Senior Manager, Lead of Government Engagement, Sri Lanka and Maldives

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.

Team Summary

The Government Engagement (GE) team aims to create 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 from the government and industry associations to raise awareness of and build support for policies that expand access to and usage of digital payments in Sri Lanka and Maldives.  Internally, GE works closely with colleagues across the company including Country management, Products, Merchant Sales and Solutions, Consulting and Analytics, Risk, Legal, Communications, Global Policy, Compliance and Inclusive Impact & Sustainability.

What the Head of Government Engagement – Sri Lanka and Maldives, does at Visa:

The Head of Government Engagement (GE) – Sri Lanka and Maldives, is a newly created full-time role on the India and South Asia (INSA) GE team responsible for Visa’s government, regulatory and stakeholder engagement in Sri Lanka and Maldives.  

Based in Colombo, this position will dual-report to the Country Manager for SLM and the VP/Head of Government Engagement for India and South Asia.  Together, they will develop and execute Visa’s government engagement strategy in Sri Lanka and Maldives by constructively engaging with the government, regulatory bodies, public sector agencies, industry associations and related stakeholders to ensure policy and regulatory frameworks that are conducive to a fair, level and successful operating environment for Visa’s current and future business.

Critical work streams will include:

• Prominently positioning the value of Visa with political, regulatory and policy decision-makers in Sri Lanka and Maldives, including but not limited to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) and Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).
• Establishing, and cultivating collaborative relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders – including government, regulator, industry, and trade associations – to amplify and enhance Visa’s position on existing and new public and regulatory policies, with a view to ensure positive impact on Visa’s business, and the expansion of the digital payments industry in general.
• Identifying partnership opportunities with the government and ensuring Visa is well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities with government agencies in the delivery of Government payments, expansion of travel and tourism, furtherance of financial inclusion, adoption of e-commerce, small-medium enterprise digitalization, fintech enablement and other potential government programs that may benefit from the application of digital payments.

In this role, you are expected to:

• Lead development and implementation of an overall government engagement strategy for Sri Lanka and Maldives in close coordination with the Country Manager for SLM, Head of INSA Government Engagement, and other Visa business leaders to achieve agreed objectives.
• Proactively manage relationships with CBSL and MMA for policy guidance and advocacy, notifications and approvals for Visa solutions; and coordinate with colleagues in Supervisory Risk, Legal and Compliance as appropriate to ensure timely notification and compliance with all regulatory obligations.
• Monitor the regulatory and political landscape in Sri Lanka and Maldives, assess for threats and opportunities to Visa’s business, communicate this intelligence to relevant local, regional or global Visa colleagues and strategize advocacy and engagement approach. Be acutely aware of potential global implications of local issues and coordinate their management with global colleagues.
• Manage Visa’s relationships with government officials, regulators, and policy makers across key government agencies in Sri Lanka and Maldives relevant to Visa’s business.
• Regularly communicate directly with lawmakers, government officials, regulators, and policy makers that may impact Visa’s business to build awareness about the value of Visa, enhance Visa’s reputation and competitive position in Sri Lanka and Maldives.
• Communicate regularly with internal business line owners to ensure awareness of potential risks and benefits of various policy / regulatory initiatives.
• Anticipate significant policy and political trends and develop strategies to manage the environment.
• Coordinate and ensure local, regional and global business subject matter experts conduct regular face-to-face technical issue briefings with relevant regulators and government officials.
• Support adequate and ongoing engagements for Country Manager with key lawmakers and regulators.
• Coordinate with colleagues in Communications and Inclusive Impact & Sustainability as appropriate to ensure a comprehensive Corporate Affairs approach to enhancing Visa’s reputation and advancing our business objectives in the market.

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. Visa is working with all of our partners in Sri Lanka and Maldives to expand access to the most innovative payment technology powering global commerce. The Head of Government Engagement – Sri Lanka and Maldives, is essential to growing our public sector relationships, identifying and managing impact of regulation on Visa’s business, and displaying Visa’s leadership in emerging technology. Through these efforts, we will meaningfully deepen our partnership with policy makers who are shaping the regulatory and operating environment for digital payments.

What you will need:

We are looking for an individual who brings strong leadership skills, exceptional maturity and attention to detail, along with the ability to effectively manage several urgent business priorities and significant regulatory developments simultaneously. The position demands the ability to work constructively in a market, regional and global corporate environment, including working successfully as a leader or member of cross-functional teams. The ability to play an active role in developing strategic policy positions for Visa’s engagement with Government stakeholders will be essential. The ability to work independently but also within a team environment is expected.

As a candidate, you should have:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent. Advance degree preferred
• 10+ years of relevant corporate position, regulatory or government agency, and/or consultancy serving government stakeholders in Sri Lanka and/or Maldives
• Ability to successfully work with partners within a matrixed organization
• Native fluency in Sinhala language (required), and outstanding communication skills in English as well. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong business relationships with a wide range of personalities and interests, including industry colleagues, policymakers, academics, community leaders, and corporate executives
• The highest standards for ethical conduct, confidentiality, values and integrity, that immediately generates respect and trust. Passionate to learn and improve, be innovative, creative, and driven to succeed
• Fair and respectful in every setting
• Active network of senior government contacts in Sri Lanka and Maldives  
• Strong financial services and/or technology pedigree preferred, including working knowledge of the digital payments industry
• High political acumen with a thorough understanding of the decision-making processes of executive and legislative branches of government and the regulator. Strategic thinking, advocacy and communications planning skills
• Superior interpersonal and presentational skills
• Confident and authoritative manner in all communication channels, with executive presence
• Detailed oriented with strong analytical capabilities
• Execution focused
• Regular travel within Sri Lanka and Maldives, to/from Mumbai occasionally, and to regional meetings as necessary

What will also help:

• Crisis management and response skills
• Ability to operate effectively in a challenging, fast-paced environment with limited supervision
• Strong ability to work collaboratively with others across geographic boundaries

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.