As the world’s leader in digital payments technology, Visa’s mission is to connect the world through the most creative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s dedication to innovation drives the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and fuels the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce.

At Visa, your individuality fits right in. Working here gives you an opportunity to impact the world, invest in your career growth, and be part of an inclusive and diverse workplace. We are a global team of disruptors, trailblazers, innovators and risk-takers who are helping drive economic growth in even the most remote parts of the world, creatively moving the industry forward, and doing meaningful work that brings financial education and digital commerce to millions of people.

 You’re an Individual. We’re the team for you. Together, let’s transform the world and create inclusive and equitable economic growth.

Visa recognizes that operating a successful company is about much more than delivering strong returns to shareholders. We strive to make a positive, and ideally transformative impact on the world, based on the belief that doing well can and should mean doing good, particularly for a global organization like Visa whose business is connecting the world to enable people, businesses, and economies to thrive.

Through our social impact mission to be a force for good that advances inclusive and equitable economic growth for everyone everywhere, we are focused on helping small and micro businesses (SMB) thrive and engaging locally to strengthen communities. Especially in this post COVID19 world, SMBs need support to recover, build resiliency and grow.  By harnessing our capital, our assets, our products/services, our people, and our knowledge, we are focused on helping set millions of SMBs globally on a path to growth. We see small and micro businesses as the backbone of the global economy, and our goal is to empower these enterprises, help them transition into this new world, and improve their livelihoods, ultimately creating a ripple effect throughout their communities. 

These efforts build on the strong legacy of social impact Visa has created through corporate giving, financial inclusion and financial education. We support broader community needs and humanitarian responses in times of crises, are committed to acting responsibly through environmental, social and governance and our more than 19,000 employees contribute to communities in meaningful ways through volunteering and charitable giving.

To date, we have achieved significant progress, however, there is more for us to achieve. The need around the world is only increasing and Visa and the social impact team is driving to meet these needs and become a global leader and influencer of governments, non-governmental organizations, and other for-profit companies.

Responsibilities:

• Develop CEMEA Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa social impact strategy and implementation roadmap, in line with market needs, global strategy,  regional priorities and social impact KPIs
• Lead and oversee implementation of regional/market social impact initiatives, such as SMB capacity building programs, in partnership with the global Social Impact function, regional and market business, and external partners
• Manage partnerships (internal and external) assigned to deliver regional/market programs to ensure tangible outcomes
• Oversee measurement & reporting of social and business outcomes that support our social impact strategy
• Embed social impact into the business throughout CEMEA, creating value for the business both short term and long term
• Provide senior executives with comprehensive view of social impact activities and priorities in region and feedback from the "field"
• Serve as advisor to Regional President and CEMEA Leadership Team on all things social impact and purpose driven
• Drive employee engagement and philanthropic regional and market-based efforts
• Share best practice from the CEMEA region and collaborate with other Regional Owners and Social Impact leadership team to cross pollinate ideas and programs
• Engage external locally relevant stakeholders, including advocacy with government officials in partnership with government relations and business leaders
• Represent Visa in external forums in the CEMEA region
• Build employee awareness and engagement in SI regional/market programs, through, but not limited to, representing the function in internal meetings/events and providing opportunities for employees to be engaged in local SI programs and activities
• Work in close collaboration across different functions (e.g. Merchant Sales and Acquisition, Solutions, - Product, Government Engagement, Marketing, Communications, and HR) to execute Social Impact regional objectives
• Understand the marketplace, standards, key players and environment related to social impact, SMBs, and enablers such as financial inclusion, financial education, CSR and metrics to secure collaboration across the ecosystem
• Actively collaborate with key internal and external partners in the development and execution of global Impact strategies by identifying and co-designing solutions, agreeing on scope and timelines and coordinating a cross-functional regional team
• Leadership, subject matter and executive engagement role but also will require leading and executing initiatives at the client and group level.  Must be able to roll up your sleeves and make things happen
• Location for this role is flexible however must be centered around one of the main four hubs: Dubai, Kiev, Moscow and Johannesburg 

Basic Qualifications

o   12 years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 10 years of experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA/JD/MD) or at least 8 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications:

o    Ability to engage with senior stakeholders, both internal and external

o    Ability to influence both global and regional/country stakeholders to develop regional/country SI strategies, roadmaps and initiatives that balance all priorities (social impact and business)

o    Previous experience navigating complex corporate environments and translating global strategies into regional approaches

o    Understanding of SMB needs, as well as of payments and emerging solutions

o    Strong understanding of financial inclusion and other Visa priority social impact goals

o    Ability to provide operational support to business teams to operationalize strategies (e.g., providing expertise, connections, program management guidance)

o    Passion to create social impact

o    Implementation of strategic projects with partners and leading roll-outs at the country and regional level

o    Project management skills and tracking experience of complex initiatives that engage with multiple stakeholders at the global, regional and local level

o    Lead virtual teams and communicate at different levels

o    Global mindset but knowledgeable of different cultural ecosystem landscapes and ability to connect to Visa business goals

​​​​​​​Diversity & Inclusion

Universal acceptance for everyone, everywhere, is not only our brand promise, it’s the foundation of our company culture. We foster a feeling of connectedness in the workplace, support diversity of thought, culture and background, fight for important initiatives like Equal Pay and actively work to eliminate unconscious biases that hold us all back.

By leveraging the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of our worldwide teams, Visa is a better place to work and a better business partner to our clients.