As a Sr. Consultant, Executive Talent Acquisition Research (Research Lead), you will act as a senior member of the Executive Search Research team, partnering closely with the Director to drive research excellence, implement best-in-class processes, and elevate the team’s strategic impact. You will lead research initiatives for executive hiring, deliver actionable market intelligence, and champion innovative sourcing and talent mapping practices. This is an opportunity to shape and deliver the executive research strategy for a global organization, enabling Visa to attract exceptional leadership talent.What do we expect from you day-to-day?Research Leadership & Delivery ExcellenceServe as the Research Lead, overseeing end-to-end executive search research projects, including market mapping, talent identification, and competitor analysis.Mentor and develop research team members, providing guidance and sharing best practices to enhance the team’s capabilities.Partner with Executive Talent Acquisition (ETA) Recruiters to deliver outstanding research support throughout the executive hiring lifecycle.Design and implement innovative sourcing strategies to attract diverse executive talent from a broad range of industries, supporting Visa’s global growth objectives.Oversee the integrity and accuracy of candidate data and Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) systems, ensuring all channels and pipelines are effectively managed.Prepare and deliver high-impact research presentations, progress reports, and market analyses tailored for executive and senior leadership audiences.Lead research initiatives across all functional and business areas, including executive technology leadership roles, leveraging deep domain expertise to identify, engage, and attract top talent.Develop and execute targeted sourcing strategies to build diverse pipelines of executive-level talent across technology, fintech, digital, and innovation-driven sectors.Strategic Advisory & Thought LeadershipAct as a strategic advisor to hiring managers and business leaders, delivering insight-driven market intelligence and talent trends affecting executive hiring.Proactively monitor industry developments and provide thought leadership to inform executive talent strategies.Support executive briefings, leveraging external market research to influence and support Visa’s Executive Talent Acquisition agenda.Provide actionable intelligence on technology, fintech, and payments leadership trends, competitor organizational structures, and emerging skills essential to Visa’s ongoing digital transformation.Identify and communicate key industry issues, risks, and opportunities to senior leaders, informing future talent strategies.Process Improvement & Knowledge ManagementCollaborate with the Director to implement and continuously improve research methodologies, reporting standards, and success measures across the team.Ensure all research deliverables (e.g., target lists, mappings, reference reports) are prepared to the highest standard and delivered on schedule.Lead special projects and initiatives as assigned by the VP, Global Head of Executive Talent Acquisition and the Global Head of Research.Champion Visa’s employer value proposition, supporting initiatives to position Visa as a top destination for executive talent globally.Collaboration & Stakeholder EngagementBuild and maintain trusted relationships with senior leaders, executive candidates, and external partners.Foster a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement within the research team.Act as an ambassador for Visa’s culture, values, and leadership principles in all interactions.This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.
