Senior Director - Financial Institution Sales, NA Visa Direct - job 15 of 19

As a Senior Director - Financial Institution Sales at Visa Direct, your main responsibilities include owning the annual sales target for regional and community banks, leading a team of sales professionals, and directly engaging with client executives to promote Visa Direct’s money movement solutions. You will collaborate with Visa Account Executives to build a robust pipeline of sales opportunities and partner with financial technology providers to drive joint pipeline conversion, ensuring a successful execution of Visa's strategy in the fintech arena.

For the Senior Director - Financial Institution Sales position at Visa Direct, candidates typically need a strong background in sales within the financial services or technology sectors, with proven experience in managing high-performing teams. A solid understanding of payment solutions, such as money movement and cross-border payments, is essential. Additionally, candidates should possess excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills to effectively engage with client executives and deliver compelling sales pitches.

Visa Direct is a comprehensive money movement solution that enables domestic and cross-border fund transfers using various payment methods. As the Senior Director for this initiative, you will take ownership of regional bank and community bank sales for Visa Direct's offerings. This includes managing sales efforts directly linked to Visa Direct capabilities such as Original Credit Transactions (OCT) and person-to-person transfers, which are pivotal in capitalizing on the growing push payments market.

The Senior Director at Visa Direct plays a crucial role in enhancing financial inclusion within the community by promoting innovative payment solutions that benefit both individuals and businesses. By leading the sales efforts, this position helps regional and community banks offer these cutting-edge services to their customers, helping to bridge the gap between traditional banking and digital commerce, thus fostering economic growth in underserved markets.

The Senior Director - Financial Institution Sales at Visa Direct significantly influences Visa's overall strategy by driving sales growth, enhancing client relationships, and providing market insights that shape Visa Direct's product roadmap. By managing regional and community banks, you contribute to the expansion of Visa’s market presence, ultimately supporting the company's mission to transform payment solutions and enable a cashless future.

To develop a sales strategy for Visa Direct, I would begin by conducting thorough market research to identify potential clients and analyze industry trends. Next, I would leverage data to define clear sales targets, create tailored messaging for different client segments, and build strong partnerships with key stakeholders. Additionally, I would focus on training my team to align with the strategy, ensuring they are equipped to effectively communicate the benefits of Visa Direct to our clients.

In my previous roles, I have successfully led sales teams by fostering an inclusive and motivated environment. By setting clear objectives, providing regular feedback, and facilitating professional development opportunities, I ensured my team stayed aligned with our sales goals. Additionally, I emphasized collaboration and open communication to allow for sharing best practices, which ultimately led to surpassing our sales targets consistently.

To influence client executives, I would utilize personalized data-driven presentations that highlight the key benefits of partnering with Visa Direct, including market potential, competitive advantages, and customer success stories. Building rapport through understanding their unique challenges and customizing our value proposition to meet their needs would be critical. Additionally, I would emphasize our ongoing support and resources that would make the partnership successful.

To tackle challenges in the competitive payments landscape, I would focus on continuous market analysis to track industry shifts and emerging technologies. By staying ahead of trends, I can adapt our sales strategies accordingly. Additionally, fostering strong relationships with both internal stakeholders and clients helps create agility in our approach, enabling us to quickly respond to competitive pressures while delivering innovative solutions like Visa Direct.

I have extensive experience with cross-functional collaboration by working closely with marketing, product development, and finance teams in my past roles. This involvement ensured that the sales strategies were not only feasible but also aligned with the company's broader objectives. Regular cross-departmental meetings encouraged open communication, allowing us to share insights that informed product development and marketing initiatives geared toward enhancing our sales strategies.

The most effective sales techniques for selling fintech solutions include consultative selling and solution-based selling. By truly understanding a client’s pain points and needs, I can tailor our offerings to show how Visa Direct can solve their specific challenges. Building long-term relationships and utilizing storytelling to illustrate success stories resonates well with clients and fosters trust, making them more receptive to adopting innovative solutions.

To measure the success of my sales team, I would implement a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales targets, conversion rates, and pipeline growth would be tracked diligently. Additionally, I would solicit regular feedback from team members and clients to assess how well we are meeting expectations and where improvements can be made, ensuring that we are continuously refining our approach to achieve greater success.

To improve sales performance in a particular region, I would first analyze past performance data to identify weaknesses and growth opportunities. Engaging with local sales professionals can also provide insights into client needs and market dynamics. I would implement targeted training sessions to address gaps, establish local partnerships to enhance our visibility, and focus on developing personalized outreach campaigns that resonate with the regional audience.

In a previous role, I led a sales project focusing on integrating a new payment solution for mid-sized banks. By conducting thorough market research and identifying key pain points, I tailored our approach, leading to a customized proposal that highlighted the unique benefits of our solution. The campaign resulted in a 40% increase in adoption rates among our target clients and set a foundation for ongoing relationships in the sector.

A Director needs to have a comprehensive understanding of the financial institutions market, including regulations, emerging technologies, and customer behavior trends. It's crucial to grasp the competitive landscape and the shifting demands of both consumers and businesses to effectively position Visa Direct's offerings. Building strong connections within the industry can also provide strategic insights that inform sales tactics and product development.