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Mastercard

Manager, Core Payments Strategy

Lisbon
Posted 5 days ago
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Our Purpose

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

Manager, Core Payments Strategy

Overview

Join our dynamic Strategy and Execution team. This strategy role is ideal for someone passionate about payments and innovation. Our team focuses on Core Products – the foundational payment solutions that power everyday transactions globally. From card-based payments to emerging form factors such as account-to-account and agentic payments, we ensure Mastercard continues to lead in scale, security, and innovation. We work to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments, and businesses realize their greatest potential.

We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better business results.

Reasons to use Rodeo

I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?

Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.

Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.

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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme

PwC·London, UK
£35,000/yr

Why you're a good match

Strong

Your economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.

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Why you're a good match

You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.

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Strong

Experience fit

Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.

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Role

  • Support high-priority strategic projects, including scoping and structuring problems, conducting complex analysis and research, and providing insights and recommendations across Core Products.
  • Support the development of strategy presentations and memos for C-suite executives, core product leads, and Mastercard’s Board of Directors.
  • Monitor industry trends and competitive landscape and support the development of insightful reports and analyses with cross-functional teams and executives.
  • Support the development of new ideas for growth opportunities based on market and competitive context, including evaluating potential acquisitions and/or investment aligned with the Core team priorities.
  • Periodically help refine the strategy to reflect key issues that impact, or are expected to impact, the company.
  • Balance facilitation, influence, and content contributions to help business leaders design and advance their strategies, ensuring alignment with the Core strategy.

All About You

  • Bachelor’s degree required; MBA and/or advanced degree from a top-tier program preferred but not required.
  • Knowledge of payments and/or financial services industry required; Familiarity with Mastercard Core Products and/or broader Mastercard product portfolios preferred.
  • Strategy consulting experience at a leading consulting firm and/or internal strategy units, including project leadership experience.
  • Exemplary analytical and problem-solving skills and business acumen; experienced in identifying the most critical aspects of a problem and handling ambiguity.
  • Demonstrated ability to support company-wide, complex projects from start to finish, effectively driving forward project plans and leveraging stakeholder management and influencing skills.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to develop high-quality presentations and memos.
  • Strong aptitude for modelling and applying quantitative analytical approaches.
  • Experience in leveraging AI to help drive your deliverables.

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Corporate Security Responsibility

All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks come with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

  • Abide by Mastercard’s security policies and practices;
  • Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
  • Report any suspected information security violation or breach;
  • Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines.

Everyone wants easier ways to pay; we invent them. Checkout lines are slow; we speed them along. Merchants want more sales; we give them data and insights. People need financial access; we connect them. Corporate purchasing is complicated; we make it simple. Commuters are busy; we speed them on their way. Governments need greater efficiencies; we help create them. Small businesses are virtual; we give them access to a world of buyers. Retailers want to fight fraud; we provide the tools.

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Skills

Strategic Planning
Financial Analysis
Market Research
Stakeholder Management
Quantitative Modeling
Problem Solving
Business Acumen
Executive Communication
Competitive Analysis
Project Leadership
AI Implementation
Payments Industry Knowledge

Location

Lisbon, Portugal

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