VP, Germany General Manager

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 Summary:

The Vice President / General Manager for PayPal in Germany holds strategic and operational responsibility for PayPal’s largest market in Europe and one of its most critical globally. The role oversees and drives the continued dominance and growth of PayPal’s branded checkout and wallet products, which command a 38-40% market share in Germany and are used for nearly 4 out of 10 online transactions. The position leads a diverse, cross-functional team of around 400 employees based in Germany, while maintaining a strong focus on innovation, customer experience, and regulatory compliance. The VP / General Manager acts as the driving force behind PayPal’s transformation in Germany, leveraging the company’s strong brand, trusted reputation, and unique consumer permission to expand beyond payments into new financial services. The role is responsible for ensuring that PayPal’s operations, partnerships, and offerings remain at the forefront of digital commerce, while also navigating a highly competitive and rapidly evolving regulatory environment.

Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Market Development
- Develops and executes a comprehensive market strategy that aligns with PayPal’s global objectives while addressing the specific demands of the German market.
- Drives sustainable growth and innovation by identifying and leveraging synergies across branded checkout, omnichannel expansion, and new financial services, ensuring PayPal’s continued leadership in digital payments.
- Maintains and expands PayPal’s market dominance by focusing on both large enterprise and SMB merchants, targeting at least 8% year-over-year growth and reinforcing PayPal’s position as the leading payment provider.

Operational Management & Business Expansion
- Oversees all aspects of PayPal’s German business operations, including branded checkout, omnichannel payment solutions, and the launch of new
products such as BNPL and PayPal Ads. Leads the transition to the new Berlin office, fostering a culture of collaboration, agility, and innovation among the approximately 400 employees.
- Ensures secure, compliant, and efficient operations across all business lines, with a strong emphasis on risk management, regulatory compliance, and coordination with PayPal’s European headquarters in Luxembourg.

Product & Service Innovation
- Drives the rollout of new payment solutions and omnichannel experiences, including in-store payments leveraging open NFC standards, a re-launched app with merchant offers and cashback, and deeper integration of BNPL and SME full-stack processing.
- Launches and scales new business models such as PayPal Ads and explores opportunities for expansion into financial services, while ensuring regulatory compliance and collaboration with internal and external partners. Aims for meaningful impact in new business areas by 2027, potentially through organic growth or targeted acquisitions.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development
- The role leads a diverse, cross-functional team with two direct reports, each responsible for a distinct team, the Enterprise unit with approximately 60 employees and the SMB business for the German market, managed from Paris with around 15 employees.
- Additionally, there are several dotted-line reports from areas such as Consumer and Financial Services, Marketing, Operations & Strategy, and Solutions Engineering, collectively comprising about 10 to 12 employees.
- Emphasis on employee development and engagement, with a focus on improving satisfaction survey results and promoting a culture that actively embraces change and ambiguity.

External Engagement & Stakeholder Management
- Maintains close collaboration with PayPal’s European and global leadership, including regular reporting and alignment on strategy, risks, and opportunities.
- Engages with regulators, partners, and key stakeholders to ensure compliance, manage public relations, and drive strategic partnerships.
- Represents PayPal in the German market as the primary point of contact for media, regulators, and large enterprise clients.

The Successful Hire - Pivotal Experience & Expertise
- Payments Domain Knowledge: The candidate should bring deep expertise across the payment’s ecosystem, including wallets, branded checkout, BNPL, omnichannel, full-stack processing, and merchant-focused ad solutions. They should understand both structural market dynamics (e.g., Germany’s bank-based PayPal usage) and evolving product innovations (e.g., in-store NFC, cashback offers). Knowledge of the UK and EU regulatory/payment landscape is ideal.
- Commercial & Sales Leadership: Proven experience leading large commercial and sales teams targeting both global enterprise and SMB/mid-market segments. The candidate must have a strong grasp of digital sales, eCommerce growth strategies, and sales-led models. Experience balancing short-term growth with long-term transformational sales models is essential.
- Consumer & Strategy: Track record of driving go-to-market strategy with a B2C or B2B2C proposition. Ability to align Product, Engineering, Marketing, and GTM teams around a unified customer experience vision. Should lead innovations like app-based engagement, consumer rewards, and BNPL offerings.
- Scale & Complexity: Experience operating in a large, matrixed, multi-country organization with dotted and hard-line reporting structures. Must be comfortable leading across cross-functional teams, influencing stakeholders without direct authority. Should thrive in ambiguity and complexity, as seen in PayPal’s German operation with ~400 employees and mixed leadership lines.
- Transforming Track Record: Proven ability to lead organizational change, particularly transforming sales teams and GTM processes. Experience implementing scalable, data-driven sales models with clear KPIs and accountability frameworks. Should instill high-performance culture while
addressing engagement gaps and cultural resistance to change (noted in Germany team).
- Market Impact & Future Vision: Strategic foresight to expand beyond payments into adjacent financial services, banking, deposits, lending, or crypto. Experience developing new business models, securing regulatory approvals (e.g., via Luxembourg), and driving long-term impact (targeting 2027). Should be entrepreneurial and familiar with innovation via build or buy strategies.

Job Description:

Preferred Qualification:

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

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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 paypalglobaltalentacquisition@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.