Director, Global Payments Strategy and Operations

We are seeking an experienced Director of Global Payments to lead Discord’s end-to-end payment strategy and operations. Reporting to the Senior Director of Finance, this role will own the vision, design, and optimization of our global payments infrastructure.  The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in multiprocessor orchestration, cross-border payment flows, strategic vendor management, and payment innovation. This role combines strategic leadership, technical depth, and operational excellence, ensuring Discord delivers a seamless, reliable, and cost-efficient payments experience for our users worldwide.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead Global Payments Strategy: Develop and execute a global payments strategy that supports Discord’s monetization and growth goals across multiple geographies, processors, and payment methods.
• Optimize Payment Flows: Optimize payment lifecycle from authorization and routing to settlement and refund flows to maximize success rates and reduce transaction costs.
• Implement Multi-Processor Architecture: Lead the deployment of a multi-processor payments strategy that improves redundancy, enhances authorization rates, and reduces processing costs through intelligent routing and regional optimization.
• Enhance Global Coverage: Launch new local payment methods and cross-border capabilities to support Discord’s market expansion and ensure best-in-class payment experiences for global users.
• FX and International Structuring: Define and optimize global collection and FX strategies, partnering with cross-functional teams to design entity-level payment routing that minimizes transaction and conversion costs while ensuring efficient international fund flows.
• Vendor and Partner Management: Manage vendor relationships and oversee negotiations with payment service providers, acquirers, and card networks to ensure best-in-class pricing for a business of our scale
• Ensure Compliance & Risk Management: Collaborate with Legal, Policy, and Security teams to ensure compliance with regional payment regulations and industry standards
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Business development to align payment capabilities with product goals and integrate payments deeply into Discord’s platform roadmap and monetization strategy.

What you should have

• 12+ years of experience in payments, fintech, or e-commerce, including 3+ years in a senior leadership role overseeing global payment operations or strategy.
• Proven expertise in multi-processor payments and orchestration frameworks that optimize cost, performance, and reliability.
• Deep understanding of global acquirers, payment APIs, and alternative/local payment methods.
• Track record of improving authorization rates, reducing declines, and optimizing cross-border transactions.
• Strong knowledge of payment compliance and security standards
• Experience managing $100M+ annual payment volumes across multiple regions and currencies.
• Experience with consumer and subscription business models
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence across teams.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $280,000 to $315,000 + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include equity, or benefits.