* This position is a 15- month fixed- term contract*

Visa’s Global Government Engagement team shapes the policy and regulatory environment to grow our business and advance Visa’s mission. We are trusted advisors to governments, clients, and partners. We strive to build the most innovative, reliable, and secure global payments ecosystem—one that enables everyone to participate fully in the digital economy, delivering economic growth and positive social outcomes. We are diverse and inclusive—committed to being a best-in-class team of government relations, policy, and stakeholder engagement professionals.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Affairs, Canada, the Senior Director, Government Engagement will support a complex set of federal and provincial and policy initiatives in support of Visa’s overall business objectives. This role is responsible for upholding Visa Canada’s strategy for government engagement and public policy to help drive Visa’s business across the country.

This leader will work closely with Visa’s regional business leaders to ensure engagements with government officials and regulators align with corporate objectives and regulatory requirements to drive business impact. To succeed in this role, the Senior Director must possess strong policy and written communication skills, including the ability to develop papers and briefing materials. This role requires the ability to work cross-functionally with the business and act as a liaison between internal functions including Legal, Risk, Sales, Product and Strategy.

External stakeholder management will be an important aspect of the role. This includes interacting with Visa clients, government officials, and representing Visa at industry forums and associations. The successful candidate should possess strong experience in working across the spectrum of stakeholders to advance the company’s advocacy strategy.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and support a set of policy issues for Visa, including developments relating to real-time payments, fintech, open banking, consumer protection and emerging issues affecting the payments industry.
• Establish and nurture relationships at senior levels across governments and other key stakeholder groups in Canada. Regularly engage directly with lawmakers, regulators, and other external stakeholders to enhance Visa’s brand, reputation, and competitive position.
• Recommend and support appropriate engagements between Visa’s global and Canada executive leadership and senior government officials.
• Facilitate regular face-to-face briefings with relevant regulators and government officials, leveraging Visa’s regional and global business subject matter experts.
• In close coordination with the Head of Corporate Affairs, develop Visa’s positions and advocacy strategies on priority legislative and policy issues.
• Leverage insights and policy developments impacting Visa and our clients to provide analysis of key developments that could affect the payments industry.
• Drafting reports and submissions for a business and government audience. 

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of the financial services and payments industry in Canada. Experience in payments policy is preferred. The successful candidate will be a self-starter with extraordinary organizational and writing skills, comfortable covering multiple assignments at once, and capable of quickly and efficiently producing high-quality deliverables on a timely, and often daily basis. Experience in government and/or in the financial services sector is preferred.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Work Hours

Incumbent must make themselves available during core business hours. * This position is a 15- month fixed- term contract*

Travel Requirements

This position requires the incumbent to travel for work approximately 20 % of the time.

Physical Requirements

This position will be performed in an office setting.  The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers, and reach with hands and arms.

Visa EEO Statement

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

Visa welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

• 10 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 10 years of work experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA /JD/MD) or a minimum of 5 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications

• 10 or more years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 8 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, or MD) PhD with 9+ years of experience
• Relevant experience with payments policy in Canada and/or public sector experience strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required advanced degree preferred.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communications skills.
• Proven ability to develop and articulate positions on complex public policy issues.
• Capable of building and strengthening Visa’s relationships with government officials, and other key financial regulators and policy makers.
• Outstanding professional poise and maturity when interacting with internal or external colleagues at every level, all the time.
• Combination of political and commercially robust business acumen understanding of both corporate and political environments.
• Self-starter with proven ability to achieve results. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), SharePoint, and demonstrated strength in developing presentations and collateral materials for use with key stakeholders.

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.