This is a critical senior leadership role within the CEMEA Corporate Communications function, responsible for shaping, protecting, and elevating Visaâs reputation across the Western & Central Africa (WCA) subâregion, one of our fastestâgrowing and most diverse regions, spanning 23 markets.
Sitting on the WCA Leadership Team, the Senior Director will serve as a trusted adviser to the Group Country Manager (GCM) and collaborate closely with VP/Senior Directorâlevel peers. The role requires an accomplished communicator capable of navigating a complex landscape of market maturity levels, regulatory environments, and stakeholder expectations.
The successful candidate will combine strong strategic counsel with flawless execution, ensuring Visa shows up consistently and credibly with media, clients, partners, employees, government stakeholders, and influencers across the region.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Reputation Management
- Lead the development and implementation of an integrated communications strategy for the WCA region to strengthen Visaâs corporate reputation and enable business growth.
- Serve as a core member of the WCA Leadership Team, providing proactive leadership advice and guidance to the GCM, Country Managers and senior functional business partners.
- Drive multiâyear plans that monitor and enhance Visaâs reputation through improved media coverage, message pullâthrough, perception audits, and stakeholder engagement.
Regional Communications & Market Support
- Provide senior-level strategic counsel across 23 diverse WCA markets, ensuring tailored, effective, and consistent high-quality program delivery at a region and market-level.
- Lead and mentor market teams and agency partners, building capabilities to ensure continuous improvement.
External Communications & Media Engagement
- Strengthen Visaâs visibility by cultivating relationships with key âtierâoneâ business, technology, financial, and consumer media across WCA.
- Develop ongoing plan for communicating Visaâs technology leadership, elevating product developments and aligning with external ecosystem partners and needs.
Internal Communications & Employee Engagement
- Develop a robust and comprehensive internal and employee communications plan to inspire culture for a rapidly growing region.
- Introduce and implement standardized approaches to advance employee engagement on strategic priorities, aligning diverse multi-market teams on common goals and approaches.
Stakeholder Engagement & Executive Profiling
- Lead corporate profiling for the GCM and WCA Leadership Team members, establishing them as visible thought leaders and experts shaping the future of payments and commerce.
- Engage directly with clients, partners, and highâvalue external stakeholders at senior levels to support business objectives.
Critical Projects & Event Leadership
- Lead major Visa-led and thirdâparty event platforms across WCA â including highâvisibility forums, client engagements, ecosystem events, and government/industry convenings.
- Oversee project-based campaigns, ensuring alignment with global priorities and highâquality execution through agency partners.
Digital Communications & Innovation
- Champion a digitalâfirst mindset to explore innovative channels and formats for deeper engagement with regional audiences.
- Develop and evolve the regionâs corporate narrative to reflect Visaâs global priorities while being locally relevant.
Measurement, Governance & Process Excellence
- Oversee reputation measurement frameworks, ensuring insights translate into improved strategy and execution.
- Manage communications budgets for the region, ensuring efficient investment in people, agencies, and campaigns.
- Ensure processes, approvals, and governance frameworks meet global standards.