Visa operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network and is one of the most recognized global financial services brands. Visa facilitates global commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses and government entities.

We offer a range of branded payment product platforms, which our financial institution clients use to develop and offer credit, charge, debit, prepaid and cash access programs to cardholders. Visa's card platforms provide consumers, businesses, merchants and government entities with a secure, convenient and reliable way to pay and be paid in over 200 countries and territories.

For each of the past seven years, Visa has been voted one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” by Ethisphere Institute, and recognized as one of the top brands globally by several independent brand benchmarking organizations. 

As a global payments network, Visa maintains a Compliance Program designed to proactively manage legal, regulatory and ethical risks across our business.

This position is responsible for the effective oversight, support and monitoring of the application of the Compliance Program across the Commonwealth of Independent States & South East Europe (CIS/SEE) sub-region. The position is a critical partner to the business, providing pragmatic, solution oriented counsel to ensure that Visa has effective, risk based business decision-making, and performing review of key processes to ensure activities meet requirements of company policy, international standards and the obligations of regulations and laws of the United States and of those countries in which we operate. Responsibilities include the following risk areas:

• Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption;

• Office of Foreign Assets Controls and other Sanctions;

• Anti-Money Laundering (AML) / Anti-Terrorist Financing (ATF);

• Data Privacy;

• Information Security;

• Anti-Trust and Competitive Intelligence; and

• Other specific compliance requirements of regulators who have regulatory authority over Visa operations.

In addition, this position also holds responsibility for ensuring the highest standards of conduct, as set out in Visa’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Particular areas of focus include:

• Business Conduct and Ethics;

• Conflicts of Interest; and

• Prevention of Insider Trading.

Leadership & Responsibilities

• Core Responsibilities:

  • Responsible for all Compliance Program matters as the primary point of contact for business units, support functions and other control functions

  • Primary point of contact for AML/ATF matters with regulators, in collaboration with Legal and Government Engagement functions

  • Collaboration with Visa’s Financial Intelligence Analytics Center on activities including additional and enhanced due diligence applied to AML/ATF & Sanctions cases, including direct communications and requests for information from clients and partners

  • Ensuring that the business has effective decision-making, risk assessment, processes, controls and procedures to meet obligations of internal policy and international and local regulations, laws and requirements

  • Review of significant business strategies, activities and transactions, assessment of risk and development and execution of risk mitigation action at regional, country, program and product level

  • Accountable for managing the process to provide required reporting to regulatory authorities, where relevant

  • Promote understanding of the Compliance Program and Code and drive effective inclusion of Compliance in business activities and strategies

  • Actively participate in and provide counsel to the CIS/SEE Leadership Team

• Collaboration & Communication:

  • Communicate openly, and develop strong and effective internal business partnerships and drive regulatory compliance matters by providing accurate and timely advice and counsel

• Enable and Inspire:

  • Ensure understanding of business strategy through ongoing dialogue to identify potential or emerging risks and proactively address them so as to avoid unnecessary exposure or delays to implementation of strategic plans

• Excel with Partners:

  • Respond to queries and questions on the Compliance Program, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and company Policies from the business, support functions, other control groups

  • Provide support to regulators, Clients and partners on the Visa Compliance Program and requirements of Visa Rules

• Act Decisively:

  • Execution of due diligence requirements of the Anti-Bribery/Anti-Corruption Program, AML/ATF & Sanctions Programs, including third party due diligence, provision of AML/ATF workshops and education for Clients and on-site Client AML program assessments. The AML/ATF component is a significant portion of the position’s overall responsibilities.

  • Review, assessment and pre-approval of gifts, travel and entertainment, events and related contracts and transparency agreements, as well as assessment of the proper designation of State-Owned Entities, Government Officials and Covered Government Officials

  • Regional oversight of other Compliance Programs including Business Conduct and Ethics, Conflicts of Interest, Prevention of Insider Trading, Data Privacy and Information Security Programs

• Risk Assessment:

  • Work with other control groups including Legal and Government Engagement to maintain an understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape including the support and maintenance of the legal and regulatory obligations inventory as it applies to Visa

  • Perform targeted testing of key processes and control design and effectiveness to ensure risk mitigation objectives are met most efficiently and with least impact on business operations

• Control Environment:

  • Assist the business in developing and enhancing the first line of defense to ensure compliance with local regulatory requirements, ensuring that risks are being adequately managed and that the business is in compliance with company policy

  • Continually identify opportunities for program and process efficiencies while ensuring sufficient controls are in place; partner with the business to drive identified process and control improvements

• Employee Education:

  • Provide effective business education on policy requirements, including delivery of localized training, tailored to specific countries, business and support function needs

• Risk & Controls Reporting

  • Developing and analyzing comprehensive reporting including local dashboard of Compliance Program activity, metrics and performance assessment

  • Provide risk and activity updates to the Business leader and Regional Compliance Leader

  • Issue investigation reports and related actions plan as required

• 8 to 10 years of experience in management of compliance programs and controls within the financial services industry

• Bachelor's degree or other higher education qualifications required

• Professional AML/ATF accreditation required (CAMS) required

• Six sigma yellow belt and/or process engineering skills required

• Sound knowledge of AML/ATF risks and typologies

• ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk & Compliance or similar qualification preferred

• English, Ukrainian and Russian language skills required, both written and oral

• Good knowledge of payments industry products, emerging products, regulations and related trends

• Good understanding of core pillars of effective AML/ATF and Sanctions programs and appropriate legislation

• Highly analytical and self-motivated, adept at working independently and in a dispersed team environment covering multiple and varied tasks

• Capable of working collaboratively with employees from all levels within the organization

• Flexible to work in an environment where needs are continually changing

• Corporate experience with a proven track record of managing multiple projects in a complex matrix business and operational environments

• Intuitive, highly ethical and comfortable to question and challenge when required

• Ability to multi-task and able to work with minimal supervision

• Some travel and extended business hours (conference calls, video calls and web based meetings) may be required

• Excellent analytical and data analysis skills including use of MS Office systems including Word, Access, Visio, Excel (advanced), Power Point, SharePoint and other applications

• Excellent and professional written, presentation and communication skills