About Us
Visa is a world leader in payments technology, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories, dedicated to uplifting everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.
At Visa, you'll have the opportunity to create impact at scale — tackling meaningful challenges, growing your skills and seeing your contributions impact lives around the world.
Join Visa and do work that matters – to you, to your community, and to the world. Progress starts with you.
Job Description
Visa Europe Sourcing has an opportunity for a highly motivated, experienced, and results-driven Professional Services Category Manager, to join our team and help us to lead the change, further elevate the procurement function and cement strategic business partnerships. Are you interested in driving efficiencies? Do you like to challenge the status quo? Can you bring leading practice thinking and solutions? Do you pride yourself on close, strategic stakeholder and supplier relationship? Are you experienced and ambitious Professional Services expert? Do you enjoy working in cross-functional and cross-border teams? If this inspires and sounds familiar, please contact us because we would like to talk to you!
Role Summary
This role is to undertake category sourcing focused on Professional Services Category - reporting to Europe Head of Professional Services and Marketing Category and the successful candidate will have experience of all Professional Services categories at both strategic and tactical level, specifically:
Consulting, BPO, Legal, Audit and Risk, and Tax and Accounting categories.
Geographical scope is Europe and where requested provide support to the Global Sourcing teams and regional teams.
All roles require digital fluency, including the ability to work with emerging technologies such as Generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot) to support everyday work.
Shape & Deliver Value:
Contributes to the development of the functional agenda by monitoring market trends, competitive dynamics, and stakeholder needs to support strategic planning and execution.
Identifies and explores opportunities for value creation, recommending enhancements to current practices and supporting innovation initiatives aligned with strategic goals.
Translates business and market insights into actionable plans, engaging stakeholders through clear communication and well-structured proposals.
Supports alignment of regional and functional priorities with broader organisational objectives, collaborating across teams to ensure effective deployment of resources and capabilities.
Drives change initiatives within the function, contributing to vision-setting, gaining team buy-in, and tracking progress against defined outcomes.
Drive Functional Excellence & Innovation:
Implements consistent demand planning and forecasting processes across relevant areas of the organisation.
Assesses sourcing initiatives and projects, providing analysis and recommendations to support decision-making.
Prepares sourcing reports and insights for review by senior management, ensuring clarity and relevance.
Champions continuous improvement through adoption of best practices and innovative solutions, contributing to functional excellence.
Develops and refines tools and templates, supports AI adoption, and maintains high standards for team and business deliverables.
Set Direction & Orchestrate Change:
Acts with urgency to resolve issues and deliver results, maintaining momentum across initiatives.
Engages team members in decision-making processes to build ownership and alignment.
Clearly frames issues and options when escalating decisions to senior leadership.
Fosters a high-performance culture, positioning the function as a reliable business partner.
Leads collaborative efforts to identify opportunities and implement change, advocating for improvements across the function.
Creates an inclusive and safe team environment that encourages open dialogue and diverse perspectives, supporting enterprise-wide change.
Role Accountabilities
Visa is a dynamic environment thus there are likely to be some changes in responsibilities and priorities over time and so we are looking for someone who has a flexible approach, embracing Visa Europe’s agility.
Category Management & Operating Model:
Develop and execute (sub) Category strategies, plans, and projects.
Responsible for the delivery of a compelling strategy and plan that mobilises the cross-functional teams and partners.
Execute strategic and tactical sourcing activities.
Incorporate responsible sourcing objectives into category activities.
Manage Category spend, supplier relationships, and opportunities, developing and maintaining Preferred Supplier Lists (PSL) and manage Tail spend.
Functional Planning & Performance:
Lead defined sections of the sourcing planning and forecasting by aligning category plans to support the Sourcing strategy.
Act as a Sourcing Business Partner to stakeholder teams in the UK and Europe, ensuring end-to-end responsibilities for Sourcing activities.
Through strong relationships with business stakeholders, understand subcategory strategies, plans, and priorities to be able to better support business objectives.
Responsible to support, as required, cross Professional Services Category transactions in support of the broader Product team goals.
Performance Management & Reporting:
Governance & Best Practice:
Incorporate digital tools, analytics, and emerging technologies (including AI/Agentic AI) to streamline operations and accelerate innovation.
Deliver financial and other business values through leading practices.
Operate data-driven, risk-aware culture that integrates sustainability, inclusion, and ethical decision-making.
Identify efficiency opportunities in the sourcing process and deliver using Lean Six Sigma and other process optimisation tools.
Ensure robust risk management, control frameworks, and audit readiness to maintain functional resilience across European markets.
Support an inclusive, psychologically safe environment that encourages curiosity, accountability, and collaboration.
Capability Development & Communications:
Incorporate digital tools, analytics, and emerging technologies (including AI/Agentic AI) to streamline operations and accelerate innovation.
Drive continuous improvements and support digitalization.
Support the delivery of a compelling strategy and plan that mobilises the cross-functional teams and partners.
Lead medium complex change initiatives with disciplined execution, strong governance, and effective communication. Reporting delivery and achievement against plan and objectives.
Represent Europe Sourcing internally and externally, enhancing the function’s reputation and strategic value.
This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:
Educated to degree level Preferably in Supply Chain, Business and, or Technology.
5-7 years’ experience in Professional Services Categories
Advanced procurement and sourcing technical and analytical skills and strong knowledge of how good looks like.
Strong Experience in above sub-categories, relevant suppliers and market dynamics, business models, contract negotiations, implementation, and supplier relationship management.
Project Leadership skills with experience in delivering large and complex Sourcing projects.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to build collaborative relationships.
Energy, pace, and an impeccable track record of delivery.
Preferred Qualifications:
Postgraduate procurement accreditation (MCIPS or MIIAPS).
Experience in financial service, FinTech or technology organisations.
Lean Six Sigma, white or yellow belt.
Operating in a large, multi-country region with complex stakeholder matrix.
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.
