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Job Title:

Director, Start Path Accelerator, Europe

Overview:

Who is Mastercard?

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is 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.

Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

Overview

The regional Foundry team is looking for a Regional Start Path Representative. You will support Mastercard’s engagement with fintech startups across Europe, helping to identify, onboard, and collaborate with high-potential companies through the Start Path Accelerator and other fintech programs. Your focus will be on executing Mastercard’s fintech partnership strategy, working closely with business development (BD) teams, product teams, and regional divisions to drive fintech adoption of Mastercard products and services.

This role is ideal for someone passionate about fintech and innovation, with strong relationship management skills and an ability to coordinate across teams to deliver impact.

Role
1. Fintech Engagement & Program Execution
• Source and evaluate fintech startups for Mastercard’s Start Path accelerator program, ensuring alignment with Mastercard’s strategic objectives.
• Manage the end-to-end onboarding process with the Global Start Path team for fintech participants, ensuring smooth program execution.
• Support fintechs in understanding and integrating Mastercard’s products and services into their business models.

2. Cross-Team Collaboration
• Work with business development (BD) teams across European divisions to identify fintech opportunities and help structure commercial partnerships.
• Support regional and global fintech leads in aligning Mastercard’s global fintech strategy with European market needs.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Product, Marketing, and Legal, to drive fintech initiatives and ensure seamless execution.

3. Commercial & Business Development Support
• Assist BD teams in developing commercial models with fintech partners, including partnership agreements and use case development.
• Track and manage fintech engagement pipelines, ensuring progress is documented and shared with relevant teams.
• Support fintechs in navigating Mastercard’s ecosystem, identifying ways they can leverage Mastercard’s capabilities to scale their businesses.

4. Thought Leadership & Market Intelligence
• Conduct market research on fintech trends and emerging startups, helping to keep Mastercard ahead of industry shifts.
• Help organize events, webinars, and fintech meetups to foster engagement with the startup community.
• Support content creation (e.g., reports, presentations) to showcase Mastercard’s fintech initiatives internally and externally.

5. Reporting & Performance Tracking
• Maintain and update key performance metrics, tracking fintech pipeline progress, program effectiveness, and commercial impact.
• Provide regular updates to senior team members on fintech partnerships, program results, and emerging opportunities.

All About You

• Passion for fintech, innovation, and digital payments.
• Understanding of the European fintech landscape: key players and trends.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with an ability to coordinate multiple workstreams.
• Excellent communication skills - able to build relationships with both internal teams and external fintech partners.
• Analytical mindset - comfortable tracking program performance and synthesizing insights.
• Experience in business development, partnerships, or working with startups is a plus.
• Intermediate experience in fintech, payments, partnerships, innovation programs, or startup ecosystems is preferable.
• Strong and confident writer and speaker, able to communicate your vision and roadmap effectively to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Good critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Corporate Security Responsibility
Every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security. All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and therefore, it is expected that the successful candidate for this position 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.

NOTE: Candidates go through a thorough screening and interview process. There is no need to include all preferred skills in the job description.