The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Description Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Director of Recommendations to lead our efforts in recommendation and personalization capabilities that power showing our customers the most meaningful shopping content at the right time. This role requires a strategic thinker with a deep technical background in machine learning and passion for pragmatic applications of machine learning and AI.

Job Description:

Strategic Leadership: 

Develop and execute the technology strategy to enable real time recommendations at scale 

Identify and analyze industry trends to ensure we are leveraging the latest evolutions of AI technology 

Platform Development: 

Oversee the design, development and deployment of recommendation technology at PayPal 

Drive deployment of new technologies needed to modernize Recommendations 

Ensure the platform is scalable, reliable, secure, and provides an excellent employee experience. 

Data Science: 

Partner with data science to ensure ease of model exploration and at-scale implementation of models 

Gather feedback to continuously improve platform offerings and address data scientists needs 

Cross-Functional Collaboration: 

Work closely with product, data science, engineering, marketing, sales, and customer support teams to align platform initiatives with business objectives. 

Coordinate with compliance and legal teams to ensure all activities meet regulatory standards. 

Team Management: 

Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of engineers, product managers, and developer advocates. 

Foster a culture of pragmatism in applying advanced machine learning concepts to PayPal’s data while balancing customer-centricity and business needs.  

Performance Metrics: 

Define and monitor KPIs to measure the success of the Recommendation platform. 

Use data-driven insights to make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement. 

Thought Leadership: 

Represent PayPal at industry events, conferences, and within AI communities 

Advocate for PayPal’s vision and establish the company as a leader in machine learning, AI, and big data.  

Qualifications 

Education: 

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. 

Experience: 

12+ years of experience in technology roles with at least 5 years in a leadership position 

Proven track record in building and managing recommendation systems 

Deep understanding of big data technologies, recommendation systems, and artificial intelligence 

Experience in the payments or fintech industry is highly desirable. 

Skills: 

Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities. 

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 

Ability to build and maintain relationships with external partners and developers. 

Additional Job Description:

Subsidiary:

Travel Percent:

0

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PayPal is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices.

Actual Compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to work location, and relevant skills and experience.

The total compensation for this practice may include an annual performance bonus (or other incentive compensation, as applicable), equity, and medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. For more information, visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

The U.S. national annual pay range for this role is

$144800 to $319000

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

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 benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentaccommodations@paypal.com.

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.

Notice to Applicants and Employees who reside within New York City. Click here to view the notice.