Director – Acceptance – Global Clients, Merchant, Tech Partners, and Acquirers (GCMTA)

About Us

Role Summary

• Acceptance Growth & Market Expansion

• Drive the strategy and execution to expand card and digital payment acceptance across priority merchant segments.
• Identify and unlock new revenue streams across e-commerce, digital acceptance, and emerging payment flows (AFT/OCT, tokenization, new commerce models).
• Proactively identify acceptance gaps in the market and originate opportunities to expand merchant coverage.
• Lead initiatives to increase penetration of acceptance solutions (e.g., digital invoicing, Pay-by-Link, e-commerce enablement).
• Partner with sales and product teams to eliminate barriers to acceptance and improve merchant adoption.

• Acquiring Strategy & Strategic Partnerships

• Own and grow strategic relationships with key acquirers, PSPs, PayFacs, and ecosystem enablers in the UAE.
• Originate and scale opportunities by expanding ecosystem integrations across acquirers and digital partners.
• Lead development and execution of joint growth strategies and business plans with acquiring partners.
• Influence acquiring ecosystem evolution, including pricing models, localization, and regulatory alignment.

• Revenue Growth, Commercial Ownership & P&L

• Own and deliver full commercial performance, including:
• + Revenue growth
• + Payment volume expansion
• + Portfolio profitability
• Maintain end-to-end P&L ownership, ensuring optimization of ROI across all initiatives.
• Lead pricing strategy, incentive design, and deal structuring to maximize revenue outcomes.
• Apply an enterprise-wide perspective to drive holistic portfolio growth across acceptance and acquiring ecosystems.

• Client Engagement & Executive Influence

• Engage directly with C-level stakeholders across acquirers and key ecosystem partners.
• Position acceptance and acquiring solutions as strategic enablers of growth, efficiency, and digital transformation.
• Lead executive discussions, negotiations, and large-scale commercial partnerships.
• Establish strong client engagement cadence (QBRs, growth planning sessions, executive reviews).

• Product, Innovation & Solution Expansion

• Collaborate with product and technology teams to:
• + Develop and commercialize new acceptance and acquiring solutions
• + Scale emerging payment capabilities (tokenization, new flows, digital commerce)
• Ensure localization of solutions aligned to UAE market needs.
• Drive end-to-end execution of growth initiatives, ensuring measurable revenue impact.

• Strategic Execution & Delivery

• Translate strategy into clear execution roadmaps with defined milestones, ownership, and KPIs.
• Ensure delivery of key initiatives (e.g., acceptance expansion, tokenization adoption, new use cases).
• Manage internal dependencies (product readiness, risk, legal, pricing approvals) to accelerate time-to-revenue.
• Maintain strong forecasting discipline, with clear visibility into:
• + Pipeline
• + Risks
• + Revenue upside

• Leadership & Organizational Impact

• Influence cross-functional teams (Sales, Product, Risk, Marketing) to deliver integrated outcomes.
• Represent the function in leadership forums and strategic planning discussions.
• This is a hybrid position.
• Expectation of days in the office will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Basic Qualifications

• 10 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 8 years of work experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters/ MBA/JD/MD) or at least 3 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications

• 12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 8-10 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 6+ years of work experience with a PhD
• 10+ years of experience in:
• + Payments, fintech or digital commerce
• + Payment Consulting
• How You Will Make an Impact
• Own and deliver revenue targets across strategic accounts, including pipeline creation, conversion, and performance tracking
• Lead end-to-end deal execution, from opportunity sizing to commercial structuring and contract closure
• Drive pricing governance and incentive frameworks aligned with growth strategy and profitability
• Track and manage account-level performance metrics (volume, revenue, share, product adoption) with clear action plans
• Establish strong commercial cadence with clients, including QBRs, pipeline reviews, and growth plans
• Translate strategic priorities into execution plans with measurable KPIs and timelines
• Ensure delivery of key initiatives with tangible revenue impact
• Drive internal alignment to remove blockers and accelerate commercialization timelines
• Maintain high-quality forecasting, reporting, and pipeline transparency
• Strong expertise in:
• + Acquiring ecosystem (FI acquirers, PSPs, PayFacs)
• + Merchant acceptance economics and revenue drivers
• Proven track record of:
• + Driving revenue growth and scaling strategic accounts
• + Managing large, complex commercial partnerships
• Experience in pricing strategy, deal structuring, and P&L ownership

• What We’re After

• Proven track record in driving revenue growth and delivering commercial outcomes in payments or financial services
• Strong commercial acumen with end-to-end P&L ownership, including pricing and complex deal structuring
• Demonstrated ability to identify, originate, and scale strategic growth opportunities
• Deep understanding of payment ecosystems and ability to translate market trends into revenue streams
• Strategic thinker with the ability to connect market insights, client needs, and capabilities into actionable plans
• Strong executive presence with ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders
• Experience operating in cross-functional, matrixed environments
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with data-driven decision-making approach
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred

• Success Metrics (KPIs)

• Revenue growth and new sales
• Expansion of acceptance footprint and merchant coverage
• Growth in acquiring partner volumes and engagement
• Pipeline creation and conversion rates
• Adoption of new payment solutions and capabilities (e.g., tokenization, new flows)
• 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.