Sr. Director, Software Engineering (Fullstack) - job 7 of 24

As the Sr. Director, Software Engineering at Visa, you will be responsible for leading multiple diverse technical teams, ensuring they deliver secure and reliable products aligned with the organization's platform principles. You will drive excellence in engineering practices across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), influence product strategy, and build a culture of accountability and innovation within your teams.

Visa seeks a candidate with extensive experience in software engineering leadership, demonstrating a proven ability to deliver complex services at scale. Ideal qualifications include expertise in project management, coaching engineering staff, and a solid understanding of regulatory and security requirements relevant to the FinTech industry, paired with a passion for fostering an inclusive team culture.

In the Sr. Director of Software Engineering role at Visa, you’ll partner with Product teams to align on requirements, prioritizing features and influencing the product roadmap. Your expertise will be crucial in guiding the direction of product strategies while ensuring that engineering solutions are fit for purpose and delivered on time.

Cultural leadership is vital for the Sr. Director role at Visa, as you'll be responsible for building an inclusive team atmosphere that fosters ownership and accountability. Your ability to nurture talents and inspire your engineering team directly impacts retention rates and the overall culture of excellence and innovation within the organization.

A typical day for a Sr. Director of Software Engineering at Visa involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, attending strategy meetings, providing mentorship to your engineering staff, and reviewing project progress. Throughout your day, you will drive initiatives that align technology development with business goals while supporting a culture of excellence and innovation.

To ensure engineering excellence, focus on instilling strong coding practices, conducting regular code reviews, and encouraging continuous learning. Encourage collaboration among team members and foster a culture where quality is a shared responsibility, leading to robust and reliable software.

Start by building strong relationships with product managers and stakeholders. Utilize data-driven insights to present compelling arguments that show the value of certain features or changes. Be proactive in discussions and tailor your approach based on feedback and strategic business goals to effectively influence product direction.

My approach to team management revolves around open communication and individualized mentorship. I prioritize understanding each team member's strengths and weaknesses, providing tailored support to help them grow. Regular one-on-one sessions can empower staff and make sure they feel valued and challenged.

Conflicts within teams can be effectively managed by fostering an environment of open dialogue. I promote discussions that allow team members to express their perspectives respectfully. Mediation may be necessary, and my approach should be impartial, focusing on finding common ground and solutions that benefit the team.

Promoting accountability starts with setting clear expectations and responsibilities for each team member. I advocate for regular check-ins where progress is discussed openly, and successes are celebrated while encouraging transparency. This creates a culture where everyone feels responsible for their contributions.

To prioritize projects, I collaborate with product teams to understand business goals and timelines. I utilize Agile methodologies to break down tasks into manageable units, allowing for flexibility in adjusting priorities based on team capacity and emerging requirements.

Innovation is a cornerstone of my management style. I encourage teams to explore new technologies and methodologies, allowing time for experimental projects that can lead to breakthroughs. Fostering creativity not only enhances morale but also contributes to our organization's competitive edge.

Ensuring compliance with regulatory and security requirements involves implementing a framework for risk assessment and regular audits. I emphasize keeping the team informed and trained on security best practices while integrating compliance checks throughout the development cycle.

Collaboration with cross-functional teams is fundamental in my role. I prioritize regular coordination meetings to enhance communication. By understanding each perspective, I aim to align engineering efforts with product development, ensuring seamless workflows and successful project outcomes.

My vision for the future of software engineering in FinTech focuses on enhancing security, automating processes, and leveraging AI and machine learning for predictive analytics. As we advance, I believe collaboration, user-centric design, and robust security measures will be vital for meeting ever-evolving customer needs.