Director, Head of Risk, Korea & Mongolia

Company Description

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. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Job Description

Team Summary

Visa owns the most recognizable global brand in the financial services industry. Maintaining trust in that brand and differentiating Visa from competitors is crucial. Risk management is emerging as one of the key pillars of Visa’s strategy of Championing Security and Deepening Partnerships. With in-market ownership of this strategy, the Risk function plays a critical role to support the enterprise and operational risk activities of the company.

What a Head of Risk does at Visa:

Reporting to the Head of Risk for Japan/Korea/Mongolia, this role will be entrusted with a broad portfolio of responsibilities including Strategic Risk Management and Ecosystem Risk (Fraud & Data Security) for South Korea, Mongolia, and Guam.

The successful candidate must also collaborate effectively with the in-market Leadership Team and hub / global functions including Global Technology, Global Product & Solutions, Government Engagement, Corporate Relations, Client Services and Merchant Solutions & Acquiring.

This role will develop security priorities and execute strategies to prevent fraud, enhance user authentication, safeguard sensitive data, identify and respond to data breaches and prevent the misuse of the payment system for unlawful purposes. This role will also be responsible for representing Visa’s Credit Settlement Risk policy to protect Visa against financial loss in the case of a failure of an issuing or acquiring bank. There will be opportunities for the individual to consult with our clients in Korea and Mongolia to mitigate risks and innovate responsibly.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive risk plan that is consistent with local market landscape, market priorities and global risk strategy.
  • As a member of the in-market leadership team, serve as a trusted and strategic advisor to the Country Manager on all risk issues
  • Execute both internal and external risk management programs
  • Lead client forums (security summit, Risk Executive Councils, working groups, etc.)
  • Promote and support client adoption of Visa risk products / solutions / initiatives
• Manage relationships with issuers, acquirers, merchants, payment processors, service providers, regulators and law enforcement to:
  • Identify opportunities to enhance the payment ecosystem and advance risk management best practice
  • Develop constructive relationships with local market regulators and law enforcement agencies
  • Resolve fraud & data breach events
  • Provide stakeholder training
• Lead the responsible innovation initiative with Visa’s clients to mitigate risks and embrace new technology improvements.
  • Assess emerging/innovation risks and new business models
  • Leverage local insights to contribute to Risk thought leadership
  • Guide clients through payment innovation complexity
• Prepare reports, briefings and other written products to update executive management on risk activities, issues and opportunities.
  • Convey risk-related trends and developments to local country manager and leadership team through regular reporting
  • Synthesize marketplace feedback regarding the effectiveness of Visa’s risk management strategy and programs; benchmark Visa’s performance relative to other payment networks and participants
  • Guide Visa’s proactive risk communications and collaboration across all of these stakeholders so as to advance the safety, security and long-term growth of the Visa payment system

Why this is important to Visa

As a key member of the market leadership team, this role will advise the Country Manager, the market executive team and hub as well as global functional leads on strategies related to complex operational, financial, legal, and regulatory risk exposures.

In addition to overseeing Strategic Risk Management, the Director will be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the payments ecosystem which includes issuing and acquiring card companies, merchants, cardholders, and service providers such as processors, device manufacturers, and payment gateways.

Importantly, the Director will play an important role in shaping Visa’s enterprise and operational risk strategies during a period of rapid innovation in the payments industry. The individual will be a catalyst for transforming Visa’s risk strategy and solutions for issuers, acquirers and merchants, with the end goal of championing payments security and forging deeper client relationships.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate is an accomplished enterprise and operational risk leader with deep experience in the payments industry. While candidates with payments experience (networks, processors, financial institutions) are preferred, candidates from other multi-national, technology based, transactional businesses (e.g. large retailers) would also be considered. Finally, Visa may consider candidates with a track record for leading projects within a sound, well-respected, multi-national, and regulated business.

Regardless of the business pedigree, candidates must possess a deep intellect capable of understanding both current and emerging risks facing the business. Candidates must also demonstrate a track record for using that understanding to develop effective risk mitigation strategies and to sell those strategies to colleagues internally. The ability to influence senior level decision makers and to partner closely with the business is most critical.

Candidates must have a strong client-focused mindset, with the ability to understand the client’s objectives, the challenges they face, and explain how Visa can help the client achieve their goals. Similarly, the ability to work well in cross-functional teams is essential to being successful in this role.

Native Korean language ability, written and spoken, is required. Full professional proficiency in English is essential.

Finally, a high degree of self-confidence, humility, and energy will be essential to succeed in a fast paced and evolving industry.

Exposure and Education :

• Global and deep knowledge of the payments industry and the major trends affecting the major stakeholders, including regulatory, market environment, competitive landscape, technology and the rising threat of data breaches
• 12 - 15 years of experience in leadership across technology products/ solutions, or similar years of experience in a leadership position within a financial institution, potentially as a key customer for Visa’s services on the client side
• Solid general management background, with proven track record in strategic thinking, financial planning, risk management, relationship building and project leadership
• Undergraduate degree from top-tier institution required.

Risk Experience:

• Track record for successfully identifying and mitigating enterprise and operational risk for a complex, global company in a regulated industry
• Experience protecting consumer and corporate data through the development and implementation of rigorous compliance and rules management processes
• Demonstrated approach to risk management contributing to brand and business growth.

Strategic and Analytic Skills:

• Understands both at a strategic and operational level the myriad risks facing the business, drives down to root causes to assess the severity of the risk, the cost of remediation, and develops an appropriate action plan
• Maintains strong personal base of knowledge with respect to risk management, industry practices, trends, and issues.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Works cross-functionally with technology and with business unit heads to deliver insights that drive key business strategies and decisions
• Works effectively with clients and external stakeholders – banks, processors, regulators and Fintechs
• Proven ability to influence, collaborate, and work in a matrix environment
• Good listener and communicator, both in meetings with stakeholders and public speaking events

Executing for Results:

• Intellectually curious, finds stories in the data, asks the right questions, demonstrated track record of mining data & intelligence for game-changing insights that generate big impacts
• Gets things done, relentlessly focuses on results, aligns efforts with business objectives

What will also help:

• Extensive international experience or work experience in a multinational corporation preferred
• Graduate degree with a focus on general management will be preferred

Additional Information

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.