Visa operates the world’s largest retail electronic payments network and is one of the most recognized global financial services brands. Visa facilitates global commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses and government entities.

We offer a range of branded payment product platforms, which our financial institution clients use to develop and offer credit, charge, deferred debit, prepaid and cash access programs to cardholders. Visa’s card platforms provide consumers, businesses, merchants and government entities with a secure, convenient and reliable way to pay and be paid in more than 200 countries and territories.

Behind the Visa brand are more than 9,000 talented employees who continuously raise the bar with innovative solutions and products that deliver the convenience and security of digital currency to more people all over the world.

Visa Technology Procurement is seeking a Director to support the Software area.  The two primary functions of this role are: (1) identify and negotiate cost savings and (2) negotiate contractual language.  This role acts as the Global Software Category Lead and will manage a large portfolio of Visa Software suppliers and deals, and provide guidance and training to staff.

Category Expertise

•        Lead a section of the Software Category and partner with Visa Technology to establish the Supplier / Product Strategy for Visa’s Infrastructure Software.

•        Understand the Visa product stack, the suppliers within that stack, their licensing models, and effectively communicate these to Sourcing executives and Technology stakeholders

•        Perform market analysis to support the Visa product stack and drive recommendations to the Technology teams

•        Act as a subject matter expert in Software Sourcing, and provide expertise to the business and provide advice to other areas of Sourcing on Software or SaaS

•       This role supports Visa’s Operations and Infrastructure group, focusing on Infrastructure software, for example Operating Systems, Hypervisors, and Management Tools

Sourcing Capabilities - Commercial & Contract Negotiations

•        Negotiate and drive best-in-class deals for Visa.  This is a strategic role and will include many of Visa’s largest enterprise-level engagements. 

•        Define and communicate the Sourcing Strategy to business partners, Sourcing leadership and other stakeholders

•        Drive multi-vendor strategies to optimize Visa’s leverage and reduce operational risk. Effectively use RFX events to support Visa’s Technology organization.

•        Perform savings tracking and report realized savings on a continuous base.

•        Negotiates contract terms and conditions as a first line of defense, in partnership with Visa Legal.

Relationship Building

•        Build strong relationships with Technology business partners to drive Sourcing engagement, and will act as the relationship owner with Senior Vice President’s within Technology

•        Provide continuous written and verbal updates to the business partners, suppliers and other stakeholders on the status of deal

•        Regularly update executives at all levels of the company on deal status, category reporting, etc.  This role will have direct visibility to senior-level executives across Visa.

•        10+ years of experience as a sourcing and/or procurement professional, preferably with a focus on software spend/vendor relationships.

•        7+ years of experience assisting in, or leading, the development and management of category plans or sourcing strategies.

•        Demonstrated understanding of the Software category, including license models, key contract terms and emerging market trends

•        Excellent written, oral and presentation skills and an ability to synthesize complex and technical information into clear recommendations on course of action.

•        Demonstrated technology agreement negotiation experience.

•        Experience managing technology business users, including excellent relationship management skills.

•        Ability to influence at an executive level both internally and externally.

•        High level of self-motivation and initiative, and ability to operate as a team player.

•        Willingness to offer thought leadership, to think creatively, and to offer new ways to approach old problems

•        Undergraduate degree required, preferable in business, economics, computer science or engineering related field; graduate degree in business, economics or engineering a plus

Additional Information about Interviewing with Visa in Technology Sourcing

In Visa Technology Sourcing, we get technical fast.  Our business partners demand it and we like to support them the right way!  This is a highly technical role, highly engaged role.  If you apply and are granted an interview, you can expect the following:

·       A detailed, onsite skills test, in which you’ll be given a technical problem and will be asked to model it in a spreadsheet and present an executive-ready communication about it.   

·       You can expect to be asked detailed questions about your background:

o   If you’re a career Software person, expect to be asked about deals you managed, including the spend, the license metric, your strategy.

o   Expect to be asked fundamentals about technology itself (i.e. – ‘What’s the difference in a CPU and a Core?’; ‘What are the advantages/disadvantages to perpetual versus subscription licensing?’).

o   You’ll meet with technical business partners as well as Visa Sourcing execs to assess your sourcing and business acumen.

·       Don’t let any of the above worry you!  We demand a lot of ourselves and we like to be up front about what we look for on this team.  If you’ve got the chops, we’ve got a role for you!

This job may be filled in Austin, TX or Foster City, CA

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.