Director Merchant Services and Acquiring Account Executive West Africa

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers merchants financial institutions and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year

Visas Merchant Sales and Solution Team is seeking a Merchant Sales and Solutions Director who will have responsibility for driving in market acceptance efforts

The Merchant Sales and Solutions Director has the responsibility of driving growth and development of meaningful and profitable merchant relations across Anglophone West Africa markets specifically being accountable and owning key clients across markets from a Merchant Servicing and Acquiring perspective

In addition this role is responsible for working with the Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring the Group Country Manager and Country Managers on industry and regulatory initiatives and interchange management for the region

The Director Merchant Sales and Solutions executes on the implementation of agreed merchant acceptance strategies that grow the penetration of electronic payments in this geography to drive increase in Merchant Sales Volume MSV via implementing the new payment solution and building strong working relationships with client banks key merchants and third party partners

The role is also responsible for understanding and communicating local market needs in order that the CEMEA Hub Digital Team and Global Merchant Sales and Solutions organizations are able to effectively and efficiently define market specific strategies required to manage strategic and complex acceptance issues.

JOB SCOPE

Key Results Areas:

• Develop and execute the merchant acceptance merchant relations and partner strategy for the region to increase Visa MSV market share data processing revenues and create acquirer merchant and consumer preference for Visa
• Partner with the Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring and the Group Country Manager Country Managers to execute on Nano Merchant Acceptance Strategies to transform the landscape over a 3 year horizon
• Drive acceptance of Visa payment solutions across West Africa with a focus across various business segments key among them top tier and marquee merchants
• Secure and close leading deals with Fintechs across the region to drive non traditional transformation of the payments landscape in West Africa
• Take the lead in negotiating large Strategic Partnerships with key clients and or partners to ensure that Strategic Imperatives are met
• Develop strong market relationships with key Fintechs and Merchants meant to protect and grow Visa business and brand standing with these merchants
• Conduct quarterly business reviews with key Fintechs and Merchants with the aim of ensuring Visa relationship adds value to clients
• Develop and execute the fintech issuance merchant acceptance merchant relations and partner strategy for West Africa increase Visa MSV market share data processing revenues and create acquirer merchant and consumer preference for Visa
• Play a hands on role in the deployment and go to market of mobile based technology solutions
• Development of new initiatives solutions implement marketing usage initiatives targeting traditional and new merchant segments both in physical world and virtual world with a focus on mobile based acceptance solutions
• Successfully translate broad strategies into specific measurable objectives and tactical action plans aligning efforts of the Acceptance and Interchange organizations with other key Visa stakeholders in particular the Country and Digital Teams
• Establish and foster relationships with Clients and internal stakeholders at all levels of staff and senior management
• Understand client needs solution deployment requirements in different environments and develop models of engagement that are easily replicable across organizations with similar characteristics for faster onboarding
• Support local Client Sales and Digital Teams with their sales and enablement efforts Maintain current knowledge of technologies products services methods and applications and implement new approaches and practices as required
• Maintain and build rapport with Digital and functional teams across Visa Inc to exchange learn and leverage best practices
• Local market and regulatory knowledge and functional experience in acceptance merchant acquiring interchange management consulting financial transaction processing knowledge and client sales preferably Visa supporting highly complex clients and or services within a highly matrixed environment
• Established networks at decision making levels with a strong business to business sales track record

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.

Years of Experience: A minimum of 10 years of success in progressive leadership positions in the Payments industry

Education required: Bachelors degree or equivalent Masters degree in a business field is an added advantage

Technical

Working knowledge of payments network and processing services

Working knowledge of mobile technology

Demonstrated detailed knowledge of the full breadth of acceptance and other products and services offered by Visa

Working knowledge of project management tools and application

Microsoft office tools eg Power

Point Excel Word etc:

Working knowledge of Visa systems preferred

Business

Strong Sales and relationship management skills

Broad and multiple industry exposure

General finance and accounting knowledge and understanding

Strong influencing and negotiation skills

Project management experience

Strong oral and written communication skills

Experience shaping and delivering defined strategies

Proven track record of driving growth and taking new products from conception to commercial launch

Executive presence

Global mindset desire and demonstrated ability to work cross culturally

Exposure to emerging payment solutions mobile wallets mobile money ecosystems agent banking mobile money transfers

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 is a world leader in payments technology, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories, dedicated to uplifting everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

At Visa, you'll have the opportunity to create impact at scale — tackling meaningful challenges, growing your skills and seeing your contributions impact lives around the world. Join Visa and do work that matters — to you, to your community, and to the world.

Progress starts with you.