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Job Description
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 CMS leadership 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:
- Develop and implement the Visa Europe Limited (“VEL”) risk strategy
- Be part of the VEL Risk Function’s leadership team, developing and leading a team of 10 employees
- Work closely with his/ her counterparts in Global and Regional Risk and regional market teams into which s/he may have a dual/ solid/ dotted reporting line as determined by the Global CRO, VEL CRO, and Regional Managing Directors in sub regions.
- Work closely with colleagues in Client Services, Corporate Risk, Third Party Lifecycle Management Risk, and Regulatory Risk
- Support/Deputise for the VEL CRO as appropriate including representing Risk with internal and external stakeholders
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 CMS, serving as the Lead Risk Advisor CMS.
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 for CMS. In this capacity, the VP, Head of Europe Risk Advisors will serve as the CMS risk lead, providing second-line management for key areas for the first line in CMS, 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 CMS 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 CMS 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.
- Execute both internal and external risk management programs
- Lead client forums (Visa Europe Security Summit, Risk Executive Councils, Country level summits, working groups, etc.)
- Promote & support client adoption of Visa risk products / solutions / initiatives
- Identify new, creative "win-win" methods to reduce and mitigate payment system risk, fraud and cardholder data security risks.
- As a member of the CMS Leadership Team, serve as a trusted & strategic advisor to the Visa CMS Regional Managing Director on all risk issues.
Development, execute and adapt Europe Risk Budget for:
- Client engagement across the region (delivering improved client scores and evaluation)
- Thought Leadership in conjunction with Marketing and Corporate Communications
- Collateral Development with Marketing
- Driving Visa’s security narrative across the region
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:
- Identify, assess, mitigate and manage Ecosystem Risks
- Embed a risk culture that delivers sustainable business growth, protects the Visa brand and protects Visa’s clients and consumers, including the provision of training and risk management tools
- Embed Credit Settlement Risk Planning
- Embed Corporate and Third Party Lifecycle Risk management planning
- Execute the regional scorecard development and risk mitigation planning
Prepare reports, briefings and other written products to update executive management on risk activities, issues and opportunities.
- Convey risk-related trends and developments to local country manager and leadership team through regular reporting
- Synthesize marketplace feedback regarding the effectiveness of Visa’s risk management strategy and programs; benchmark Visa’s performance relative to other payment networks and participants.
- Guide Visa’s proactive risk communications and collaboration across all of these stakeholders so as to advance the safety, security and long-term growth of the Visa payment system.
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.
- Assess emerging/innovation risks and new business models
- Leverage local insights to contribute to Risk thought leadership
- Guide clients through payment innovation complexity
Manage relationships with issuers, acquirers, merchants, payment processors, service providers, regulators and law enforcement to:
- Work with the head of Europe Ecosystem Risk to resolve fraud & data breach events
- Provide stakeholder training
- Respond to ad hoc queries & analytics requirements from clients, regulators and external partners
- Identify opportunities to enhance the payment ecosystem and advance risk management best practice.
- Support constructive relationships with local market regulators and law enforcement agencies
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
- Developing and lead a “best in class” Risk Advisor department, hiring and maintaining a motivated team recognised by Executive Management and Global Risk Executives as:
- Experts in their field providing data driven insights
- Professional and business-aware
- Proactive and solutions-focused
- Constructive and proportionate in their challenge
- Approachable and collaborative
As part of the Risk Europe leadership team:
- Developing and driving a Risk Europe culture that supports delivery of the Risk Europe strategy
- Developing the Risk Europe operating model to be more strategic, dynamic and productive, and
- Delivering Risk Europe’s key initiatives
Support, and be prepared to represent, the Europe Regional Risk Officer in executing the Europe Risk Strategy across the region.
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: 15 or more years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD, PhD)
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
- Track record for successfully identifying and mitigating enterprise and operational risk for a complex, global company in a regulated industry.
- Experience protecting consumer and corporate data through the development and implementation of rigorous compliance & rules management processes.
- Demonstrated approach to risk management contributing to brand and business growth.
Strategic and Analytic Skills
- Understands both at a strategic and operational level the myriad risks facing the business; drives down to root causes to assess the severity of the risk, the cost of remediation, and develops an appropriate action plan.
- Maintains strong personal base of knowledge with respect to risk management, industry practices, trends, and issues.
Collaboration and Communication
- Works cross-functionally with technology and with business unit heads to deliver insights that drive key business strategies and decisions.
- Works effectively with clients and external stakeholders – banks, processors, regulators.
- Proven ability to influence, collaborate, and work in matrix environment.
Executing for Results
- Intellectually curious; finds stories in the data, asks the right questions, demonstrated track record of mining data & intelligence for game-changing insights that generate big impacts.
- Gets things done; relentlessly focuses on results; aligns efforts with business objectives.
People Leadership
- Provides leadership, sets vision, and motivates a team.
- Experience developing talent and infusing knowledge and experience across wider organization.
**Other Exposure and Education Required: **
- Global and deep knowledge of the payments industry and the major trends affecting the major stakeholders, including regulatory, market environment, competitive landscape, technology and the rising threat of data breaches.
- 15 years of experience in leadership across technology products/ solutions, or similar years of experience in a leadership position within a financial institution, potentially as a key customer for Visa’s services on the client side.
- Solid general management background, with proven track record in strategic thinking, financial planning, risk management, relationship building and project leadership.
- Extensive international experience or work experience in a multinational corporation preferred.
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.