Director, Card Acquiring & Processing Operations – UK & EU

Essential Responsibilities

• Define the overarching partnership strategy to align with business growth and innovation goals.
• Establish and maintain relationships with executive stakeholders at banks, payment networks, and other industry entities.
• Drive market expansion by identifying opportunities in new market segments and geographies.
• Lead high-level negotiations to secure mutually beneficial agreements with strategic partners.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure partnership strategies align with organizational priorities.
• Represent the company at key industry events to strengthen its reputation as a market leader.
• Oversee the implementation of partnerships, ensuring objectives are met effectively and on time.
• Influence cross-functional teams to execute partnership strategies across product, marketing, and legal functions.
• Anticipate and mitigate risks related to regulatory changes and competitive dynamics in the payments industry.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of partnerships on revenue growth and market leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Overview

Essential Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain the operational framework for card acquiring and processing across the UK & EU, covering direct and third-party models.
• Define performance standards, governance structures, and review cadences across authorization, routing, clearing, settlement, and disputes.
• Own portfolio-level oversight of operational performance, resilience, and economic outcomes across acquiring models.
• Ensure consistent accountability and operating discipline across internal teams and external acquirers and processors.
• Oversee adherence to Visa, Mastercard, and domestic scheme rules, ensuring operational readiness for audits and regulatory requirements.
• Partner cross-functionally to translate operational performance themes into structural improvements and prioritized actions.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and resilience of direct and third-party acquiring models, recommending adjustments to optimize performance, cost, and risk exposure.
• Provide executive visibility into portfolio health, performance trends, and material operational risks.

Expected Qualifications

• 12+ years of relevant experience in card acquiring , payment processing, or scheme operations.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience across both direct and third-party acquiring and processing environments.
• Strong understanding of Visa and Mastercard authorization, clearing, settlement, and dispute processes.
• Demonstrated experience improving operational performance in multi-acquirer or multi-processor ecosystems.
• Experience operating in large, matrixed organizations.
• Strong analytical and commercial acumen, with the ability to link operational performance to financial impact .
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and external partners at senior levels.
• Structured, disciplined approach to operational governance and performance management.

Travel Percent

Our Benefits

• At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset-you. That’s why we offer comprehensive, choice-based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.

Who We Are

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Belonging at PayPal