Sr. Manager, Payment Ecosystem Risk & Compliance

About Us
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.

Job Description

The team is responsible for protecting the integrity, safety, and trust of the Visa payment ecosystem. The team monitors and enforces risk and compliance programs that identify, investigate, and remediate behaviors that threaten the stability of the network, Visa clients, and end users.

These programs span multiple risk domains, including acquirer and issuer monitoring, fraud and risk compliance, integrity programs, and network risk investigations, and include programs such as Rules Compliance, VAMP, VIMP, FRECOP, VIRP, and related ecosystem risk frameworks. Collectively, these programs ensure that ecosystem participants operate in alignment with Visa Rules, program requirements, and applicable laws and regulations.

Role Overview

This people leadership role is responsible for leading a team of compliance and risk professionals in the execution of ecosystem risk, compliance, monitoring, investigation, remediation, and enforcement programs that protect the integrity of the Visa payment ecosystem and support adherence to Visa International By-Laws, Visa Core Rules, Product and Service Rules, and related policies.

The Senior Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for a team of Consultants and Analysts, ensuring the effective delivery of compliance programs, investigations, and enforcement activities while meeting business, operational, and organizational objectives. The role is responsible for identifying and assessing emerging risks, non-compliant activity, and Visa Rules violations; driving data-driven analysis and insights; and overseeing remediation, negotiation, and enforcement efforts that improve client compliance and reduce ecosystem risk.

Working closely with Global Risk, PERC, Rules & Compliance, regional teams, Client Services, Account Executives, and external clients, the Senior Manager promotes the consistent application of risk and compliance standards across programs and regions. The role serves as a key advisor on compliance matters, manages sensitive and complex issues, and ensures appropriate escalation of significant risks to minimize operational, financial, brand, and reputational exposure to Visa.

The Senior Manager leads multiple compliance initiatives and programs simultaneously, leveraging reporting, analytics, and operational insights to measure effectiveness, improve performance, and enhance enforcement strategies. The role contributes to the evolution of compliance and ecosystem risk programs through process improvement, automation, and operational excellence initiatives that increase efficiency, consistency, and scalability.

In addition to program leadership, the role is responsible for talent development, coaching, performance management, and fostering a high-performing, collaborative team culture. Operating with moderate autonomy, the Senior Manager balances strategic priorities with operational execution, influences outcomes through stakeholder engagement and negotiation, and develops organizational capabilities that support Visa's evolving risk, compliance, and ecosystem protection objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a team of compliance and risk professionals responsible for the execution of investigations, monitoring, remediation, and enforcement activities across Visa Rules and ecosystem risk programs, ensuring consistent delivery of business, operational, and risk management objectives.
• Oversee complex investigations, compliance reviews, and client engagements, providing direction on significant risk matters, enforcement actions, corrective action plans, and escalation decisions to mitigate risk and protect ecosystem integrity.
• Drive compliance outcomes through proactive client engagement, negotiation, remediation, and enforcement strategies, ensuring issues are resolved effectively and in accordance with Visa policies and program requirements.
• Manage program performance through data-driven insights, reporting, and analytics, identifying trends, emerging risks, and improvement opportunities to enhance program effectiveness, operational efficiency, and business outcomes.
• Lead multiple compliance programs, investigations, and strategic initiatives simultaneously, balancing priorities, allocating resources, and ensuring adherence to service, quality, and regulatory standards.
• Serve as a key advisor to internal and external stakeholders by providing expert guidance on Visa Rules, compliance requirements, risk management practices, and enforcement approaches.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Clients, Account Executives, Client Services, Risk, Rules & Compliance, Legal, and regional stakeholders to drive alignment, influence outcomes, and support effective program execution.
• Contribute to the development and execution of compliance strategies, annual operating plans, program enhancements, and operational improvements that strengthen Visa's ecosystem protection and risk management capabilities.
• Evaluate compliance trends, enforcement outcomes, industry developments, and emerging risks to inform strategic priorities and drive continuous improvement across programs.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team, providing performance management, career development, and subject matter guidance while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support organizational change, process optimization, automation, and technology-enabled initiatives that improve scalability, effectiveness, and consistency across compliance and ecosystem risk programs.
• Partner with senior leadership to escalate and resolve complex business, regulatory, operational, and reputational risks while contributing to broader CIE and organizational objectives.

This role is a Hybrid position to be based in our Atlanta, GA office location with expectations of being in the office a minimum of 3 Days per week. Expectations of in office days will be aligned with the selected candidate and hiring manager.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• 8 or more years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 5 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 2 years of work experience with a PhD
• 8+ years of experience in payments, financial services, banking, risk management, compliance, investigations, audit, consulting, or a related field, including experience leading teams, programs, or complex initiatives.
• Experience managing compliance, risk, investigative, enforcement, or operational programs within regulated or highly controlled environments.
• Demonstrated ability to assess risk, exercise sound judgment, and drive resolution of complex business, operational, and regulatory issues.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional initiatives, influencing stakeholders, and delivering results in a global, matrixed organization.
• Strong analytical, investigative, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to leverage data and insights to identify trends, assess risk, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical, regulatory, and business concepts to a broad range of audiences.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including coaching, talent development, performance management, and building high-performing teams.
• Strong program and operational management capabilities, including prioritization, process optimization, stakeholder alignment, and management of multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Experience utilizing reporting, analytics, and productivity tools, including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, to support business decision-making.
• Ability to build effective relationships and drive collaboration across functions, regions, and cultures.
• Fluency in English required.

Preferred Qualifications

• 9 or more years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 7 or more relevant years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 3 or more years of experience with a PhD
• Deep knowledge of the payments ecosystem, including card payments, ACH, push payments, network operating rules, compliance frameworks, and regulatory requirements.
• Visa experience or experience with a payment network, financial institution, regulatory body, consulting firm, or other financial services organization; knowledge of Visa Rules strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to influence and negotiate with senior internal and external stakeholders, including clients and business leaders.
• Experience leading large-scale compliance, risk, investigations, enforcement, or ecosystem protection programs across multiple regions and cultures.
• Demonstrated success managing competing stakeholder interests and driving alignment across complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience driving operational improvements, automation, analytics, and technology-enabled solutions that improve scalability, efficiency, and program effectiveness.
• Strong research, analytical, and data-driven decision-making capabilities, including experience working with large datasets and visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
• Strong understanding of emerging payment industry risks, regulatory developments, fraud trends, and risk management practices.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic priorities with operational execution in a dynamic and evolving environment.
• Professional certifications in risk, compliance, audit, fraud, governance, or project management are a plus.
• Additional language capabilities and international business experience are advantageous.

Information for US Applicants

Work Hours

Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements

This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements

This position will be performed in an office setting. The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Visa is an EEO Employer