Chief Executive Officer

This is a high-impact executive opportunity to lead a respected global membership organization at a pivotal stage of growth and transformation. The CEO will shape and execute a three-to-five-year strategy while strengthening the organization's position across the global payments, fraud prevention, and digital commerce ecosystem.

About the role

Working closely with a Global Board of Directors, the leader will align members, volunteers, employees, and strategic partners around a compelling shared vision. A major focus will be expanding member value, elevating flagship events, advancing advocacy, strengthening education, and creating meaningful year-round professional engagement. The role combines strategic leadership with commercial, operational, governance, and community-building responsibilities across an international organization.

The successful executive will serve as a visible industry ambassador, building relationships with policymakers, regulators, merchants, financial institutions, technology providers, and other influential stakeholders. This is an opportunity to drive innovation, develop a high-performing global team, and shape the future of an evolving industry while delivering measurable organizational and financial results.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Global Board of Directors to establish organizational vision, priorities, governance practices, and long-term strategic direction.
• Develop and execute a measurable three-to-five-year strategic plan that translates the organization's mission into clear priorities, performance objectives, and sustainable growth.
• Serve as the chief executive, primary Board liaison, and senior ambassador, representing the organization with members, industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, partners, and the broader payments and fraud prevention community.
• Strengthen member value and engagement by expanding professional communities, improving year-round connection opportunities, and ensuring programs reflect evolving member needs.
• Lead the organization's events strategy, positioning flagship conferences and other events as major drivers of engagement, revenue, sponsorship value, and industry influence.
• Advance advocacy and public policy initiatives, strengthening relationships with regulators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders and establishing the organization as a trusted voice for the profession.
• Oversee education and professional development initiatives that strengthen industry capabilities and deliver tangible value to members.
• Lead and develop a high-performing executive team and cultivate a culture built on trust, accountability, collaboration, innovation, and measurable performance.
• Establish strong organizational operating disciplines, ensuring strategy is supported by effective financial management, resource allocation, execution processes, and performance measurement.
• Strengthen commercial performance and financial sustainability while identifying new opportunities for revenue growth, partnerships, membership expansion, and strategic investment.
• Build consensus across a diverse global membership and volunteer leadership base, balancing differing perspectives while maintaining alignment around organizational priorities.
• Leverage emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve member experiences, operational effectiveness, programs, and long-term organizational competitiveness.
• Monitor industry trends and anticipate emerging opportunities and risks across payments, fraud prevention, digital commerce, technology, and regulation.
• Establish trusted relationships with key external stakeholders and position the organization as a leading source of insight, collaboration, and professional community within the global ecosystem.
• During the first 12–24 months, build strong relationships with the Board, leadership team, and membership; launch the approved strategic plan; strengthen flagship events and member engagement; expand advocacy influence; and establish a high-performing leadership culture.

Requirements

• Proven track record as a senior executive leading a complex membership organization, trade association, professional association, industry organization, or similarly sophisticated global organization.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizations through growth, transformation, strategic repositioning, or a significant new phase of organizational development.
• Strong strategic leadership capabilities, with the ability to translate a long-term vision into measurable priorities, operating plans, and organizational results.
• Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors or comparable governing body, including strong governance, consensus-building, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated commercial and financial acumen, including experience overseeing revenue growth, budgets, financial performance, sponsorships, partnerships, or other sustainable business models.
• Experience leading events, conferences, professional communities, membership programs, or other engagement-driven initiatives is highly valuable.
• Strong understanding of advocacy, public policy, regulatory engagement, or industry representation, with the credibility to build relationships with policymakers and senior external stakeholders.
• Ability to operate comfortably across multiple environments, including executive boardrooms, industry conferences, member organizations, government and regulatory settings, and direct stakeholder engagement.
• Exceptional communication and public-speaking capabilities, with the ability to represent an organization compellingly and credibly to diverse global audiences.
• Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal judgment, with a demonstrated ability to build trust among employees, Board members, volunteers, members, partners, and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining high-performing executive and leadership teams.
• Ability to lead through influence, create alignment among diverse stakeholders, and make thoughtful decisions in environments with competing priorities.
• Entrepreneurial and innovative mindset, with enthusiasm for emerging technologies and their potential to improve organizational effectiveness and member value.
• Global perspective and experience working across international markets, cultures, and stakeholder communities.
• Strong commitment to professional communities, member engagement, continuous learning, and meaningful industry impact.

Benefits

• First-year total compensation of approximately $425,000, combining base salary and annual bonus.
• Fully remote position based in the United States.
• Competitive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life and disability insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching.
• Generous paid time off.
• Flexible scheduling.
• Professional development support.
• Opportunity to lead a globally recognized organization with significant industry visibility and influence.
• Direct partnership with an engaged Global Board and a broad international community of industry professionals.
• Opportunity to shape strategy, innovation, advocacy, events, education, and member engagement across the global payments and fraud prevention ecosystem.