Director, Communications (West Southeast Asia)

Malaysia: Mastercard Asia/ Pacific Pte. Ltd. (Malaysia Branch); Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Mastercard Inc. in Malaysia is seeking a Director, Communications for West Southeast Asia.

The role leads internal and external communications across multiple markets, working with regional leadership, global colleagues, and partners to shape narratives that support enterprise priorities and regulatory realities. The successful candidate will guide executive visibility, media engagement and employee communications, driving thought leadership, crisis readiness and reputation management in a

Qualifications

• Significant experience in corporate or strategic communications.
• Proven ability to advise senior leaders and manage reputation.
• Experience leading across multiple markets and cultures.
• Excellent writing, storytelling and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead internal and external communications for West Southeast Asia across markets.
• Serve as trusted communications advisor to divisional and market leaders.
• Develop and deliver communications plans supporting business, technology, and regulatory priorities.
• Translate complex topics into clear, audience-relevant narratives for diverse stakeholders.
• Drive executive and thought leadership programs across platforms and channels.
• Lead employee communications connecting divisional teams to Mastercard's strategy and change agenda.
• Manage media relations, issues preparedness, crisis response, and reputational risk.
• Build strong agency, media and stakeholder relationships for consistent delivery across markets.
• Use data, analytics and AI-enabled tools to improve planning and measurement.

Skills

Corporate communications

Strategic communications

Public affairs

Media engagement

Executive counsel

Stakeholder management

Storytelling

Leadership

Writing & editing

Regulated industries

Tools

AI-enabled tools

Job description

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, Communications (West Southeast Asia) Mastercard's Communications team sits within Integrated Marketing and Communications and plays a critical role in building trust, strengthening reputation and enabling business growth across Asia Pacific. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, AP Communications, the Director, Communications will lead communications for the West Southeast Asia division, supporting both enterprise priorities and divisional business objectives. The role spans internal and external communications, executive counsel, media engagement, employee communications, issues management, thought leadership and stakeholder communications across multiple markets. The successful candidate will partner closely with divisional leadership, regional teams and global colleagues to shape clear, compelling narratives that bring Mastercard's technology, innovation, trust and business impact story to life in a complex, highly regulated environment.

Role

• Lead integrated internal and external communications for the West Southeast Asia division, aligning enterprise priorities with divisional business goals, market opportunities and stakeholder needs.
• Serve as a trusted communications advisor to divisional and market leaders, providing counsel on executive visibility, leadership communications, media engagement, employee engagement and reputation.
• Develop and deliver communications plans that support Mastercard's business, technology, innovation, acceptance, security, public affairs and corporate priorities across multiple markets.
• Translate complex business, technology and regulatory topics into clear, credible and audience-relevant narratives for employees, media, customers, partners, policymakers and other stakeholders.
• Drive executive and thought leadership programmes across speaking platforms, media opportunities, owned channels, social content and internal forums.
• Lead employee communications that connect divisional teams to Mastercard's strategy, culture, priorities and change agenda, working closely with People & Capability, business and regional communications partners.
• Manage proactive and reactive media relations, issues preparedness, crisis response and reputational risk mitigation in partnership with regional, global, legal, franchise, public policy and business teams.
• Build strong agency, media and stakeholder relationships, ensuring high-quality execution, disciplined message management and consistent delivery across markets.
• Use insights, analytics, external trends and AI-enabled tools to improve planning, content development, measurement and communications effectiveness while maintaining accuracy, governance and sound judgement.
• Lead a small team, fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture while supporting individual growth, capability building and execution excellence.

All About You

• Significant experience in corporate communications, strategic communications, public affairs or agency leadership, ideally with exposure to technology, financial services, payments or another highly regulated sector.
• Proven ability to advise senior executives, anticipate reputational issues and develop communications strategies that advance business priorities and protect trust.
• Strong track record delivering integrated internal and external communications across multiple markets, cultures and stakeholder groups.
• Excellent writing, editing, storytelling and presentation skills, with the creativity to turn complex business, technology and regulatory topics into compelling, audience-relevant narratives.
• Responsiveness, sound judgement and business acumen, with the ability to move quickly and thoughtfully in fast-changing, highly matrixed and regulated environments.
• Curiosity, adaptability and a bias for learning, with the confidence to ask the right questions, connect dots across the enterprise and identify new ways to strengthen communications impact.
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills, including the ability to build trusted relationships, navigate ambiguity and align stakeholders without direct authority.
• Resilience, discretion and composure under pressure, particularly when managing media, agencies, issues, crises and stakeholder communications at pace.
• Comfort using data, analytics, modern communications technologies and AI-enabled tools for research, planning, content development and performance measurement.
• Fluency in English is required; additional Southeast Asian language capability would be advantageous.

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.

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.