Lead Program Manager

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

Lead Program Manager

Position Overview

The Lead Program Manager will drive strategic initiatives and ensure successful delivery of complex programs across multiple domains. This role requires strong leadership, governance, and communication skills to manage cross-functional teams, optimize processes, and deliver measurable outcomes aligned with organizational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Program Excellence

• Champion Program Delivery Excellence (PDE) and enforce work standardization across projects.
• Drive adoption of tools such as JIRA/AHA and maintain data integrity in supporting tools.
• Develop and maintain program scoring models, roadmaps, and strategic plans.
• Define and track objectives, OKRs, and KPIs to measure success.

Program Management & Governance

• Oversee work intake, elaboration, prioritization, and planning for programs.
• Provide project oversight, ensuring alignment with technical imperatives and compliance with OKRs.
• Deliver accurate and timely reporting to stakeholders.
• Ensure Governance to Mastercard Program standards across all in scope Products and Services

Communication & Leadership

• Lead stakeholder management and ensure effective information flow across teams.
• Drive change management initiatives and facilitate lessons learned sessions as needed.
• Represent programs in cabinet meetings and executive forums.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Manage contracts, renewals, and strategic funds for programs as needed.
• Partner with leaders to ensure staffing plans are defined and discretionary spend plans are reviewed and ready for the budget lifecycle.
• Conduct efficiency exercises and assist with vendor/procurement activates as needed.

Risk Management

• Identify and understand program risks ensuring mitigation plans are included in product roadmaps.
• Monitor performance metrics and enforce quality assurance standards.

Aligns to NICE Framework Tasks:

• T1022: Review enterprise information technology (IT) goals and objectives
• T1259: Identify opportunities for new and improved business process solutions
• T1435: Determine if technology services are delivered successfully
• T1472: Gather customer satisfaction and service performance feedback
• T1552: Identify cyber workforce planning and management issues

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, or related field; Master's is a bonus.
• Experience: 8+ years in multi-project or program management. The ability to lead teams to successful outcomes is essential.
• Proven expertise in governance frameworks, budget support, and driving program roadmaps
• Strong proficiency in JIRA, project portfolio tools, and reporting systems.
• Experience operating at scale (multiple teams, dependencies, products)

Preferred Skills

• PMP, PgMP, or similar certification.
• Experience in security programs or regulated environments.
• Ability to manage multiple complex programs simultaneously.
• Exceptional communication, organization, and stakeholder management skills.

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 reasonable_accommodation@mastercard.com 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

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.

In line with Mastercard's total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include: insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more. Mastercard benefits for interns generally include: 56 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time; jury duty leave; and on-site fitness facilities in some locations.

Pay Ranges

Arlington, Virginia: $113,000 - $186,000 USD