Senior Counsel

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 Senior Counsel Our Purpose Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we are helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payment choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Mastercard is seeking an experienced senior lawyer to provide comprehensive, end-to-end strategic legal support to the Core Payments business across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EEMEA). The role will serve as a senior legal partner to regional Core Payments leadership, helping shape business strategy, product development, commercialization and region-wide pricing initiatives. The successful candidate will be a payments- and technology-minded lawyer with strong executive presence, sound commercial judgment and extensive product and transactional experience. The role requires the ability to engage at both strategic and tactical levels, anticipate legal and regulatory issues, influence decision-making and translate complex risks into clear, practical guidance.

Act as a trusted strategic advisor to EEMEA Core Payments leadership and relevant regional and global stakeholders on business priorities, product strategy, commercialization models and material legal and reputational risks. Provide strategic legal oversight across the lifecycle of Core Payments products and initiatives, from concept, design and regional assessment through market enablement, launch, scaling, enhancement and discontinuation. Lead the legal review of EEMEA-wide Core Payments pricing and interchange initiatives, including the legal assessment of proposed pricing models, fee constructs, bundling, opt-in and opt-out structures, customer impact, communications and implementation considerations. Advise on the legal and regulatory dimensions of pricing proposals and provide clear, risk-balanced recommendations to inform relevant regional and global governance and approval processes. Shape regional legal positions and guardrails for complex or novel Core Payments initiatives, promoting consistency across EEMEA while recognizing market-specific legal and regulatory requirements. Provide strategic challenge to business proposals, identify alternatives and controls, and help senior stakeholders make well-informed decisions in areas of legal uncertainty or heightened regulatory attention. Lead or coordinate high-profile, cross-border and sensitive matters, including engagement with senior business leaders, specialist counsel, market legal teams and external counsel.

Support Core Payments portfolios across EEMEA, including consumer products, core network and processing solutions, digital payments, authentication, tokenization, card products, cardholder solutions and related commercialization initiatives. Partner closely with regional Core Payments leadership, pricing, finance, global product, sales, business development, customer delivery, technology, franchise, regulatory, compliance, privacy, intellectual property, public policy, communications and market business and legal teams. Assess strategic pricing proposals for legal, competition, consumer protection, regulatory, contractual