Global Acceptance & Merchant Solutions Strategy Director, Gateway

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 Global Acceptance & Merchant Solutions Strategy Director, Gateway Overview Mastercard’s Global Acceptance & Merchant Solutions team is at the forefront of enabling seamless, secure, and scalable commerce across the globe. In this role you will work side-by-side our Product & Engineering teams to develop and deliver key strategic initiatives. You will be developing and implementing strategies as well as supporting the planning, coordination, and management of a diverse range of programs and projects. These will involve a unique combination of strategy, product management, research and analysis and will also require engaging with critical stakeholders across Mastercard's global and regional teams. You will also work on projects to explore partnerships, investments and acquisition opportunities as ways to expand our strategies and accelerate progress. You will leverage analytical methods to complete 360 degree analyses of products and markets with consideration of value-propositions, partner opportunities, competitive landscapes / positions, risk profiling, financial opportunities, and strategic trade-offs. Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the global strategy for Mastercard’s gateway business, aligning with broader Acceptance priorities and corporate objectives.
• Lead strategic assessments of acquisition targets, partnerships, and investment opportunities. Collaborate with internal M&A, finance, legal, and product teams to evaluate and execute deals.
• Conduct deep market analysis, competitive benchmarking, and financial modelling to inform strategic decisions and identify growth opportunities.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and Regional teams to ensure alignment and execution of strategic initiatives.
• Prepare and present strategic recommendations to senior leadership, including business cases, investment memos, and integration plans.
• Identify emerging trends in gateway technology, fraud solutions, and value-added services to inform product strategy and roadmap development.
• Support post-merger integration planning and execution to ensure strategic alignment and operational success. All About You
• Proven experience in corporate development, investment banking, strategy consulting, or similar roles with exposure to strategy and M&A.
• Strong strategic and analytical capabilities, with the ability to synthesize complex information and develop actionable insights.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders in a global, matrixed organization.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with experience preparing materials for executive audiences.
• Collaborative mindset with a track record of working across global teams and driving consensus.
• Experience in the payments ecosystem and familiarity with gateway platforms or technologies is a plus. Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 7 years of experience with exposure to corporate development, investment banking, strategy consulting, or strategic planning within fintech, payments, or technology sectors.
• Experience with M&A deal flow, including target identification, due diligence, valuation, and integration planning.
• Strong financial modelling and business case development skills. Total Base Pay Range 170,000.00 - 273,000.00 Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role. In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact reasonable_accommodation@mastercard.com and identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email. The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly. Corporate Security Responsibility All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes 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, and Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines. In line with Mastercard’s total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include : insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more. Pay Ranges Purchase, New York : $170,000 - $273,000 USD