MasterCard - Director - Innovation Management - Mastercard Labs

Who is Mastercard?

- We are the global technology company behind the world's fastest payments processing network. We are a vehicle for commerce, a connection to financial systems for the previously excluded, a technology innovation lab, and the home of Priceless. We ensure every employee has the opportunity to be a part of something bigger and to change lives. We believe as our company grows, so should you. We believe in connecting everyone to endless, priceless possibilities.

Job Title : Director, Innovation Management, Mastercard Labs India

- Mastercard Labs India is part of Mastercard's global Research and Development division, focused on the evolution of technological and consumer trends and the implication of these evolutions on the payments and commerce industry. Our tried, tested and proven methodologies enable us to commercialize new ideas and solution bundles from a variety of capabilities, and fast-track the best concepts into market faster than ever before.

- Reporting to Mastercard Labs Asia Pacific leader, the Mastercard Labs India Innovation Management leader is a key director level role and an equal decision maker in framing the strategy and priorities of the Mastercard Labs India alongside the Mastercard Labs India R&D Director.

- The Innovation Management Director will be responsible for connecting Mastercard Labs India with the India region and other key product & technology stakeholders, for documenting and accelerating business and product requirements for highly strategic projects, and for connecting Mastercard's Innovation agenda with our clients and the industry in South Asia. The role will have lead responsibility for all Mastercard Labs India innovation initiatives including project management, client engagements, relationships with relevant external ecosystems and for internal innovation programs and events in the India Region.

Role -

- Articulate and communicate the strategy, go-to-market, and development status of projects as the face of MasterCard Labs India to external and internal parties, particularly executive-level stakeholders.

- Liaise with Mastercard Labs India R&D Director and other business units, particularly Product, Marketing and Sales, Operations & Technology, Global Innovation Management and Communications teams, identifying synergies between Labs and these groups and removing friction during fast paced product development sprints.

- Connect and establish pilots for Mastercard Labs India solutions for customers jointly identified with the South Asia leadership team, and work with all stakeholders to define the minimum viable product (MVP) to set projects up for success during execution.

- Support India regional team in responding to client queries, RFIs and RFPs by work with the India regional team to position Mastercard to win key deals and accounts

- Manage the Mastercard Labs India innovation space, developed for co-creating with customers, owning both local and global content and managing / facilitating all client workshops to ensure that Mastercard is positioned as an innovation leader and to support/develop sales opportunities

- Be a regional catalyst for innovation within Mastercard India, especially in the technology hubs, by driving and managing engagement in Mastercard Labs broader innovation activities and events such as Innovation Express, Take Initiative, Ideabox, etc.

- Explore and support development of Mastercard Labs- relationships with other relevant external parties such as other Labs organizations, India-based FinTech hubs, government bodies, venture capital ecosystems, and colleges/universities in alignment with Mastercard's strategy and local agreements.

- Increase Mastercard's reputation for executing and commercializing breakthrough innovation projects vital to the strategy of Mastercard's business in South Asia.

- Role is located in the Mastercard technology center in Pune, India, and both regional and global travel will be required of the role

All About You -

Successful candidates will possess the following skills and competencies:

- INNOVATIVE: Not afraid to challenge the status quo, question assumptions and generate new propositions by looking at issues from multiple angles and insights & data

- CURIOUS: Open to learning and exploring new technologies, information and practices; interested in understanding how things work

- FLEXIBLE: Remains focused on key priorities during stressful situations brought on by ambiguity and conflict

- COURAGEOUS: Takes calculated risks and purposefully puts self in challenging situations where success is not always guaranteed

- CONNECTOR: Takes time to reflect on each step in the process; spends focused energy processing information, gaining deeper insights into problems and requirements

- COMMERCIAL: Has a strong sense of commercial value both for clients and for Mastercard and can create value propositions

- ORGANIZED: Applies strong project management skills to keep diverse teams on track versus stated development targets

Additionally skills/experience: -

- Demonstrated experience in innovation, product development, and project management

- Entrepreneurial with experience in matrix organizations/ corporate environments

- Must have experience and expertise across multiple existing and emerging technologies with demonstrated ability to link technology and multiple aspects of payments business, i.e., understand technology and apply it to business challenges

- High energy, can-do attitude, strong desire to succeed

- Executive-level presentation skills- must have persuasive - presence- and ability to effectively communicate technology to business people and business to technology people

- Leadership skills- must be able to influence others without reporting relationships

- Analytical and strategic skills

- Ability to act effectively as a brand ambassador

- Bachelor's degree, MBA (preferred)

- Some travel required