Director, Start-up and Fintech Partnerships, EEMEA Lead

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

Director, Start-up and Fintech Partnerships, EEMEA Lead

Director, Start-up and Fintech Partnerships, EEMEA Lead

• Do you have a passion for later-stage startups and emerging technology, and possess an entrepreneurial spirit?
• Are you motivated by a fast-paced environment that has the nimbleness of a fintech and works with startups regionally and globally?
• Do you thrive on building strategic partnerships, facilitating impactful commercial deals, and driving innovative distribution strategies in high-growth product areas?

Start Path is Mastercard’s award-winning, global fintech engagement program through which Mastercard engages with later-stage fintechs to drive product development and commercial opportunities across the company. Over the last ten years, Start Path has worked with over 480 companies across more than 60 countries. The Start Path team is agile, cross-functional group which works with multiple teams across the organization and partners in the external ecosystem to engage the best later-stage fintechs across the globe.
We are now seeking a Regional Start Path Lead for Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africato work at the intersection between our fintechs, customers as well as internal product and commercial teams to drive collaboration, innovation and value.

THE ROLE:

• Ensure best-in-class sourcing of fintechs through relationship building with external ecosystem (e.g. investor network, ecosystem partners)
• Partner with regional product teams to identify opportunities for new product development and expanded distribution that can be unlocked via fintech partnerships
• Develop regional fintech distribution strategy, identifying and onboarding Mastercard resellers, system integrators, and other indirect sales partners
• Facilitate and close commercial deals with strategic fintech partners that align with business objectives, ensuring mutual value creation
• Manage top fintech accounts to drive product development and distribution, and track commercial outcomes to demonstrate business value
• Function as a regional expert; consolidate and synthesize signals from fintech, investment, regulatory landscape to central Start Path team and product teams
• Elevate the Start Path brand and value proposition in the region by curating and executing a comms strategy in key markets, including participation in Mastercard hosted events.
• Work closely with Services B&MI leads to drive increased value to Start Path’s Corporate Members.
• Work closely with regional account teams to evangelize the Start Path program and train Account Managers and Sales teams on how Start Path creates commercial value for Mastercard and our customers
• Contribute to evaluation and selection of fintechs pre-programme and mentoring of fintechs during programme
• Create a go-to-market strategy to maximize commercial engagements between fintechs and customers
• Cultivate effective senior level relationships in the region, building rapport and trust with Mastercard customers

ALL ABOUT YOU:

• Strong commercial acumen and track record of identifying strategic partnerships that drive business value
• Ability to build valuable relationships with ecosystem partners and customers
• Expert consultative selling, influencing, and negotiation skills
• Quick learner of emerging technologies, demonstrating thought leadership
• Customer-focused, solutions-driven, with a strong sense of urgency
• Proven ability to take accountability and deliver results in ambiguous environments
• Multi-disciplinary expertise in product development, business development, marketing, and client relationship management

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.