Role Overview

The Group Country Manager (GCM) will have end to end leadership accountability for the growth of Visa’s business across the Nordics and Baltics cluster. The GCM will lead a cross-functional leadership team to identify and drive market initiatives and strategies within the cluster that aid Visa Europe’s accelerated growth. The role will report to the Regional President of the Visa Europe Region.

The Nordics & Baltics cluster comprises 8 markets – Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - all at different stages of digital payments adoption. This leader will lead a diverse, multi-market team that tailors Visa’s global strategy to the region’s unique political, regulatory, and commercial context.

The role will drive engagement with all stakeholders within Visa’s ecosystem, bringing commercial judgement, influence, and rigor to grow Visa’s position in the cluster, while also leading on some pan-European initiatives. The GCM will operate at C-Suite level with clients and lead key strategic market and technology developments. This role requires a strong results focus and growth mindset, setting clear outcomes and relentlessly executing to exceed ambitious commercial and client-impact goals. Operate with high energy and speed, mobilising cross‑functional teams to remove roadblocks and accelerate delivery. Be deeply client-centric, co-creating solutions, champion market leading innovation, and deliver measurable value.

The successful individual will be an authentic, inspiring, and courageous leader, unwavering in their passion to drive growth and harness the capabilities and assets at Visa - the brand, our products, and our people.

Key Responsibilities 

• Work closely with the Europe Regional President and the Europe Leadership Team to shape and execute the wider regional strategy, driving significant growth to reach aspirations of 2030 strategy.
• Design and execute the strategic growth plan for the cluster as part of the broader Europe growth strategy.
• Lead the business to deliver ambitious growth and continued financial performance.
• Influence at a senior level with all clients as a trusted advisor and true partner- a thought leader who is curious and understands our clients’ business, growth goals, challenges, and strategic objectives.
• Expand and utilize a network at the most senior level within key client organizations and the market, seeking common opportunities for growth.
• Provide inspirational leadership to the cluster by continuing to build, develop and lead a high performing and diverse team. Be a talent ambassador by driving talent development in the region and sponsoring Visa’s employer brand activity in the Nordics & Baltics cluster and broader Europe market.
• Represent Visa externally on a regular basis through interactions with key clients, the press, domestic regulators, government agencies, consumers, merchants and the broader fintech - emerging digital ecosystem.
• Work with the cluster Client Council to ensure a robust approach to decision making in the payments ecosystem, leveraging insight and analysis from the Client Council and keeping pace with the regulatory agenda.
• Oversight and collaboration across all business verticals that are linked to Nordics & Baltics.  

Ideal Qualifications

• Deep commercial experience, including significant experience in an executive leadership role within the broader payments industry or adjacent sectors where technology features strongly in the ecosystem.
• Leadership of an enterprise or the commercial functions of a business where the development and deployment of the digital and customer agenda is a key driver of success.
• P&L experience required. Growing a business in a high-growth - fast-paced environment would be advantageous. Consistent record of delivering challenging financial and business targets essential.
• Excellent understanding of risk management and strong analytical - decision making skills.
• Demonstrated success developing strategy and leading it through to execution and delivery.
• A strong record of accomplishment in securing, expanding, and retaining client partnerships.
• An understanding of political, governmental, and regulatory environments across Europe.
• Proven ability to build, inspire, lead, and develop high performing diverse teams.
• Commercially astute with experience of working in a fast-paced changing global matrix organization. Ability to navigate complex structures and empower decision-making locally.

Personal Characteristics

• 20 + years of experience including 10 years of commercial / sales leadership experience within the broader payments industry, or adjacent sectors where technology (digital / e and m-commerce) feature strongly.
• Entrepreneurial and comfortable with ambiguous and change-led environments- self-confident with an authentic style that gravitates to championing change.
• Analytical, curious, driven, and able to get up to speed quickly and become an expert in all aspects of the market.
• Creative and resilient in overcoming barriers and unexpected roadblocks. Courageous in spirit, driving change through innovation.
• An authentic leader, who creates an inclusive environment where individuals thrive, can be themselves and enable the business to reach its ambitious goals.
• High personal standards of ethics and integrity towards employees, stakeholders, and customers.
• Diversity of thought and experience. Continually seeks new perspectives and feedback, takes an inclusive approach, and engages diverse points of view. High levels of learning-agility, curious by nature.
• An intellectually curious leader with a high degree of compassion and the ability to engage, enable and inspire others.
• This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office at a minimum of 3 set days a week (determined by leadership/site).
• 10-15% of expected business travel.
• Committed to building a community through Visa’s Leadership Principles.

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.