Director, Product Management - AP4M Protocol and Standards

Mastercard; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Mastercard is seeking a Director of Product Management for AP4M Protocol and Standards to lead strategy and execution of the technical foundations behind the AP4M service. You will collaborate with product, engineering, partners and industry groups to define scalable capabilities and clear integration approaches.

The role involves owning roadmaps, translating needs into actionable plans, and working across legal, risk and commercialization teams to responsibly bring new capabilities to market.

Qualifications

• Significant product management experience in payments or digital assets.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear product strategies and requirements.
• Strong understanding of APIs, developer platforms and integrations.
• Experience leading cross-functional delivery with engineering, legal, risk, security and commercialization teams.

Responsibilities

• Define product strategy and roadmaps for AP4M protocols and standards.
• Own the product roadmap for scalable integration across payment providers and platforms.
• Translate market, customer and partner needs into clear requirements and delivery plans.
• Collaborate with engineering, architecture, legal, compliance and commercialization teams.
• Develop developer-facing materials and documentation to simplify partner adoption.
• Represent Mastercard in industry forums and standards discussions.
• Monitor developments in agentic commerce, blockchain and emerging standards; integrate insights into planning.

Skills

Product management

Payments domain experience

APIs & developer tools

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

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, Product Management - AP4M Protocol and Standards

Mastercard Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M) is a multi-rail network service that enables trusted, agent-initiated payments for digital services, APIs, data and other machine-consumable resources across emerging agentic commerce experiences.

The Director, Product Management - AP4M Protocol and Standards will lead product strategy and execution for the technical foundations that support AP4M. The role will work across product, engineering, partners and industry forums to develop scalable capabilities, clear integration approaches and standards that support broad ecosystem adoption.

The Role

• Lead product strategy and development for the protocols, standards and technical capabilities that support AP4M.
• Own the product roadmap for scalable integration across payment providers, technology platforms and digital ecosystems.
• Translate market, customer and partner needs into clear product requirements, technical priorities and executable delivery plans.
• Partner with engineering and architecture teams to develop secure, scalable and interoperable solutions.
• Develop product documentation, implementation guidance and developer-facing materials that simplify partner adoption.
• Represent Mastercard in relevant industry and standards discussions, and build relationships across the broader payments and technology ecosystem.
• Collaborate with legal, compliance, risk, security, franchise and commercialization teams to bring new capabilities to market responsibly.
• Monitor developments in agentic commerce, blockchain, digital assets and emerging payment standards, and incorporate relevant insights into product planning.

All About You

• Significant product management or product development experience in payments, blockchain, digital assets, developer platforms or related technology products.
• Experience translating complex technical concepts into clear product strategies, requirements and delivery plans.
• Strong understanding of APIs, developer tools, platform integrations and technical product development.
• Ability to evaluate architectural and product tradeoffs while maintaining focus on customer value, security, scalability and commercial outcomes.
• Experience leading cross-functional delivery with engineering, architecture, legal, compliance, risk, security and commercialization teams.
• External ecosystem experience with payment providers, technology platforms, digital-asset infrastructure providers, standards bodies or developer communities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to engage technical teams, senior executives and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, establish a clear point of view and deliver results in a fast-moving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with blockchain-based payments, programmable payments or open payment standards.
• Familiarity with smart contracts, digital wallets, payment infrastructure or multi-rail payment solutions.
• Experience contributing to external standards, industry forums, foundation-led specifications or open-source ecosystems.
• Experience commercializing an emerging technology product in a regulated environment.

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 [e-mail] 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

• 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, a