Director - US Merchant Risk Engagements

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 North America Risk Team is responsible for maintaining trust in the Visa brand, championing security in the industry and differentiating Visa in the eyes of clients and key stakeholders. The Director - US Merchant Risk Engagements will serve as a trusted advisor in the NA Risk Team by providing risk intelligence to guide internal business partners, clients, and ecosystem participants in the secure, reliable, and trusted growth of digital payments. This position will be responsible for partnering with key strategic Merchants to execute risk roadmaps that accelerate secure business growth. Additional responsibilities may be aligned to this role as Visa’s strategy evolves to secure the ecosystem and meet the needs of our customers.

Specific responsibilities for this role include:

• Develop a strategic vision and plan for how Risk should engage with Merchants to optimize impact, in collaboration with partners in the account teams and Value-Added-Services
• Conduct regular risk engagement sessions with Merchants to evaluate risk performance, produce insights, analyses and data-based recommendations to improve client performance, boost growth, drive understanding of client issues and provide strategic guidance for client priorities across the product categories and segments
• Collaborate cross-functionally with the Issuing and Acceptance Risk teams to ensure a true, “One Visa” mindset
• Partner with peers in other functional areas (e.g., Sales, Analytics, Marketing, Risk and Identity Solutions, Client Services, DPS, and others) to execute initiatives by leveraging the breadth and depth of Visa’s resources
• Identify opportunities to promote & support client adoption of Visa risk products and solutions
• Provide client support relating to emerging/immediate fraud trends 
• Identify opportunities to enhance the payment ecosystem and advance risk management best practices
• Build new scalable solutions, toolkits, and best practice documents, including reports, presentations, education materials and other written artifacts to present Visa’s analysis and guidance

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in the office will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager. ​

Basic Qualifications:

• 10 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 8 years of work experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters/ MBA/JD/MD) or at least 3 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications:

• 12 years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor's Degree or 10 years of relevant work experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA/JD/MD) or 5 years relevant work experience with a PhD, including 4 years in engaging and advising payment acceptors to adopt risk management best practices that accelerate the sound growth of their payment business
• 5 or more years directly investigating or administrating fraud prevention systems and programs in the merchant industry , CFE or equivalent
• Expert understanding of how merchants and acquirers mitigate fraud and dispute risks
• Strong understanding of the payment ecosystem – the different players that comprise Visa’s client base, the data that flows through the network, and the impact that stability and growth play in the future of payments
• Understanding of payments risk associated with merchant acceptance environments, including both digital and physical merchants
• Deep knowledge of the Merchant and Acceptance environments, and the nuances of the incentives that influence them
• Demonstrated understanding of how Risk contributes to brand and business growth
• Established reputation for building peer-like relationships with senior client and partner leaders and being able to communicate and influence other teams. Ability to effectively communicate with all levels of client leadership and possess the business acumen to understand the ROI associated with solution recommendations
• Demonstrated thought leadership and the ability to think creatively to solve unstructured problems
• Intellectually curious: finds stories in data, asks the right questions, and identifies game-changing insights that generate big impacts
• Excellent communication, storytelling and presentation skills
• Proactive, self-motivated and result-oriented with the ability to manage multiple initiatives at once in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, while demonstrating poise under pressure
• Strong analytical skills, with demonstrated intellectual and analytical rigor
• Knowledge and understanding of banking operations and/or payment schemes, including products & services, business systems and processes, and/or card acquiring experience
• Technology mindset, curious, up to date with digital and AI trends and applications

Critical Competencies for Success:

• Integrity and High Ethics: Our values and our brand mandate a total commitment to honesty and the highest standards of ethical behavior
• Curiosity and Problem Solving: Visa seeks intellectually curious individuals who are committed and passionate about continual learning and who are driven to solve problems
• Leadership: A commitment to be a strong leader is mandatory. Everyone at Visa is a Leader guided by our leadership principles
• Teamwork: Teamwork and shared success are important to Visa given our complex ecosystem and the collaboration across functions, clients and industry players that is required to address our challenges and opportunities

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 145,100 to 222,850 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.