Sr. Director, Corporate Communications SOCO

About Us
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

The Senior Director of Corporate Communications for Southern Cone (SOCO) leads the corporate communications function in the Southern Cone geography, including strategic external and internal communications.

The main charter includes corporate communications planning and content development, reputation management, crisis and issues management communications responsibilities across the geography, encompassing Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. The role is also responsible for developing and executing internal communications for the geography, promoting the understanding and behaviors consistent with the Visa Leadership Principles and contributing to foster the corporate culture. He/she helps increase awareness, understanding and support of Visa’s business strategy, and position Visa as a purpose-driven payments technology company that is the trusted engine of global commerce. The role requires management of an in-house team and multiple third-party vendors in support of production and implementation needs.      

The leader of SOCO communications is intellectually curious, enjoys designing and taking on new initiatives and participating in cross-functional efforts. A strong storyteller, he/she finds appealing ways to convey messages across the organization and to external stakeholders and is a driver of change.

This position reports into the regional VP of Communications for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the SOCO Group Country Manager, being a key contributor to the LAC and global communications function, and a member of the SOCO Leadership Team.
 

Essential functions:

• Lead strategic external and internal communications in SOCO.
• Plan, oversee, execute and manage strategic corporate communications, content development, reputation management, crisis and issues management communications.
• Design, implement and manage employee communications in support of the corporate culture and Visa Leadership Principles.
• Prioritize employee communications in alignment with business priorities, best practices, recommended cadence of internal events and communications, as well as available resources.
• Provide counsel to SOCO group country manager, country managers and leadership team to communicate our business strategy and cultural values, internally and externally.
• Manage all employee communications channels for SOCO, and usage of regional and global channels to ensure leverage for SOCO audiences and SOCO message pull-through; identify and develop new internal channels. Design creative communications to engage with diverse demographics.
• Develop communications plans, content and communications assets in support of external and internal communications, employee engagement, reputation efforts, issues and crisis management, social impact and inclusion communications, and other dimensions of the corporate communications plan.
• Plan and execute communications of social impact programs, inclusion and diversity communications.
• Develop content in Spanish and/or English as appropriate or applicable as per the local and international usage and approval processes.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with media outlets, key opinion leaders, internal and external stakeholders across the market.
• Identify and secure thought leadership initiatives; identify, evaluate and recommend speaking opportunities for Visa executives. Develop and adapt briefing materials for spokespeople.
• Plan and execute corporate communications events.
• Provide communications counsel and support to cross-functional initiatives in SOCO.
• Support SOCO group country manager, country managers and leadership team with high level communications needs and priorities around internal and external communications –with a focus on cultural change, reputation, issues and crisis management.
• Develop relationships with key stakeholders in SOCO to support overall corporate communications plan and establish strong relationships to support Visa’s positioning in the market. Manage issues and crisis management media relations with senior editors in SOCO.
• Manage the overall corporate communications budget for SOCO, identification and management of multiple third-party vendors in support of production and implementation needs.      

Visa requires at least 3 days in office, expectations of these days will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.


Visa requires at least 3 days in office, expectations of these days will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Qualifications

Experience & Education Required:

• 15 years of work experience with a Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism or related field or at least 12 years of work experience with an advanced degree / Master’s in related fields, with progressive track-record of experience in the field of corporate communications, public relations and employee communications.
• Experience in leading and managing corporate communications teams in multinational organizations, including work with senior management and country leaders for SOCO.
• In-depth expertise across all the communications function, including external and internal communications. This includes reputation management; change, crisis and issues management, executive communications; employee engagement, media relations and corporate responsibility communications.
• Deep understanding of the connection points between business and corporate reputation across audiences.
• Strong experience in planning and developing content for strategic, creative and innovative multi-channel communications, including earned, social and digital media; supervision of paid media in support of corporate communications.
• In depth knowledge of payments technology or related global industry.

Skills Required:

• Stellar writing, editing and oral communications skills in Spanish and strong proficiency in English as a second language.
• Excellent interpersonal communications and presentation skills
• Results-focused and resourceful. Strong use of data and metrics to inform corporate communications planning.
• Skills to work effectively in a matrix environment and with blurry boundaries regarding roles and responsibilities.
• Ability to work well in a fast-paced and dynamic environment and manage multiple projects, often on short deadlines and under pressure.
• Creative and strategic mindset, skills to think ahead, engage proactively and take initiative.
• Outstanding organization and interpersonal skills; proven team leader and team player.
• Budget management.

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.