Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence
Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence

Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence

Full-Time 100000 - 150000 ÂŁ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Visa

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the Benefits Centre of Excellence, driving innovation and strategic sourcing for insurance benefits.
  • Company: Join Visa, a global leader in payments technology, making transactions seamless worldwide.
  • Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on operational excellence and team leadership.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on consumer benefits while working with top-tier partners.
  • Qualifications: Experience in consumer banking, partnership negotiation, and product development required.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 ÂŁ per year.

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.

Job Description

Visa's Benefits Centre of Excellence (CoE) aims to centralise the sourcing, negotiation, onboarding and lifecycle management of premium benefits, giving issuers a turnkey solution that elevates Visa’s consumer propositions and directly advances our Consumer Solutions Strategy for Affluent in Europe. Its scope spans Europe-wide supplier identification, commercial and operating model for faster time to market, higher cost efficiencies in benefits sourcing, and optimal partner integration with ongoing performance optimisation across Travel, Peace of Mind, Lifestyle & Entertainment, and other benefit areas - driving affluent acquisition, activation and spend, fuelling sustainable revenue growth for our clients. This role will be responsible for establishing and leading the Insurance benefits vertical, best practices, sales and operational excellence, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and delivering measurable impact.

Key Responsibilities

  • Strategic Sourcing and Commercial Leadership: Develop and execute a sourcing strategy for insurance benefits that prioritizes innovation, differentiation, and commercial viability. Lead negotiations with insurance benefit providers, securing favorable commercial terms, managing cost structures, and maximizing margins. Own the contracting process, ensuring compliance, risk mitigation, and alignment with Visa’s strategic goals. Design and implement scalable insurance benefits with clear pricing models and profitability targets.
  • Product Ownership & Innovation: Define and evolve the strategic roadmap for benefits with propositions team, ensuring differentiation, customer relevance, and alignment with strategy. Own the full product lifecycle—from ideation and design to launch and post-launch optimization. Continuously gather user and client feedback to identify pain points and drive enhancements.
  • Profitability and Performance Management: Establish and manage benefit‑level dashboards to track key metrics including engagement, cost, margin, NPS, and ROI. Monitor and optimize program economics, identifying levers to improve profitability and reduce operational inefficiencies. Collaborate with Finance and Operations to align on financial targets, forecasting, and performance reviews.
  • Partner Onboarding & Relationship Management: Oversee onboarding of benefit providers, ensuring seamless integration, operational readiness, and brand alignment. Manage ongoing relationships with global and regional partners, driving joint roadmaps and mutual value creation. Ensure structured performance reviews and feedback loops with providers.
  • Operational Excellence & Program Delivery: Ensure flawless execution of benefits across markets, maintaining high standards of quality, service, and client customization. Implement best practices in program management, including lifecycle oversight, issue resolution, and post‑event reporting. Drive continuous improvement in delivery processes, leveraging data and feedback to refine operations.
  • Market Activation and Sales Enablement: Support client engagements with compelling benefit narratives and segment‑specific content. Collaborate with sub‑regional teams to tailor benefit offerings to local market needs and drive adoption. Lead go‑to‑market strategies for benefit packages, enabling deployment at issuer or market level.
  • Team Leadership & Capability Building: Build and lead a world‑class benefits team with expertise in sourcing, contracting, partner management, and operations. Foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and accountability, ensuring continuous development and high performance. Define clear roles, responsibilities, and success metrics across the team to drive execution and impact.

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager. Visa requires at least 3 days in office, expectations of these days will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Qualifications

  • Experience: Consumer banking, payments, engagement/ loyalty management, CVP building experience, credit card proposition design desirable.
  • Partnership Skills: Proven track record in negotiating and securing high‑value partnerships globally and within Europe.
  • Product Expertise: Experience designing, building, and launching consumer benefits with issuers and FinTech’s.
  • Strategic & Analytical: Ability to interpret market trends and client needs into innovative solutions.
  • Technical Aptitude: Comfortable with functional specifications and diverse partner ecosystem integrations.
  • Execution Focus: Results‑driven, able to deliver in fast‑paced environments with cross‑functional engagement.
  • Soft Skills: Strong negotiation, problem‑solving, communication, collaborative team player.
  • Mindset: Strategic thinker with ability to connect vision to execution.

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.

Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence employer: Visa

Visa is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration within the Benefits Centre of Excellence. Employees benefit from a culture that prioritises professional growth, with opportunities to lead strategic initiatives across Europe while enjoying a hybrid work model that promotes work-life balance. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, Visa empowers its team members to make a meaningful impact in the payments technology sector.
Visa

Contact Detail:

Visa Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. We can’t stress enough how important it is to make those personal connections that could lead to job opportunities.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand Visa’s mission and values, and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. We want you to walk into that interview feeling confident and ready to impress!

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your expertise! Bring examples of your past successes to the table during interviews. We love seeing candidates who can demonstrate their impact through data and stories that highlight their skills and achievements.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to follow up after your interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. We recommend expressing your appreciation and reiterating your enthusiasm for the role.

We think you need these skills to ace Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence

Strategic Sourcing
Commercial Leadership
Negotiation Skills
Contract Management
Product Lifecycle Management
Performance Management
Data Analysis
Market Activation
Team Leadership
Partnership Development
Operational Excellence
Client Engagement
Problem-Solving Skills
Communication Skills
Adaptability

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in benefits management and strategic sourcing. We want to see how your skills align with our goals at Visa!

Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you’ve driven results in previous roles. We love seeing measurable impacts, so include metrics where possible!

Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who fits well with our culture, so don’t be afraid to show us who you are and what you’re passionate about.

Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to submit your application through our official website. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and get back to you!

How to prepare for a job interview at Visa

✨Know Your Benefits Inside Out

Make sure you thoroughly understand the benefits landscape, especially in insurance. Familiarise yourself with Visa's current offerings and how they align with market trends. This will help you articulate your vision for innovation and differentiation during the interview.

✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills

Prepare examples of past negotiations where you've secured favourable terms or built strong partnerships. Highlight your strategic approach and how it led to measurable outcomes. This is crucial for a role that involves leading negotiations with benefit providers.

✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking

Be ready to discuss how you would develop and execute a sourcing strategy for insurance benefits. Think about how you can connect market insights with Visa’s goals, and be prepared to share your ideas on driving profitability and performance management.

✨Emphasise Team Leadership Experience

Since this role involves building and leading a world-class benefits team, come prepared with examples of how you've fostered a culture of excellence and accountability in previous positions. Discuss how you define roles and success metrics to drive high performance.

Sr Director, Head of Benefits Center of Excellence
Visa

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