Director, Business Planning & Operations GCC

As the Director, Business Planning & Operations GCC at Visa, you will be responsible for leading the annual business planning cycle, collaborating with the Finance team to optimize resource allocation, and providing actionable insights based on extensive market research and data analysis. Your role includes managing complex business issues, overseeing major strategic projects, and preparing presentations and reports for leadership, all while maintaining essential alignment with various functional and country management teams.

To qualify for the Director, Business Planning & Operations GCC position at Visa, you should have at least 10 years of relevant work experience, complemented by a Bachelor's degree. Alternatively, a Master's degree, JD, MD or PhD can be considered with fewer years of experience. Preferred qualifications include a minimum of 6 years in retail banking, management consulting, or corporate strategy, with significant exposure to the financial services or payments industry.

In this role, you will manage a variety of major project work streams related to Visa’s strategic priorities in the GCC. Projects may vary significantly in their focus and depth, ranging from broad coordination efforts across multiple countries and functions to specialized assignments of high strategic importance for Visa's operations in the region.

The work environment for the Director, Business Planning & Operations GCC at Visa is hybrid, which means you'll have the flexibility of working both in the office and remotely. You will often navigate a complex and sometimes ambiguous landscape, allowing you to exercise your problem-solving skills and influence business strategy effectively.

Visa is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment, which is reflected in its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy. The company ensures that all qualified applicants receive fair consideration for the Director, Business Planning & Operations GCC position without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.

When answering this question, highlight a specific project that required coordination among various stakeholders. Discuss your role, the challenges faced, and how you addressed them. Emphasize your analytical approach and how your project contributed to achieving company objectives.

Use this opportunity to demonstrate your organizational skills. Talk about methods you use to evaluate project importance and urgency, including stakeholder impact and strategic relevance. Provide examples of tools or frameworks you’ve implemented to manage priorities effectively.

Emphasize the importance of clarity and relevance in your communication. Discuss how you tailor your messaging to your audience's needs, using visual aids, stories, or data summaries that make complex information accessible and actionable.

Share examples that include your role in cross-functional collaboration, focusing on how you facilitated communication and teamwork among diverse groups. Highlight your ability to navigate differences and achieve consensus among stakeholders.

Discuss strategies such as regular check-ins, utilizing shared goals, and establishing clear communication channels. Provide examples of how you successfully maintained alignment in previous roles to drive project success.

Explain how you gather and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data to form well-rounded business insights. Provide an example of how this data-driven approach helped shape a key decision or project in your past experience.

Talk about your strategy for presenting data and insights convincingly. Share the context of the situation, what you did to persuade them, and the outcome. Highlight your communication and reasoning skills.

Stay updated on payment trends like digital wallets, contactless payments, and regulatory changes. Discuss how these trends impact Visa and the strategies you would propose to leverage these changes for competitive advantage.

Provide examples of how you've successfully navigated changes, showcasing your flexibility and proactive approach in developing strategies to address new challenges or opportunities.

Share your passion for the payments industry and your desire to drive meaningful change. Emphasize values such as innovation, collaboration, and the opportunity to make a significant impact on business strategies and operations.