Vice President, Strategic Planning in Waterloo, Belgium

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

Vice President, Strategic Planning

Overview

The VP Strategic Planning will play a pivotal role in shaping Mastercard Europe’s strategy and accelerating its execution. This position demands exceptional stakeholder management and strategic acumen, as the individual will spearhead complex, high-stakes projects that require seamless collaboration with various business units. The role involves identifying and pursuing new growth opportunities, analyzing M&A prospects, and developing comprehensive strategic plans. Situated within Europe Strategy & Business Excellence, this function offers exposure to the most critical strategic challenges Mastercard Europe faces, providing a unique opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.

Job description

• Proactively identify and drive opportunities for growth or improvement within the region, requiring a deep understanding of market dynamics and competitive landscapes.

• Regionalize Mastercard’s global strategy and accelerate its execution

• Assist other business units in accelerating their growth strategies

• Lead cross-functional strategic projects for the region, from defining complex problem statements to developing and executing robust plans, often under tight deadlines and high pressure.

• Drive transformative change by partnering closely with diverse teams

All About You

• Proven track record of leading high-stakes strategic projects with significant impact, demonstrating an ability to navigate and influence at the highest levels of the organization.

• A problem-solver with an analytical mindset, capable of cutting through noise and complexity to deliver clear, actionable insights.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams without direct reporting lines, showcasing strong leadership and collaboration skills.

• Proven ability to influence various senior stakeholders and drive substantial change, requiring excellent communication and negotiation skills.

• Quick to adapt to new topics and projects, comfortable juggling multiple high-priority initiatives concurrently.

• Deep knowledge of the payments industry is a strong plus, as is a background in consulting or experience in an in-house corporate strategy role.

• Curiosity and eagerness to learn about all aspects of Mastercard, including product, finance, and technology, to drive informed strategic decisions.

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.