Acceptance Lead (EA) at MasterCard

Job description

The role is an individual contributor role requiring the candidate to be a self-starter and be able to function independently using high levels of relationship management skills. The role demands capability to operate at a strategic and operational level and work with high levels of empowerment and accountability.

• Lead the development East Africa Acceptance Strategic Vision – encompassing both traditional and emerging acceptance(Digital) ,with a strong focus on identifying and building partnerships with Fintechs, Merchant Aggregators, MNOs (Telco’s).
• Increase MasterCard’s share of Inbound Spend (Cross Border) into the region, identifying and securing Key Partnerships, Cross Border Assets and Corridors and infrastructure.
• Construct the annual acceptance plans to achieve business performance on agreed metrics including GAV, Revenue, Acceptance footprint metrics like new merchants, categories, terminals and quality, operational efficiency. The East Africa market is a high focus market for non-traditional digital acceptance and hence the role will require a higher focus on digital and innovative products & channels to drive acceptance (example MPQR)
• Own execution to deliver the strategic vision and annual plans for acceptance with our Acquirers, Develop and own the Acceptance Strategy and execution plans for
• Acquirers, leading Quarterly Business Reviews and on-going relationship management and execution of initiatives.
• Own and drive the Acceptance Parity and Acceptance Quality goals in the region.
• Be able to influence and drive a set of cross-functional teams. This includes working directly with external stakeholders like acquirers, key merchants, gateways; payment facilitators, Fintech companies and business partners / vendors, Third Party Providers (TPPs)
• Engage with internal MasterCard cross functional teams (Network, Customer delivery, Emerging payments, Account management, Corporate product & sales, Country teams) to progress the acceptance agenda
• Leverage acquirer relationships as extensions of MasterCard to sell MasterCard products and services to enhance stickiness and drive value for MasterCard
• Create opportunities for furthering MC Brand, advocacy of cashless, monitor & track competition.

Role – Leader – East Africa Acceptance

Major Accountabilities

• Drive thought leadership, with demonstrated acquiring/payments business understanding, preferable relevant expertise and be able to relate to merchant acceptance.
• Support development and implementation of long and short term strategies for expanding acceptance across consumer & corporate payment verticals – includes acceptance footprint, adoption and usage across traditional & non-traditional acceptance
• Identify existing trends, adopt and proliferate relevant new technologies, MIS reporting
• Self-starter, achieve pre-set business targets in coordination with country and other cross functional units.
• Keen problem solver – ability to identify problems, analyze and fix permanently. Lead an e2e Problem Resolution & Satisfaction approach.
• Provide merchant & acquiring members “voice” within MasterCard; manage acquirer satisfaction, negotiate acquirer and processor support of MasterCard products, services and strategic initiatives.

All About You

Qualifications Required:

• Good working knowledge and understanding of payments vertical focusing on card acceptance..
• Sales and business development – experience within the acquiring / acceptance space including merchant acquiring will be an advantage
• An understanding of Consumer & Corporate products and services (Consumer cards & Corporate cards), experience in payments & acquirer relationships preferred
• Numerical abilities & financial acumen, comfort in working with numbers, P&L, developing business case models. Detail oriented. Strong Commercial acumen and Complex deal structuring Skills
• Self-Starter, Results, driven, comfortable with remote/virtual working.
• Negotiation Skills, Solution design and Presentation skills
• Requires familiarity with the breadth of MasterCard products and services to support acquirer and processor daily activities, education and sales training.
• Requires an in depth knowledge of the operational capabilities of acquirers/processors and their organizational goals, objectives and vision.
• 10 + years of relevant experience in acceptance / payments / technology / banking verticals
• Relevant tertiary qualifications.

Mastercard is an inclusive Equal Employment 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.

If you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application 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.