Director, Insights & Innovation

Job Description
We're not just building products in Visa Innovation &
Digital Partnerships, we're reshaping the future of Payments. We believe in challenging the status quo and crafting solutions that not only solve existing problems but that also reimagine how the payments ecosystem could evolve to better meet the needs of all stakeholders and end users.
In this role, you'll be a crucial member of our Latin America Product Innovation team, using your mixed-methods expertise to uncover user needs and translate insights into game-changing solutions that impact the entire product development lifecycle - from foundational discovery to hypothesis, concept, and UI evaluation. While Latin America will be your primary focus, you will be a critical part of a global Innovation team and as such expected to collaborate across regions in Asia Pacific, Latin America, CEMEA, and EU.
This is a people manager role in which you will, in addition to leading your own research, lead the Latin America product research portfolio, with responsibility of overseeing and guiding a team of practitioners in their day-to-day research prioritization, scoping, design, execution, and synthesis, and with the expectation that insights will drive product strategy and shape decisions throughout the product life cycle. You will manage and grow the Latin America research team and scale the team and its knowledge as needed.
Your Mission:
Pioneer uncharted territory:
0-1 product innovation focus – Lead research initiatives for new product conceptsto uncover unmet needs and inspire solutions that add value to our business, our customers, and the payments ecosystem.Research will be leading / guiding by unearthing insights that shape and support the Latin America Innovation Teams’ product roadmaps.
Lead and mentor, regionally;
collaborate, globally:
Remit is Latin America, with expectation of partnership global across our 5 regions. This role will be helping to manage in-region researchers and research even as we are also always looking for opportunities to collaborate and get smarter together, faster, across regions.
Become a research guide:
Lead the product team through every stage of the development journey, from initial discovery to ideation, evaluation, user testing, and refinement.
Craft compelling narratives:
Weave quantitative and qualitative data into compelling user stories and strategic frameworks to spark and structure the solutioning process with cross-functional partners, such as designers,engineers,and product leaders.
Challenge assumptions:
Don't shy away from questioning convention as well as questioning assumptions and hypotheses about solutions.Push the boundaries of traditional research methods and explore unconventional sources of insight to unearth hidden gems.
Embrace rapid iteration:
Adapt and evolve your research approach as ideas pivot and prototypes transform,ensuring continuous user input fuels the innovation cycle.
Your Toolkit:
10+ years of experience in user experience research,with demonstrable experience designing and executing research across the full product development lifecycle.
Background in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and an ability to fluidly flex between ethnographic inquiry, survey design, and analysis
Proven experience in conducting research for early-stage,high-risk product concepts.
Deep understanding of user-centered design principles and skilled at translating insights into actionable product roadmaps
Exceptional communication and storytelling skills,able to distinguish insights from findings and present those insights in a way that inspires action
Strong analytical skills,coupled with a willingness to explore beyond the traditional toolbox and embrace new methodologies
Excellent cross-functional partnership skills and ability to lead product conversations with insights
Familiarity with design thinking or other human-centered innovation methodologies
Experience vetting, collaborating with, and managing research vendor partners in a variety of support scenarios
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and conduct end-to-end mixed methods research (both qualitative and quantitative) to inform product design and strategy
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, product management, and engineering, to integrate user research at every stage of the product development process
Design and execute studies to understand user behavior, attitudes, and needs, utilizing a variety of methods such as interviews, surveys, usability testing, and data analysis
Synthesize and communicate research findings to stakeholders in a clear and compelling manner, influencing product direction and decision-making
Identify, onboard, and manage vendor partners
Stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in user research and the financial services industry
Bonus points:
Passion for, and knowledgeable about, emerging technologies
Experience partnering with policy and regulation partners
Skilled at data visualization and information design