Senior Director, Machine Learning

As a Senior Director of applied AI/ML you will lead a machine learning team and drive innovation in our products and services tied to Visa's strategic vision. As a key leader within our organization, you will be responsible for shaping our machine learning strategy, building and mentoring a high-performing team, and delivering impactful solutions to complex business problems.

This role represents an exciting opportunity to make key contributions to Visa's strategic vision as the world-leading digital payments company. The successful candidate must have an proven track record in designing, developing and deploying sophisticated & impactful predictive & data-powered solutions leveraging state of the art AI/ML & GenAI technologies. The candidate will be a self-starter comfortable with ambiguity, with strong attention to detail, and excellent team leading abilities.

Essential Functions

• Develop and execute the machine learning strategy aligned with Visa’s strategy.

• Lead a team of machine learning researchers, data scientists, and data engineers to design, develop, and deploy cutting-edge machine learning models and algorithms.

• Be accountable the team members' career growth and establish Visa as the best place to work.

• Be a key influencer in identifying opportunities for leveraging machine learning to enhance products and services with the ultimate goal of driving revenue growth, while collaborating with cross-functional teams across product and engineering.

• Create a highly prioritized AI/ML roadmap and resourcing requirements for successful delivery on the roadmap.

• Provide technical leadership and guidance on machine learning best practices, methodologies, and tools.

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of machine learning initiatives and drive accountability while challenging the status-quo.

• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within the machine learning team

• Partner with senior leadership to communicate the value proposition of machine learning and secure resources and support for strategic initiatives.

• Stay current with new research, aware of competitors and of knowing when product need to be sunset due to technical reasons or it does not fit Visa's overall visions.

• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields, and assess their potential impact on the business.

• Represent the company in external forums, conferences, and industry events to showcase our machine learning capabilities and thought leadership.

• Create tight working relationships with other members of the Data Science community at Visa.

• Work with vendors on evaluating solutions. Work with legal on understanding data governance. Work with technology teams on infrastructure available and influence new technology.

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 2-3 set days a week (determined by leadership/site), with a general guidepost of being in the office 50% or more of the time based on business needs.

Basic Qualifications:
18+ years of relevant work experience and a Bachelors degree, OR 20+ years of relevant work experience

Preferred Qualifications:
18 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
Extensive experience (10+ years) in machine learning research, development, and deployment, with a track record of delivering impactful solutions in a fast-paced environment.
4+ years of leading and mentoring teams
Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, and experience with machine learning libraries/frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn.
Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure, and proficiency in deploying machine learning models using cloud services.
Strategic mindset with the ability to think creatively and identify opportunities for applying machine learning to solve business problems and drive innovation.
Demonstrated ability to think outside the box and innovate. Strong problem-solving skills and ability to thrive in a dynamic and fast-changing environment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams and senior leadership.
Experience in payments, fraud or credit risk management or related industry is a plus.

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.