Government Engagement Director, Nzsp

Company Description

Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating more than 215 billion payments transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across 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.

When you join Visa, you join a culture of purpose and belonging - where your growth is priority, your identity is embraced, and the work you do matters. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere. Your work will have a direct impact on billions of people around the world - helping unlock financial access to enable the future of money movement.

**Join Visa: A Network Working for Everyone.**

**Job Description**:
**Team Summary**

The Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific (AUNZSP) Government Engagement (GE) team is part of the Asia Pacific GE team. Within this dynamic sub-region, GE aims to achieve broad alignment between Visa’s business objectives and public policies that affect the payments industry. Externally, the GE team engages a wide range of stakeholders to raise awareness of, and build support for, policies that expand access to and usage of digital payments in the New Zealand and South Pacific markets. The team also takes the lead on issues including international trade, economic development, and sustainability. Internally, GE works closely with colleagues across the company, including Products and Solutions, Merchant Acquiring, Government Solutions, Visa Consulting & Analytics, Marketing, Communications, Visa University, Inclusive Impact & Sustainability, Risk, Legal, and Compliance.

**What a Government Engagement Director, NZSP does at Visa**:
Across New Zealand & South Pacific, governments are intensifying their focus on fundamental areas of regulation and payments policy - such as pricing and interchange, local processing requirements, national supervision, and competition - while at the same time they are expanding into new areas such as open data, artificial intelligence, real-time payments, digital currency, and sustainability/green finance, for example.

**Responsibilities**:

- Leading development and implementation of a robust NZSP GE plan, building vital partnerships with key stakeholders and enhancing Visa’s reputation as a long-term partner committed to advancing broad-based economic growth in New Zealand and the South Pacific
- Advising the NZSP Country Manager and the Head of AuNZSP GE on regulatory developments, the policy agenda of NZSP Governments, and other developments that affect Visa’s business
- Maintaining regular contact at the local, regional, and global levels with key international agencies, institutions, and partners in the digital payments, financial inclusion, and economic development arena
- Coordinating cross-functional initiatives with Visa colleagues and a wide range of external stakeholders, including regulatory and government agencies
- Work closely with Visa business colleagues and relevant NZSP government agencies to develop public-private partnerships to support sustainable tourism, international travel and transit
- Represent Visa’s perspective and further our mission at regulator, government and industry events
- Collaborate with global colleagues and coordinate domestic contributions to global initiatives

**Why this is important to Visa**

We believe that inclusive economies uplift everyone, everywhere, which drives our mission to connect the world and enables individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. The Director, Government Engagement for New Zealand & South Pacific, plays a vital role in representing Visa in the covered markets, coordinating the flow of policy insights and perspectives between the global, Asia Pacific and market GE teams.

This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office two days a week, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with a general guidepost of being in the office 50% of the time based on business needs.

**Qualifications**:
What you will need:

- 12+ years of experience in Government Relations preferred, ideally in the payments or financial services industry
- Knowledge of legislation and regulation relating to payments, financial services and financial technology
- Active network of government and public sector contacts in New Zealand & South Pacific
- Able to operate independently and with dual-reporting lines
- Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships and facilitate healthy communication. Must be comfortable with and capable of working in a variety of cross-cultural settings as well as embracing diversity of thought, celebrating different backgrounds, and championing different abilities
- Must have excellent judgement and is able t