Director, Issuer Processing & Core Banking (Pismo)

Visa; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading payments technology company is seeking a Solutions Director to lead European expansion for its new platform. You will oversee a small team, define market strategies, and ensure product readiness while collaborating closely with various teams. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in product management, particularly within the payments sector, and demonstrates strong leadership and analytical capabilities. This role offers a hybrid working model.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of work experience in product management or strategy preferably in the payments industry.
• Strong knowledge of Issuer Core Banking & Processing regulations across Europe.
• Ability to drive solution delivery strategies and identify revenue opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Define the expansion strategy for Pismo across European markets.
• Lead a team of Solution Managers in product innovation.
• Forge partnerships with fintechs and represent Visa at industry events.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Negotiation

Relationship-building

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Advanced Degree (e.g., Masters, MBA)

Job description

Pismo is Visa’s most recent acquisition, providing a cutting-edge core banking and processing platform for card issuing, digital accounts, wallets, merchant management, and other next‑gen payment solutions. We are currently expanding into Europe to launch next‑generation products using Pismo’s resilient and innovative infrastructure. As a Solutions Director, you will play a critical role in the rapid expansion of Pismo across Europe. Working as part of a small but growing team with a start‑up mentality, and supported by strong global teams, you will use your breadth of product management, leadership, and delivery skills to drive the expansion of Pismo services. You will work hands‑on with customers and support other teams who work directly with clients, keeping in mind evolving market, client, and consumer needs with the objective of driving significant future European market growth for Visa. This role reports to the Head of Issuing Solutions in Europe and will lead a small team of Solution Managers. Responsibilities cover all markets across the region and require close collaboration with Issuing Solutions sales and sales engineering, global teams, and Pismo. These are the key objectives for the role:

Responsibilities

• Define the Europe expansion strategy and GTM for Pismo by assessing the market opportunity, business case and growth potential for Core Banking and Processing services.
• Collaborate with Pismo and regional teams to guarantee the platform’s readiness while taking into account local legal and regulatory requirements.
• Support and design business models and develop regional roadmaps, ensure integration with Visa or partner capabilities, and work with Client Services to optimise delivery.

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a bold strategy for Pismo’s European expansion, anticipating market shifts and harnessing emerging technologies (AI, embedded finance, open banking, digital identity).
• Build and operationalise robust frameworks for market assessment, prioritisation, and go‑to‑market execution.
• Champion Visa’s "One Team" approach, ensuring seamless collaboration across product, sales, client services, and global teams.

Product & Solution Innovation

• Lead the prioritisation and launch of next‑generation issuing and core banking solutions tailored to diverse European markets including vertical‑led solutions.
• Incubate and scale new business models, including platform partnerships, ecosystem integrations, and value‑added services.
• Ensure product readiness, compliance, and integration with Visa and partner capabilities.

Team Development & Culture

• Inspire, mentor, and empower a high‑performing team of Solution Managers and cross‑functional contributors.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, agility, experimentation, and continuous learning.
• Drive process innovation, digitisation, and standardisation to enhance team efficiency and impact.

Market Engagement & Thought Leadership

• Forge strategic partnerships with fintechs, system integrators, regulators, and technology leaders.
• Represent Visa and Pismo as a thought leader at industry events, working groups, and in client engagements.

Financial & Operational Excellence

• Influence budget and financial planning, identifying revenue opportunities and optimising resource allocation.
• Monitor performance, leverage insights for continuous improvement, and ensure delivery against ambitious growth targets.

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

Qualifications

• 10+ years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree, or 8+ years with an Advanced Degree (e.g., Masters, MBA).
• Experience in the payments industry, preferably in product management or strategy at an Issuer, Issuer Processor, or Core banking platform provider.
• Strong understanding of Issuer Core Banking & Processing, related regulations, and market competitiveness across Europe.
• Proven leadership in driving solution delivery strategies and creating commercial & revenue opportunities based on market and client demand.
• Expertise in scaling and distributing products/services within a technology company, with a focus on overcoming commercial, technical, industry, and internal challenges.
• Exceptional business acumen, analytical skills, and deep understanding of new technology, processing business models, and profitability drivers.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to navigate a matrix organisation and manage multiple priorities under time constraints.

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.