• Delivery Excellence & Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Develop and refine scalable delivery models, playbooks, and accelerators to ensure flawless, efficient execution.
  • Establish value-based and performance-linked commercial models (fixed fee, subscription, outcome-based, hybrid) and drive consulting economics discipline across price, margin, and utilization.
  • Interface with Mastercard leadership across all business units, and regional teams.
  • Work closely with A&CS Delivery, Business Development, and the AI/Data team.
  • Manage strategic external partnerships to extend reach, capability, and market impact.

• Thought Leadership & Market Authority

  • Set and drive the thought leadership agenda for the Acceptance Consulting vertical.
  • Rather than serving as the sole contributor, this leader unlocks and orchestrates thought leadership at scale — mobilizing the practice, A&CS delivery teams, regional experts, and cross-functional partners to author whitepapers, curate webinars, and publish signature research.
  • Inspire new topics that resonate with the market, secure executive attention and visibility for acceptance themes, and position Mastercard as the definitive voice in acquiring and acceptance consulting.
  • Champion bootcamps, case study programs, and training curricula that build credibility across the ecosystem and deepen acumen across Data & Services.

• Leadership Development

  • Serve as a true global leader who leads through influence, not hierarchy.
  • While directly managing a small core team, the VP must galvanize, inspire, and align many cross-functional partners across regions who do not sit in a direct reporting line.
  • Build followership through credibility, vision, and energy — earning the right to mobilize a deeply matrixed organization.
  • Champion a culture of innovation, collaboration, and client obsession that extends well beyond the immediate team.

Qualifications & Experience

• 12+ years of experience in management consulting, payments, acquiring/acceptance, or financial services
• Proven track record of P&L ownership and driving revenue growth in a consulting or professional services environment
• Deep domain expertise in acquiring, acceptance, merchant services, and payment ecosystem dynamics
• Demonstrated ability to productize and commercialize consulting offerings at scale
• Strong executive presence with board-level communication skills
• Experience leading cross-functional, global teams in a matrixed organization
• Familiarity with embedded consulting, platform-based delivery, and AI-augmented consulting models
• Track record of building trusted, long-term client relationships at C-suite level
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred

Preferred Background

• Prior role as Partner, VP, Practice Lead, or equivalent at a top-tier consulting firm or payments company
• Experience with acquirers, PSPs, PayFacs, fintechs, or merchant platforms
• Understanding of Mastercard products, services, and franchise ecosystem
• Familiarity with value-based pricing, outcome-based commercial models, and pay-for-performance frameworks
• Exposure to agentic commerce, and digital payment innovation

Key Leadership Competencies

• Domain Expertise & Consulting Mastery

  • Brings deep expertise in the acceptance and acquiring vertical, staying ahead of market trends and emerging practices.
  • Applies insights to shape relevant and impactful client solutions and deliver differentiated value.

• Strategic Mindset

  • Thinks long-term and systemically, envisioning future scenarios and crafting bold strategies to sustain competitive advantage.
  • Translates vision into actionable roadmaps that accelerate organizational goals.

• Innovation & Thought Leadership

  • Challenges conventional thinking and champions creative solutions.
  • Evaluates market potential of new ideas, mobilizes teams to implement them, and builds momentum around innovation across the enterprise.

• Communication & Stakeholder Collaboration

  • Communicates with clarity, empathy, and influence.
  • Tailors messaging to diverse audiences, fosters open dialogue, and models enterprise-wide collaboration.
  • Builds trust and alignment across stakeholders.

• Execution & Outcome Orientation

  • Drives results with urgency and precision.
  • Converts ideas into action, mobilizes teams, and ensures accountability.
  • Maintains visibility on progress and performance, adapting swiftly to dynamic conditions.

• Global Perspective & Cultural Agility

  • Navigates cross-cultural environments with sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Builds inclusive teams, leverages global insights, and fosters collaboration across geographies.

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.