Director, Program Management and Transformation at Mastercard

Director, Technical Program Management (TPM)

Mastercard is seeking a Director, Technical Program Management (TPM) within the Employee Access Management (EAM) organization in Security Engineering. This leader will drive strategic programs that enhance customer experience, strengthen security capabilities, and accelerate business outcomes through disciplined execution, innovation, and structured problem-solving.

The Director will own a portfolio of complex, enterprise-wide initiatives from strategy development through execution, launch, and operational transition. This role requires a hands-on leader who can operate effectively in ambiguous environments, simplify complex technical and organizational challenges, and influence outcomes across global, cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical program management expertise with strong business acumen, executive communication skills, organizational leadership, and a track record of delivering large-scale transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of multiple strategic initiatives from ideation through planning, delivery, launch, and transition to business-as-usual operations.
• Partner with program leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to translate business objectives into executable roadmaps and measurable outcomes.
• Deliver multi-year strategic and delivery roadmaps supporting organizational and enterprise priorities.
• Define program strategy where business outcomes are known but execution approaches remain ambiguous.
• Build and maintain integrated plans that account for dependencies, risks, constraints, and resource requirements.
• Drive execution rigor through governance frameworks, operating mechanisms, scorecards, metrics, and reporting.
• Continuously assess business and technical tradeoffs to optimize organizational effectiveness and delivery outcomes.
• Lead escalations and resolution efforts for complex delivery, organizational, and technical challenges.

Organizational Leadership

• Lead and develop a global team of Technical Program Managers
• Mentor TPMs and engineering leaders while elevating program management best practices across the enterprise.
• Support hiring, onboarding, coaching, and succession planning activities.
• Serve as the executive point of contact for program status, risks, decisions, and strategic communications.
• Create executive-facing dashboards, status reporting, and concise business updates.
• Build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups and lead resolution of complex or contentious issues.
• Influence partner organizations' roadmaps and priority decisions.

Technical and Operational Excellence

• Apply expertise in Agile, Scrum, and CI/CD methodologies to improve delivery velocity and quality.
• Drive simplification of complex processes, and integrations to increase operational efficiency.
• Define success metrics, monitor key performance indicators, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure programs successfully progress through the product development lifecycle, from concept and proof-of-concept through commercialization, go-to-market readiness, and operational transition.
• Leverage data-driven decision-making to identify opportunities, optimize investments, and improve execution performance.

Essential Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Required Experience:

• Proven experience leading large-scale technical programs with end-to-end ownership from strategy through execution.
• Demonstrated success operating independently in highly complex, ambiguous environments.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives spanning multiple business units, geographies, and technology organizations.
• Strong track record of managing escalations, resolving complex issues, and delivering measurable business outcomes.
• Experience building and leading high-performing technical program management teams.
• Ability to influence decision-making without direct authority and drive alignment among senior stakeholders.

Technical Expertise:

• Deep understanding of Agile delivery models, Scrum practices, and CI/CD methodologies.
• Strong knowledge of software development lifecycles, platform engineering, and enterprise technology delivery.
• Understanding of system integration patterns, technical architectures, platform strategies, and organizational capabilities.
• Ability to evaluate technical risks, dependencies, and tradeoffs while guiding delivery decisions.
• Experience driving simplification and modernization of complex technical environments.

Leadership Competencies:

• Exceptional strategic thinking and execution discipline.
• Strong ownership mindset with a bias toward action and results.
• Ability to create clarity and drive progress in ambiguous situations.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent coaching, mentoring, and organizational leadership capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and influence across organizational boundaries.

Communication Skills:

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to distill complex technical and business challenges into clear, concise executive-level messaging.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership and executive audiences.
• Skilled at facilitating discussions that lead to timely decisions and aligned outcomes.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

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 [email protected] 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.