Director, Marketing Services, KSA

Role Overview

Director, Marketing Services, KSA at Visa, located in Saudi Arabia. This role reports to the Senior Director, Marketing Services KBO and leads the delivery and growth of Marketing Services for key accounts in the region.

Company Overview

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. The Marketing Services business is a rapidly growing business and part of Visa's overall strategic growth priority to deliver value-added services revenue through client engagements.

Role Purpose

Lead the Marketing Services relationship for assigned key accounts in Saudi Arabia, identifying, shaping and delivering marketing engagements across financial institutions, merchants and fintechs. Combine exceptional client stakeholder management with strong project and commercial discipline to manage multiple concurrent client engagements, coordinate cross-functional contributors and deliver measurable marketing outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Client Relationship Management

• Lead the Marketing Services relationship for assigned key accounts in Saudi Arabia, building trusted relationships with client stakeholders and maintaining a clear understanding of their business objectives, marketing priorities and success measures.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day Marketing Services contact for assigned key accounts and escalate material commercial, delivery, compliance or reputational risks to the Senior Director.

Opportunity Development & Commercial Management

• Partner with Account Executives to identify, qualify, scope and progress Marketing Services opportunities, contributing to account plans, proposals, statements of work and pipeline governance.
• Contribute to the Saudi Arabia Marketing Services pipeline and financial plan and support opportunity development with Account Executives.
• Apply strong consultative and commercial skills, including opportunity qualification, solution design, proposal development, scoping and contracting support.

Project & Program Delivery

• Manage multiple client projects simultaneously from initiation through delivery and closure, with clear workplans, milestones, responsibilities, budgets, dependencies and decision points.
• Apply effective project management disciplines, including risk and issue management, change control, status reporting, quality assurance, governance forums and timely escalation.
• Ensure disciplined delivery from scoping through close-out.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate subject-matter experts and delivery partners across Visa Consulting & Analytics, Products, Marketing, Sales, Finance and other supporting functions to provide a consistent "One Visa" client experience.
• Collaborate effectively with Account Executives, product teams, consultants, marketers, agencies and delivery partners in a matrixed environment.
• Work closely with Visa Consulting & Analytics, Products, Sales, Finance, Compliance, Sourcing and Controllership to deliver marketing strategy, brand advisory, research and insights, cardholder lifecycle marketing and end-to-end campaign execution.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure each engagement follows Visa requirements for Compliance, Legal, Sourcing, procurement, information security, privacy, financial controls and third-party governance, with complete and timely documentation.
• Establish governance, identify and mitigate risks, resolve issues, control scope and maintain delivery quality.

Partner & Vendor Management

• Manage agencies, vendors and other external partners where required, including briefing, scope control, sourcing processes, delivery oversight, performance management and budget reconciliation.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Monitor project economics, revenue recognition inputs, costs and margin; maintain accurate forecasts and provide concise updates on delivery progress, risks, client feedback and required decisions.
• Maintain strong financial acumen and the ability to maintain accurate forecasts, project economics and delivery documentation.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 12 years of work experience with a bachelor's degree, or at least 10 years of experience with an Advanced degree (Masters, MBA, JD or MD).
• Substantial experience in client marketing, consulting, marketing services, account management or another client-facing discipline, preferably in Saudi Arabia or the wider GCC.
• Understanding of payments, issuer marketing and cardholder lifecycle marketing, including digital acquisition, engagement and retention.
• Experience with digital and omnichannel campaign planning, execution and measurement, including marketing technology platforms.
• Experience managing agencies, vendors, budgets and delivery partners across complex client engagements.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional client stakeholder management skills, with a record of building trusted relationships, managing expectations and navigating complex client organizations.
• Strong project management capability and experience leading multiple concurrent projects with different stakeholders, timelines, budgets and delivery models.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, with an outcomes-driven approach to measurement and reporting.
• Ability to understand client and market strategies and translate data, insights and business needs into practical marketing programmes.
• Excellent presentation, facilitation, speaking and writing skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with client and internal stakeholders.
• High level of personal accountability, attention to detail and sound judgment, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluent spoken and written English and Arabic.

Additional Information

• Visa requires at least 4 days in office; specific expectations will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.
• 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.