Senior Director & People Business Partner, WCA & SEA

Visa; Johannesburg; Hybrid; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A global payments technology leader is seeking a Sr. Director to lead the People Business Partner function across West & Central Africa and South & East Africa. The ideal candidate will have over 12 years of experience in HR, preferably in FinTech or technology, and will provide strategic HR leadership. Responsibilities include driving talent strategies and fostering a culture of inclusion and innovation. This is a hybrid role based in Johannesburg, South Africa, focusing on building a high-performance workforce.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience with a Bachelor's degree or 10+ years with an Advanced degree.
• 15+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally in FinTech or Technology.
• Strong interpersonal skills and executive presence.

Responsibilities

• Lead the People agenda for WCA and SEA.
• Develop high-impact human capital solutions.
• Manage complex, cross-regional projects.

Skills

Leadership

Human Capital Solutions

Diversity and Inclusion

Strategic Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree

MBA or Master's preferred

Job description

Company Description

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

As the world's leader in digital payments technology, Visa's mission is to connect the world through the most creative, reliable, and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and can handle more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company's dedication to innovation drives the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device and fuels the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network, and scale to reshape the future of commerce.

Team Summary

The People Business Partner (PBP) team at Visa acts as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and key stakeholders, operating as experts on people and organizational issues. As a Sr. Director, you will lead the People Business Partner function for both West & Central Africa (WCA) and South & East Africa (SEA), translating business objectives into talent priorities across diverse markets. You will navigate complex, dynamic environments and drive impactful HR strategies in partnership with Centres of Excellence (COEs) and internal teams, ensuring the successful delivery of HR programs and services across both regions.

What a People Business Partner does at Visa:

• Serve as the strategic HR leader for WCA and SEA, partnering with regional executives and business leaders to shape and implement effective people strategies.
• Deliver customized, forward-looking HR solutions and programs to address business needs in both regions.
• Provide guidance on organizational design, talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership development for a geographically dispersed workforce.
• Manage complex, cross-regional projects and act as a key advisor to the leadership teams.
• Offer performance management and coaching to leaders and employees, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Partner with finance and leadership to develop and maintain workforce planning for both WCA and SEA. Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives tailored to the unique needs of each region.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the People agenda for WCA and SEA, attracting, developing, and retaining top talent.
• Understand regional business strategies and develop high-impact human capital solutions.
• Use data-driven insights to assess organizational metrics and provide actionable recommendations.
• Measure the effectiveness of People initiatives and programs, ensuring alignment with business outcomes.
• Position Visa as an Employer of Choice in the African technology and payments industry.
• Provide daily support to managers on employee attraction, development, and retention, including annual reviews, leadership coaching, career pathing, and advanced HR reporting.
• Collaborate closely with COEs and other PBPs to deliver superior results.
• Serve as a role model and thought leader on People issues, coaching and developing other PBPs in the region.

Why this is important to Visa

This role is critical to Visa’s success in Africa, enabling the company to attract and develop talent that drives innovation and growth. As Sr. Director, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of Visa’s workforce in two high-potential regions, impacting our business, stakeholders, and communities.

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in the office will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 10 years of work experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA /JD/MD), or a minimum of 5 years of work experience with a PhD.

Preferred Qualifications:

15 or more years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 12 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, or MD), PhD with 9+ years of experience. Bachelor’s degree required, MBA or master’s preferred. 15+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally in FinTech, Payments, Finance, or Technology, with significant exposure to African markets. Proven experience designing and delivering programs in workforce planning, talent management, change management, leadership development, employee engagement, cultural change, and organizational design. Ability to manage enterprise-wide projects/initiatives across multiple countries with minimal supervision. Strong influencing and interpersonal skills, executive presence, and communication abilities. Experience working effectively across all organizational levels and cultures. Demonstrated success implementing strategic HR programs in a dispersed, multicultural environment. Commitment to Visa’s values: Integrity, Clients, People, Collaboration, Innovation, and Excellence. Critical Competencies for Success: Business Acumen; Strategic Problem Solving; Results Orientation; Change Leadership; Relationship Building & Influencing; High Ethical Standards; Values-Driven Leadership; Low Ego, Collaborative Mindset.

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.