Senior Director Jobs in Dubai 2025 – Lead Client Incentive Operations at Visa CEMEA Now

Table of Contents

1. Job Overview

2. About Visa

3. Available and Related Senior Director Jobs in Dubai at Visa

4. Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations CEMEA: Job Description

5. Key Job Responsibilities

6. Why This Senior Director Role in Dubai Stands Out

7. Requirements and Eligibility

8. How to Apply for Senior Director Jobs in Dubai at Visa

9. FAQs – Senior Director Jobs in Dubai (Client Incentive Operations)

Job Overview

If you’re exploring high-impact senior director jobs in Dubai, the Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations CEMEA role at Visa is a rare opportunity to lead finance operations at the heart of a global payments leader.

• Job Title: Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations, CEMEA

• Company: Visa

• Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

• Job Family Group: Finance

• Employment Type: Full-time, hybrid (office + remote as defined by hiring manager)

In this position, you’ll lead the Client Incentive Operations team for the CEMEA region (Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa). Your team manages Client Incentive and Merchant Acceptance Incentive agreements, ensuring compliance with contracts, correct accounting under US GAAP, and robust SOX controls, while driving global process improvement and AI-enabled automation.

About Visa

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, enabling digital payments across more than 200 countries and territories. Its network securely processes hundreds of billions of payment transactions each year between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, and governments.

A few key points about Visa:

• Operates one of the world’s most advanced processing networks, VisaNet, capable of handling tens of thousands of transaction messages per second.

• Works with thousands of financial institutions and millions of merchant locations worldwide.

• Describes its purpose as “uplifting everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid” and focuses on driving innovation, inclusion, and secure digital commerce.

As a Senior Director based in Dubai, you’ll be part of a regional leadership hub for CEMEA, working closely with global colleagues while influencing client economics and financial performance across multiple markets.

Available and Related Senior Director Jobs in Dubai at Visa

Visa regularly advertises multiple senior director jobs in Dubai across different functions, giving you a sense of the leadership ecosystem you’d be joining. Recent or typical postings include:

• VCA Senior Director – driving Visa Consulting & Analytics engagements with key clients in the region.

• Senior Director, Head of Core Products, CEMEA – leading strategy and deployment of Visa’s core credit, debit, and prepaid products.

• Senior Director, Global Products Strategic Initiatives – overseeing strategic product programs at a global level.

Alongside this Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations CEMEA role, these positions show how Visa builds a strong bench of senior leaders in finance, products, and consulting from its Dubai base.

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Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations CEMEA: Job Description

This is one of the most specialised senior director jobs in Dubai for finance professionals who thrive at the intersection of commercial deals, accounting, and operations.

The Client Incentive Operations team:

• Manages Client Incentive and Merchant Acceptance Incentive agreements across the CEMEA region

• Ensures contracts are correctly structured, tracked, and accounted for

• Determines the appropriate accounting treatment under US GAAP

• Ensures conformity with Visa policies and Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) controls

• Uses Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to continuously improve quality, cost, and schedule of operational processes

As Senior Director, your purpose is to lead this regional operations team, partner with cross-functional stakeholders, and standardise & automate processes globally while embedding AI into daily workflows. You will have both a strategic mandate and hands-on accountability for the integrity of client incentive operations.

Key Job Responsibilities

As Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations CEMEA, your responsibilities span people leadership, finance operations, and transformation:

1. Team Leadership and Oversight

• Provide leadership and oversight to the Client Incentive Operations team responsible for managing CEMEA client incentive agreements.

• Coach and develop team members to ensure accurate, timely daily operations and a strong control environment.

• Attract, retain, and grow high-calibre finance professionals, building a deep bench of talent within the region.

2. Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner closely with Sales, Contract Management, Legal, FP&A, Accounting, Billing, and Regional Finance Executives to ensure alignment across the full incentive lifecycle.

• Communicate deal updates and accounting implications proactively and clearly to stakeholders.

• Act as the key point-of-contact on client incentive operations for CEMEA senior leaders.

3. Accounting, Policy, and Compliance

• Provide guidance on accounting treatment for new and existing incentive arrangements in line with US GAAP and Visa’s internal policies.

• Ensure that all contractual commitments are:

  • In accordance with agreed terms

  • In compliance with Visa’s accounting policy

  • Fully aligned with SOX controls and audit expectations

• Standardise contract structures where possible to support consistent accounting and reporting.

4. Quarterly Reviews and Financial Processes

• Manage the quarterly review of key deliverables, including:

  • Client payments

  • Accruals and true-ups

  • Value-in-kind (VIK) reporting

  • Significant new contracts and amendments

  • Global flux analysis and key variances

• Approve or oversee contractual adjustments and amendments, ensuring accurate financial and operational treatment.

5. Global Process Improvement and Automation

• Drive and implement global process improvements for client incentive operations, using Lean/Six Sigma and best practices.

• Focus on AI integration in day-to-day operations – for example, using AI tools to:

  • Automate contract review and data extraction

  • Improve forecasting and accrual modelling

  • Detect anomalies or potential control issues earlier

• Align CEMEA processes with global Visa standards, contributing to shared playbooks and tools.

6. Metrics, Reporting, and Ad-hoc Support

• Establish and track performance metrics covering timeliness, accuracy, control strength, and process efficiency.

• Provide ad-hoc support for senior management, internal audit, and external audit requests related to incentive arrangements.

• Communicate complex operational and accounting issues in clear, business-friendly language to senior stakeholders.

Why This Senior Director Role in Dubai Stands Out

Among all the senior director jobs in Dubai, this Visa role stands out for several reasons.

1. Strategic Impact on Global Client Economics

Client incentives are one of Visa’s largest expense lines and a core lever for growth, pricing, and partnership with financial institutions.

In this role, you directly influence:

• How incentives are structured and operationalised

• The quality and reliability of incentive accounting

• The transparency of financial performance across CEMEA

Your work supports both regional growth strategies and global investor confidence.

2. Leadership at the Heart of a Global Payments Network

Visa operates one of the world’s most important digital payments networks, enabling secure commerce across more than 200 countries and territories.

As Senior Director, you:

• Operate from Dubai, a key hub for the CEMEA region

• Partner with senior leaders across finance, sales, and product

• Gain visibility into major client deals and strategic initiatives across markets

3. Focus on AI and Operational Excellence

Few finance-focused senior director jobs in Dubai explicitly highlight AI integration as part of the remit. Here, you will:

• Lead the adoption of AI tools and platforms in operational processes

• Use data and automation to reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and accelerate close cycles

• Shape what “future-ready finance operations” looks like within Visa’s global network

4. Culture, Inclusion, and Life at Visa

Visa emphasises:

• A purpose-led culture focused on financial inclusion and innovation

• Employee development through global mobility, mentoring, and training programs

• An inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and supported For a senior leader, this means you have both impact and support—you’re expected to drive results, but not to do it alone.

Requirements and Eligibility

To be considered for this Senior Director – Client Incentive Operations CEMEA role, you should meet the following criteria.

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance

• CPA, MBA, or other advanced degree is preferred

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive experience in:

  • Finance

  • Accounting

  • Audit

• Track record in:

  • Complex accounting and operational finance

  • Leading teams and large-scale processes

  • Working under pressure in high-volume environments

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of:

  • US GAAP and general accounting principles

  • Incentive or rebate accounting (a plus)

  • SOX controls and internal control frameworks

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel

• Familiarity and comfort with AI tools and platforms as applied to finance operations

Leadership and Soft Skills

• Proven ability to attract, lead, and develop high-calibre individuals

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Business acumen to connect high-level corporate initiatives with day-to-day tactical decisions

• Comfort leading change and adapting quickly to evolving business needs

How to Apply for Senior Director Jobs in Dubai at Visa

If this opportunity matches your ambitions for senior director jobs in Dubai, here’s how to move forward:

Click Here to Apply!

FAQs – Senior Director Jobs in Dubai (Client Incentive Operations)

1. What makes this one of the top senior director jobs in Dubai for finance leaders?
This role combines regional leadership, complex accounting, and operational excellence within a global payments company. You influence a major expense line (client incentives), partner with senior stakeholders, and help shape global processes and AI adoption—making it more strategic than many traditional finance director roles.

2. Do I need specific experience with client incentives to apply?
Direct client incentive experience is a plus, but not always essential. You should, however, have strong experience with complex accounting topics, revenue-related arrangements, or rebates, and be able to quickly understand Visa’s incentive models.

3. Is this role more operational or strategic?
It’s both. You will own daily operations and quarterly deliverables, but also drive global process improvements, automation, and AI integration, influence contract structure, and work closely with senior regional leaders on strategic initiatives.

4. What kind of work model should I expect?
The position is hybrid. You’ll spend part of your time in Visa’s Dubai office and part working remotely, with the exact number of in-office days defined by your hiring manager in line with Visa’s global hybrid model.

5. Are there broader career paths at Visa after this Senior Director role?
Yes. Successful leaders in this space may progress to:

• Regional or global finance leadership roles

• Broader operations or transformation leadership

• Other senior director or VP-level positions in finance, client success, or strategy

Visa’s global footprint and strong internal mobility make it a powerful platform for long-term career growth.