Jobs at Visa Incorporated

Job ID: REF078717W

Job Description

• Director Merchant Services and Acquiring Account Executive, West Africa
• 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
• Visas Merchant Sales and Solution Team is seeking a Merchant Sales and Solutions Director who will have responsibility for driving in market acceptance efforts
• The Merchant Sales and Solutions Director has the responsibility of driving growth and development of meaningful and profitable merchant relations across Anglophone West Africa markets specifically being accountable and owning key clients across markets from a Merchant Servicing and Acquiring perspective
• In addition this role is responsible for working with the Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring the Group Country Manager and Country Managers on industry and regulatory initiatives and interchange management for the region
• The Director Merchant Sales and Solutions executes on the implementation of agreed merchant acceptance strategies that grow the penetration of electronic payments in this geography to drive increase in Merchant Sales Volume MSV via implementing the new payment solution and building strong working relationships with client banks key merchants and third party partners
• The role is also responsible for understanding and communicating local market needs in order that the CEMEA Hub Digital Team and Global Merchant Sales and Solutions organizations are able to effectively and efficiently define market specific strategies required to manage strategic and complex acceptance issues.

Job Scope
Key Results Areas:

• Develop and execute the merchant acceptance merchant relations and partner strategy for the region to increase Visa MSV market share data processing revenues and create acquirer merchant and consumer preference for Visa
• Partner with the Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring and the Group Country Manager Country Managers to execute on Nano Merchant Acceptance Strategies to transform the landscape over a 3 year horizon
• Drive acceptance of Visa payment solutions across West Africa with a focus across various business segments key among them top tier and marquee merchants
• Secure and close leading deals with Fintechs across the region to drive non traditional transformation of the payments landscape in West Africa
• Take the lead in negotiating large Strategic Partnerships with key clients and or partners to ensure that Strategic Imperatives are met
• Develop strong market relationships with key Fintechs and Merchants meant to protect and grow Visa business and brand standing with these merchants
• Conduct quarterly business reviews with key Fintechs and Merchants with the aim of ensuring Visa relationship adds value to clients
• Develop and execute the fintech issuance merchant acceptance merchant relations and partner strategy for West Africa increase Visa MSV market share data processing revenues and create acquirer merchant and consumer preference for Visa
• Play a hands on role in the deployment and go to market of mobile based technology solutions
• Development of new initiatives solutions implement marketing usage initiatives targeting traditional and new merchant segments both in physical world and virtual world with a focus on mobile based acceptance solutions
• Successfully translate broad strategies into specific measurable objectives and tactical action plans aligning efforts of the Acceptance and Interchange organizations with other key Visa stakeholders in particular the Country and Digital Teams
• Establish and foster relationships with Clients and internal stakeholders at all levels of staff and senior management
• Understand client needs solution deployment requirements in different environments and develop models of engagement that are easily replicable across organizations with similar characteristics for faster onboarding
• Support local Client Sales and Digital Teams with their sales and enablement efforts Maintain current knowledge of technologies products services methods and applications and implement new approaches and practices as required
• Maintain and build rapport with Digital and functional teams across Visa Inc to exchange learn and leverage best practices
• Local market and regulatory knowledge and functional experience in acceptance merchant acquiring interchange management consulting financial transaction processing knowledge and client sales preferably Visa supporting highly complex clients and or services within a highly matrixed environment
• Established networks at decision making levels with a strong business to business sales track record

Qualifications

• Years of Experience: A minimum of 10 years of success in progressive leadership positions in the Payments industry.
• Education required: Bachelors degree or equivalent Masters degree in a business field is an added advantage.
• Technical Working knowledge of payments network and processing services Working knowledge of mobile technology.
• Demonstrated detailed knowledge of the full breadth of acceptance and other products and services offered by Visa Working knowledge of project management tools and application Microsoft office tools eg PowerPoint Excel Word etc.
• Working knowledge of Visa systems preferred Business Strong Sales and relationship management skills Broad and multiple industry exposure.
• .General finance and accounting knowledge and understanding Strong influencing and negotiation skills Project management experience.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Experience shaping and delivering defined strategies.
• Proven track record of driving growth and taking new products from conception to commercial launch Executive presence.
• Global mindset desire and demonstrated ability to work cross culturally.
• Exposure to emerging payment solutions mobile wallets mobile money ecosystems agent banking mobile money transfers.

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Job Description

• Based in Visa’s Lagos, Nigeria office, this dynamic position requires a proactive, solution-oriented, articulate, and strategic thinker who can operate and influence policymaking at the highest levels of government.
• The role involves frequent travel within anglophone West Africa.

Position Summary

• This role is responsible for driving the achievement of Visa’s regulatory and policy objectives through strategic engagements with key government officials, policymakers, public influencers, and regulators in anglophone West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a West Africa Government Affairs strategy, with clear objectives, timelines, and actions aligned to Visa’s global policy and regional priorities.
• Manage operations including budgets, reporting, and timely delivery of high-quality position papers, policy briefs, analyses, and engagement plans.
• Align policy initiatives with business goals and provide guidance to support market growth and innovation.
• Monitor and influence legislation, regulation, and policy affecting Visa’s interests, advocating for favorable outcomes.
• Build and sustain relationships with government bodies, industry groups, NGOs, and multilaterals. Represent Visa in strategic forums to shape payment policies.
• Implement best practices in advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory monitoring, refine processes for efficiency and impact.
• Promote internal awareness of Government Affairs through training, briefings, and updates.

Key Competencies:

• Understanding of the digital payments industry and its economic and social impact.
• Strong ability to analyze, interpret, and anticipate regulations and policy frameworks impacting digital payments and fintech ecosystems.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing stakeholder relations strategies.
• In-depth knowledge of business and political environments in anglophone West Africa.
• Strong political and business acumen.
• Creative and innovative thinking.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Budgeting and financial management experience.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Motivated self-starter, able to work independently and as part of a team with minimal supervision.
• Strong teamwork and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Computer literacy.

Job Scope

• Reports to the Senior Director and Head of Government Affairs for Western and Central Africa.
• Works closely with country, CEMEA hub-level, and global colleagues, including teams in Country Management, Corporate Communications, Legal, Marketing, Strategy, Risk Management, Social Impact, and Products.
• Collaborates with Government Affairs colleagues globally to develop and refine best practices.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on policy, regulatory issues, and government relations for cross-divisional business teams.
• This is a hybrid position.
• Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:

• 8+ years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree, or at least 5 years of experience with an advanced Degree (e.g., Master’s, MBA, JD, MD), or 2 years with a PhD.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 9+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s Degree, 7+ years with an advanced degree, or 3+ years with a PhD.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Public Policy, International Relations, Law, or related fields.
• 8–10 years’ experience in government relations, regulatory, or public affairs roles.