity, with the maturity and capability to interact and influence across multiple organizational levels internal and external to Visa.
• Negotiation skills with proven track record of achieving results
• Focus on delivering strong financial results for stakeholders

Additional Information

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.