This is a critical senior leadership role within the CEMEA Corporate Communications function, responsible for shaping, protecting, and elevating Visa’s reputation across the Western & Central Africa (WCA) sub‑region, one of our fastest‑growing and most diverse regions, spanning 23 markets.

Sitting on the WCA Leadership Team, the Senior Director will serve as a trusted adviser to the Group Country Manager (GCM) and collaborate closely with VP/Senior Director–level peers. The role requires an accomplished communicator capable of navigating a complex landscape of market maturity levels, regulatory environments, and stakeholder expectations.

The successful candidate will combine strong strategic counsel with flawless execution, ensuring Visa shows up consistently and credibly with media, clients, partners, employees, government stakeholders, and influencers across the region.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Reputation Management

• Lead the development and implementation of an integrated communications strategy for the WCA region to strengthen Visa’s corporate reputation and enable business growth.
• Serve as a core member of the WCA Leadership Team, providing proactive leadership advice and guidance to the GCM, Country Managers and senior functional business partners.
• Drive multi‑year plans that monitor and enhance Visa’s reputation through improved media coverage, message pull‑through, perception audits, and stakeholder engagement.

Regional Communications & Market Support

• Provide senior-level strategic counsel across 23 diverse WCA markets, ensuring tailored, effective, and consistent high-quality program delivery at a region and market-level.
• Lead and mentor market teams and agency partners, building capabilities to ensure continuous improvement.

External Communications & Media Engagement

• Strengthen Visa’s visibility by cultivating relationships with key “tier‑one” business, technology, financial, and consumer media across WCA.
• Develop ongoing plan for communicating Visa’s technology leadership, elevating product developments and aligning with external ecosystem partners and needs.

Internal Communications & Employee Engagement

• Develop a robust and comprehensive internal and employee communications plan to inspire culture for a rapidly growing region.
• Introduce and implement standardized approaches to advance employee engagement on strategic priorities, aligning diverse multi-market teams on common goals and approaches.

Stakeholder Engagement & Executive Profiling

• Lead corporate profiling for the GCM and WCA Leadership Team members, establishing them as visible thought leaders and experts shaping the future of payments and commerce.
• Engage directly with clients, partners, and high‑value external stakeholders at senior levels to support business objectives.

Critical Projects & Event Leadership

• Lead major Visa-led and third‑party event platforms across WCA — including high‑visibility forums, client engagements, ecosystem events, and government/industry convenings.
• Oversee project-based campaigns, ensuring alignment with global priorities and high‑quality execution through agency partners.

Digital Communications & Innovation

• Champion a digital‑first mindset to explore innovative channels and formats for deeper engagement with regional audiences.
• Develop and evolve the region’s corporate narrative to reflect Visa’s global priorities while being locally relevant.

Measurement, Governance & Process Excellence

• Oversee reputation measurement frameworks, ensuring insights translate into improved strategy and execution.
• Manage communications budgets for the region, ensuring efficient investment in people, agencies, and campaigns.
• Ensure processes, approvals, and governance frameworks meet global standards.

• 10–15+ years of experience in communications, ideally combining agency and in house experience at global brands.
• Deep understanding of Western & Central African markets, with experience operating across complex, diverse regions.
• Demonstrated experience leading high stakes corporate, B2B, technology, and consumer communications.
• Proven ability to counsel senior executives and manage challenging business issues with sound judgment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to influence at all levels.
• Experience managing teams and agencies, capable of building and developing high performing communications talent.

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.