Vice President, Head of European Risk Advisors
Visa•London, England, UK
fulltime
Management
15+ years
Visa is a world leader in payments technology, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories, dedicated to uplifting everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.
At Visa, you'll have the opportunity to create impact at scale — tackling meaningful challenges, growing your skills and seeing your contributions impact lives around the world. Join Visa and do work that matters — to you, to your community, and to the world.
Progress starts with you.
Job Description
Fascinated by the future and captivated by technology?
Smart, driven and want to make a difference in the world?
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 relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device 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 literacy and digital commerce to millions of unbanked and underserved consumers.
You’re an Individual. We’re the team for you. Together , let’s transform the way the world pays.
What’s it all about?
Visa owns the most recognizable global brand in the financial services industry. The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors key responsibilities will be to maintain trust in that brand, championing security in the industry and differentiating Visa in the eyes of clients and key stakeholders.
As a key member of the Europe Risk Team, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will advise the Europe Risk leadership, the UK & Ireland executive team and hub & global functional leads on strategies related to complex operational, financial, legal and regulatory risk exposures.
Providing leadership within the wider Ecosystem Risk team is an essential capability, balancing Visa’s business goals with the need to protect the Visa ecosystem from excessive risk to create an environment for strong but sustainable business growth.
The job holder is expected to provide executive level briefings on key ecosystem risks and mitigation strategies, identifying both positive and negative aspects to proposed strategies and tactics. Lead Risk across the functions in a coherent, collaborative approach, creating a high performing, enthusiastic team and driving Risk strategy across the region.
The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will:
The successful candidate will lead a team of approximately 10 Risk professionals, based across the Visa Europe region. These professionals are in-market client-facing Risk advisors and highly skilled Risk specialists in the areas of compromise management, data security, corporate risk, ecosystem integrity, credit settlement risk, regulatory risk and fraud analytics.
The Role
VEL is a significant participant in the payments system across the Europe Region, which represents a diversity of regulatory, economic and political environments. As such VEL recognises it has an important role to play in identifying and managing risks created by its clients that may adversely affect VEL and the effectiveness of the payments system, including VEL’s clients end-consumers. Consequently, the role is a significant contributor to the success of VEL and protecting the Visa brand.
Reporting to the Chief Risk Officer, Europe, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will be entrusted with a broad portfolio of responsibilities including the implementation of Strategic Risk Management for the business, Ecosystem Risk, Credit Settlement Risk and Corporate Risk across the region and where appropriate will deputise for the CRO.
In addition to overseeing the broader development and execution of the European Risk strategy across the region via the Risk Advisors, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will be responsible for direct management and implementation of the Europe Risk Strategy within the UK and Ireland Region, serving as the Lead Risk Advisor for the UK/I.
The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisor will be responsible for creating, managing and adapting the Europe Risk budget to execute a comprehensive strategy for client engagement, external thought leadership development, marketing and corporate communications, and innovation.
The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisor will have regional responsibility for championing security in the industry and maintaining the integrity of the payments ecosystem. This complex and fast evolving ecosystem includes issuing and acquiring banks, merchants, cardholders, and service providers such as processors, device manufacturers, and payment gateways. The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will be responsible for the execution of all Ecosystem Risk programs in Europe in alignment with the VP Ecosystem Risk, Europe. These programs include the Visa Integrity Risk Program and Visa’s Risk fraud and disputes programs.
Beyond Europe Risk, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors lead is also accountable for Risk to the head of the UK/I business Regional Managing Director for UK/I. In this capacity, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will serve as the RMD UK/I’s risk lead, providing second-line management for key areas for the first line in the UK/I, including credit settlement, corporate, and regulatory risk issues.
The successful candidate for this hugely diverse role, must collaborate effectively with the Global Risk Leadership Team, the UK/I Leadership Team, Visa hub & global functions including Technology, Innovation, Global Solutions, Client Support Services, Global Product, Government Engagement, and Merchant & Acceptance Solutions.
The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will develop security priorities and execute strategies to prevent fraud, enhance user authentication, safeguard sensitive data, identify and respond to data breaches and prevent the misuse of the payment system for unlawful purposes. This person will also be responsible for executing Visa’s Credit Settlement Risk policy in the UK/I and via the regional risk advisors so as to protect Visa against financial loss in the case of a failure of an issuing or acquiring bank.
The VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will play an important role in shaping Visa’s enterprise and operational risk strategies during a period of rapid innovation in the payments industry. From enabling new channels (e.g. eCommerce/ mCommerce) to incorporating new technologies (e.g., chip cards, NFC) and expanding payment ecosystem (e.g. 3rd party service providers, regulators), this role will have the opportunity to lead Visa’s regional leadership team and clients to mitigate risks and innovate responsibly.
He/she will be a catalyst for transforming Visa Europe’s risk strategy and solutions for issuers, acquirers and merchants, with the end goal of championing payments security & forging deeper client relationships. In this capacity, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors is expected to represent Visa in internal executive engagements and external client-facing and public-facing events, driving security, risk, and payments awareness across the industry.
Specific / Key responsibilities include:
Develop and execute a comprehensive set of risk advisor plans that are consistent with local market landscape, country priorities and global risk strategy.
Development, execute and adapt Europe Risk Budget for:
Providing constructive challenge and support to the VEL businesses and functions to ensure First Line of Defense Risk management is effectively embedded, including supporting the VEL businesses and functions (as First Line of Defense) to:
Prepare reports, briefings and other written products to update executive management on risk activities, issues and opportunities.
As the Second Line of Defense, delivering efficient and effective oversight of Ecosystem Risks, including:
Provide assurance to the VEL Board, Executive Management and Risk Committees that VEL’s key and emerging risks are being identified and managed at an aggregated level
Provide assurance to the VEL Board, Executive Management and Risk Committees of the effectiveness of co-sourced Second Line of Defense services provided by Global Centres of Excellence
Provide timely and effective management information, metrics and analysis to help inform key business and risk decisions, and to allow measurement of progress against goals and desirable outcomes
Develop and implement risk-based monitoring and compliance plans with robust reporting and tracking
Develop and implement preventative measures of Risk, including proactive client engagement to support clients in protecting end consumers and the ecosystem
Provide advice and recommendations to Senior Management on Risk controls and other actions required to drive risk mitigation
Lead, or support Global Risk colleagues in, Second Line risk reviews of strategic and emerging Risks and key business initiatives
Ensure appropriate coverage for the Continental European offices, tailored to the businesses’ needs, risk profile and requirements of each geographic and jurisdictional location
Providing support to the Chief Risk Officer, Europe in identifying key Risk escalations to the VEL leadership team, Board and Global Risk
Lead the responsible innovation initiative by assisting Visa and its clients mitigate risks and embrace new technology improvements.
Manage relationships with issuers, acquirers, merchants, payment processors, service providers, regulators and law enforcement to:
Represent Visa, Visa Europe, and Europe Risk at internal executive and external public engagements with key stakeholders, including regulators, government partners in Europe, clients, and payment ecosystem stakeholders
As part of the Risk Europe leadership team:
Support, and be prepared to represent, the Europe Regional Risk Officer in executing the Europe Risk Strategy across the region.
Key Relationships
Reports to: Chief Risk Office, Europe
Matrix reporting to: UK/I Regional Managing Director
Key Direct Reports: In-Market Europe Risk Advisors
Other Key Europe Relationships: Europe Regional Managing Directors
Group Country and Country Managers in all Europe Markets
Europe and UK/I Head of Corporate Relations
Europe Head of Client Services
Europe Head of Finance
Europe and UK/I Head of Government Relations
Europe and UK/I Head of Human Resources
Europe and UK/I Head of Marketing
Europe and UK/I Head of Merchant Solutions
Europe and UK/I Head of Legal
Europe and UK/I Head of Product
Europe and UK/I Head of Strategy
Europe and UK/I Head of Value Added Services
Europe Head of Commercial & Money Movement Solutions (CMS)
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:
12 or more 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:
The ideal candidate is an accomplished enterprise and operational risk leader with deep experience in the payments industry. While candidates with payments experience (networks, processors, financial institutions) are preferred, candidates from other multi-national, technology based, transactional businesses (e.g. large retailers) would also be considered. Finally, Visa may consider candidates with a track record for leading within a sound, well respected, multi-national, regulated business.
Regardless of the business pedigree, candidates must possess a deep intellect capable of understanding both current and emerging risks facing the business. Candidates must also demonstrate a track record for using that understanding to develop effective risk mitigation strategies and to sell those strategies to colleagues internally. The ability to influence senior level decision makers and to partner closely with the business is most critical.
Finally, a high degree of self-confidence, humility and energy will be essential to succeed in a fast paced and evolving industry.
Professional Experience Required:
Risk Experience
Strategic and Analytic Skills
Collaboration and Communication
Executing for Results
People Leadership
Other Exposure and Education Required:
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.