Director, Strategic Programs and Innovation

Job Description

The Director of Strategic Programs & Initiatives will serve as a strategic partner to the Sr. Director of Marketing Strategy & Innovation, leading the research, benchmarking, and strategic design work that informs Visa's marketing operational strategy. This role is ideal for a strategic thinker who excels at answering complex who, what, and why questions through comprehensive research and stakeholder engagement. Working in lock step with the Sr.

Director of Marketing Strategy & Innovation, this leader will manage strategic work streams for transformational initiatives while maintaining continuous feedback loops with regional and functional stakeholders.

Primary Responsibilities:

Lead Strategic Research & Competitive Intelligence

• Conduct comprehensive research, competitive benchmarking, and market analysis to identify best-in-class practices across AI transformation, operating models, agency ecosystems, learning & development, and organizational culture
• Perform deep stakeholder discovery through interviews, surveys, and workshops to understand challenges, opportunities, and priorities across regions and functions
• Conduct ongoing environmental scanning to identify competitive threats, emerging trends, and strategic opportunities
• Synthesize complex market intelligence into actionable insights and strategic recommendations

Manage Strategic Work streams for Transformational Initiatives

• Lead strategic design and planning for key initiatives across the Five Ps (People, Practices, Processes, Partners, Products)
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to gather inputs, build alignment, and refine strategic recommendations
• Develop strategic frameworks and models that address critical questions about AI integration, operating model design, agency optimization, and organizational culture
• Support development of strategic vision for increasing Marketing's AI Power Users and improving EES scores across multiple dimensions

Develop Executive Communications & Strategic Narratives:

• Translate complex strategic insights into compelling narratives and executive presentations
• Create board-level materials that communicate strategic recommendations and business cases
• Develop stakeholder engagement plans and communication strategies for major initiatives
• Present strategic findings and recommendations to Marketing Leadership Team and cross-functional stakeholders

Monitor Strategic Performance & Maintain Feedback Loops

• Define and monitor strategic KPIs that track progress toward operational excellence
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to capture learnings and inform future strategy
• Maintain continuous feedback loops with regional and functional stakeholders to ensure strategic recommendations reflect real-world implementation insights
• Identify strategic course corrections based on performance data and stakeholder feedback

Partner Across the Dual-Track Operating Model

• Partner with the Manager of Operations Excellence to ensure smooth handoff of strategic initiatives into execution planning and implementation
• Ensure strategic recommendations account for operational realities, resource constraints, and change management considerations
• Collaborate on integrated planning that connects strategic vision with operational delivery

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 progressive experience in strategy consulting, marketing operations, organizational transformation, or strategic planning roles at Fortune 500 companies or top-tier consulting firms
• 5+ years of experience conducting strategic research, competitive intelligence, and market analysis that informed C-suite decision-making
• Bachelors degree required
• MBA or advanced…