About Visa

Visa Inc. is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories, enabling them to use digital currency instead of cash and checks. Visa does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa’s innovations enable its bank customers to offer consumers choices: Pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. From the world’s major cities to remote areas without banks, people are increasingly relying on digital currency along with mobile technology to use their money anytime, make purchases online, transfer funds and access basic financial services. All of which makes their lives easier and helps grow economies. Behind the Visa brand are our talented employees who continuously raise the bar with innovative solutions and products that deliver the convenience and security of digital currency to more people all over the world.

Visa Global Sourcing

Visa’s Global Sourcing organization is part of Global Finance and manages the end to end sourcing and procurement of goods and services. The team is responsible for partnering with business to lead all strategic sourcing activities globally to ensure optimal selection of suppliers that deliver best value in price and quality while minimizing risk to Visa. The team also provides support to the business with risk management, supplier contracting and operations to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and corporate policies and procedures. The team plays an essential role in delivering cost savings and providing the most efficient path for procuring goods and services.

Position Summary

The Russia Sourcing Director is an individual contributor, reporting to the Head of CEMEA Sourcing and responsible for partnering with local, regional and global business, and category leads. The Sourcing Director will establish pro-active and agreed supply chain solutions to deliver increased value, go-to-market efficiency and reduced risk to meet business strategy. The role requires interaction with different teams across different countries and time zones, outside of conventional working hours.

Key Results Areas / Responsibilities

Works in collaboration with various business units (global, category and regional sourcing, business managers, financial planning, controllership, operations, legal, compliance and risk teams) to analyze and interpret data (spend, budget, supplier mix) to identify and develop regional and category pipeline opportunities, agree activities and savings targets with budget holders and finance managers. Delivers, tracks and reports on an ongoing basis, and in addition, the role is responsible for ensuring optimum supplier performance against agreed deliverables.

• Builds relationships with business partners, preparing a proactive project pipeline for regional wide and category specific initiatives by performing routine to moderately complex market, benchmark and spend analysis.
• Develops regional, category and commercial models including SLA negotiation and implements solutions into the operational environment, ensuring that Visa enhances its value on activities across all business areas through supplier consolidation efforts.
• Establishes ongoing contract and supplier relationship programs to track and measure performance, identify improvement areas, and provide 360 visibility over contract term.
• Consults with designated business unit to understand procurement risk, defines project objectives, initiates and tracks due diligence on designated online tools. Evaluates services, delivery, execution methods and other necessary details, engaging with relevant risk stakeholders through the contracting process to minimize Visa’s risk exposure.
• Lead, facilitates and project manages local, regional, global preferred supplier selection, drafting and issuing RFx, including contract negotiations. Engages legal and other business units as necessary to achieve favorable terms on quality, delivery, service levels and price.
• Understands and addresses the challenges of international procurement such as regulatory practices/government requirements, cross-cultural business practices, economic and political risk factors, language and communication and multi-entity purchasing. Evaluates and minimize risks associated with global transactions such as currency exchange rate fluctuations, duties, taxes, payment terms, lead time and country-specific market dynamics.
• Serves as local expert to provide day to day management and accuracy of contracts repository, efficiency of P2P workflow and processes, and timely risk due diligence. Works in collaboration with operations, tracking purchase requests whilst verifying compliance with relevant policies.
• Identifies future opportunities. Creates, implements and recommends continuous improvements or standards to simplify processes whilst minimizing risk.
• Meets and exceeds targeted key performance indicators (savings budget, contract quality, process improvements including P2P efficiency, etc).

Required Experience

• Bachelors/Degree/MBA or equivalent, with minimum 12 years work experience,  8 years being directly in Sourcing/Procurement/Purchasing within a fast-paced environment covering strategic sourcing, category management, commercial management, contract management or procurement management.
• Proven experience in contract negotiations and drafting required.
• Knowledge of marketing agency management and sales is an advantage.
• Proven ability to execute independently and operate successfully within a matrix/team structure.
• Ability to interact effectively with external partners including suppliers and clients
• Solid experience developing project pipelines and negotiating commercial terms
• International business experience, with local business language (English and Russian) required.
• Occasional business travel (~5% of the time), and attending global teleconferences across various time-zones when necessary.

Key Competencies

• Ability to develop and align sourcing strategies to meet the evolving needs of the business.
• Ability to develop new concepts to enhance the end to end sourcing process for the business (improved end-user experience).
• Proficient in facilitating sourcing process training seminars with key suppliers and business stakeholders.
• Understands local regulatory frameworks and its application.
• Excellent planning and organization skills and business judgment, including the ability to prioritize multiple tasks/projects and anticipate the impact of decisions/initiatives.
• Demonstrated project management skills with ability to drive consensus in cross regional and cross functional teams, as subject matter expert.
• Excellent analytical, financial modelling and problem solving skills.
• Flexible and creative thinker with the ability to define business trade-offs, generate out-of-the-box solutions, challenge the status quo, understand industry trends, best practice and manage change/uncertainty.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and presentation skills and the proven ability to influence and communicate effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office: Excel Advanced, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook;
• Strong proficiency in purchasing systems and organizational interfaces (including, Ariba, Oracle and Risk management tools).
• Candidate must take a business solutions approach, be seen as a business partner, self-motivated, and a strong team player, able to lead matrix teams.
• Previous procurement experience managing complex relationships, including international agreements and outsourcing required.
• Entrepreneurial mind-set and approach to problem solving.