Marketing Country Lead (Azerbaijan)

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Visa is seeking an experienced and passionate Marketing Manager who will play a key role in shaping the Visa brand in Azerbaijan. This individual will lead both consumer-facing and client marketing efforts, helping reinforce Visa’s position as the most innovative and trusted way to pay and be paid.

Based in Baku as part of CISSEE Marketing team, this role will cover all key areas of marketing – brand, product, client, sponsorship and digital. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader, comfortable navigating in a matrix environment and delivering high-quality work with attention to detail and local nuance.

You will be expected to lead strategic planning and flawless execution across B2C and B2B efforts, ensuring Visa’s brand relevance and preference among consumers, clients (banks, merchants, FinTech) and the broader ecosystem.

This role supports across all marketing efforts (brand, product, client, partnership & sponsorship and digital marketing).

You will roll up your sleeves and get right to work getting up to speed on our brand, our live campaigns, understanding and supporting our clients’ needs, and ensuring all agency work is organized, on-time, and delivered to spec. It will not be boring, we promise.

Responsibilities / Key Results Area:

Consumer Marketing

• Develop and execute marketing strategies tailored to Azerbaijan’s priorities and consumer insights, aligned with regional business objectives.
• Achieve vital business metrics based on country priorities, interfacing with internal stakeholders (Functions, Business Development Team, Country Manager) while collaborating across CISSEE Marketing team and CEMEA Hub.
• Lead end-to-end campaign development, including agency briefing, digital execution, media partnerships, content creation etc.
• Activate and manage global sponsorship platforms i.e. FIFA WORLD CUP 2026, Disney, F1.
• Design and implement local sponsorship activations i.e. music festivals, sports, fintech events.
• Deliver clear post-campaign analysis and performance reports to ensure continuous improvement.
• Manage our Visa Brand Evolution. Lead specific projects to support long-term health of the Visa brand & drive effective share of voice in the market.
• Effectively manage all stakeholders responsible for the successful implementation of a campaign including agencies, suppliers, merchants and banks and others as appropriate.
• Provide quantitative post-campaign and regular performance analysis in due time and incorporate learnings into future projects.
• Contribute to the identification of new market opportunities that will increase services to banks, merchants and cardholders and increase the value of the Visa brand.
• Share best practice and successful programs with other Visa Regional offices.

Client marketing

• Build strategic marketing plans with clients, including banks and merchants.
• Drive co-branded campaigns that support client growth and Visa usage.
• Help clients tap into Visa’s global platform and consult on best-in-class marketing practices
• Communicate annual / quarterly marketing plans to clients with regular updates at formal meetings.
• Drive marketing engagements with key clients including developing client marketing plans and execution of marketing initiatives and campaigns on behalf of Clients.
• Work to retain and grow Visa’s Clients business by delivering marketing solutions that maximize revenue and profitability for assigned products and services.
• Consult Visa’s Clients on best practices and successful programmes.
• Communicate annual / quarterly marketing plans to clients with regular updates at formal meetings.

Agency management, processes and financials

• Manage key partnership with our brand agency and media buying agencies from strategy, budgets, plan development, channel planning, data analysis and media optimization to push our marketing evolution upstream especially in the digital and social fields.
• Manage local marketing budgets, ensure accurate forecasting and reporting.
• Work closely with CISSEE Marketing team to manage country’s marketing budget and ensure that all activities adhere to Visa’s financial forecasting, reporting, sourcing, legal and compliance policies.
• Actively support the global brand strategy by ensuring all campaigns comply with the brand strategy and visual and verbal guidelines & Visa policies.
• Ensure compliance and process correctness of Visa key controls.

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or a related field with a marketing foundation.
• Minimum 7 years of marketing experience, preferably in finance/payment industry, retail, services, Creative Agency or similar.
• Proven experience managing 360° degrees campaigns, with strong digital, social and content marketing capabilities.
• Demonstrated track record in the development and implementation of integrated campaigns as well as in marketing consultancy and in agency management.
• Experience in executing global sponsorships and managing local sponsorships is a plus.
• Experience with content and digital marketing is a plus.
• Multicultural sensitivity and interpersonal relationship management skills are essential including the ability to work effectively as part of a multi-functional country or regional team.
• Strong planning, organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication, planning and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment under short timelines.
• Should be proactive and demonstrate initiative, responsive and sociable.
• Strong personal motivation and commitment.
• Fluent Azeri / English / Russian speaker.

This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office four days a week, Monday to Thursday.

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.