Director, Research

As part of the global Visa Consulting & Analytics organization, North America Product, Experience Design and Digital (PxDD) is an innovation consulting team that helps Visa’s network clients accelerate their innovation agenda and transform their customer experience. PxDD partners with leading brands across the payments ecosystem—including banks, fintechs, processors, and merchants—to design and deliver differentiated products, services, and experiences grounded in human-centered design.

The PxDD team works across strategy, research, design, and technology to solve complex client problems, beginning with deep customer understanding and translating insights into action. We believe in curiosity, creative confidence, experimentation, continuous learning, respectful collaboration, inclusion, empathy, and fun.

The Director, Research will help Visa's network of clients accelerate their innovation agenda and transform their customer experience, uncovering customer attitudes, behaviors, and needs through rigorous research approaches. This role is responsible for setting the research vision for client engagements, leading high-impact research work, and managing a small team of researchers.

We are seeking expertise in at least one of the following areas:

• Qualitative research methods
• Quantitative research methods (including choice-based experiments, concept tests, segmentation and product assessments)
• Research Operations with a focus on knowledge management

Responsibilities:

• Lead innovation consulting engagements from a research lens, owning research strategy, design, execution, synthesis, and insight delivery from scoping through go-to-market
• Serve as the senior research lead on engagements, partnering closely with strategy, design, and product leaders to shape integrated, insight-led solutions
• Translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights, journeys, personas and stories that inform product and experience strategies
• Manage and mentor a small team of researchers, providing coaching, feedback, and career development
• Foster a strong research culture grounded in rigor, curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Identify and pilot new research methods, tools, and operational approaches to elevate the PxDD research practice
• Manage research vendor partners, ensuring quality, consistency, and operational efficiency

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in 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
• Undergraduate or Graduate degree in a research-oriented discipline such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Human Factors, Business, Marketing, or related field
• Deep research expertise in consulting, agency, and/or professional services environments
• 8–10+ years of experience in user research or related fields, including responsibility for scoping, sizing, and leading complex research programs
• Prior direct people leadership experience
• Strong understanding of human-centered approaches including service design and its application to product and service development
• An advocate for ReOps and experience building and maintaining an insight repository
• Proven ability to work on complex and often ambiguous problems, to drive results
• Excellent project management skills, organization, and ability to manage multiple workstreams at the same time
• Excellent executive presence and verbal and written communication skills
• Payments, fintech, financial services, or digital technology experience a plus

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting. The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

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.

Visa will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable local law, including the requirements of Article 49 of the San Francisco Police Code.

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY: The estimated salary range for this position is 163,500 to 307,600 USD per year, which may include potential sales incentive payments (if applicable). Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position may be eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 (k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness Program.