Director, Communications

Mastercard is hiring a Director, Communications in New York, United States. Level rates it ; you can apply on Level.

AI in this role

Leads global integrated communications strategies focusing on corporate reputation, social impact, and sustainability for Mastercard.

strategic-communicationsmedia-engagementthought-leadershipsocial-impact

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

Director, Communications

The Communications team is focused on building, supporting and protecting Mastercard's reputation among key stakeholders worldwide. This role sits at the intersection of social impact, sustainability, public affairs and corporate reputation, and serves as a strategic communications partner to the Center for Inclusive Growth & Sustainability (CFIG&S) and Growth Segments teams.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Global Communications, this position is responsible for developing and executing integrated communications strategies that elevate Mastercard's leadership in inclusive economic growth, financial health, sustainability and social impact. The role will drive executive visibility, thought leadership, media engagement and proprietary convenings that demonstrate how Mastercard leverages its technology, partnerships, data insights and expertise to drive economic opportunity and sustainable growth.

The position serves as a key connector to ensure Mastercard's impact narrative is cohesive, differentiated and aligned with business priorities.

Primary Responsibilities
Social Impact Storytelling
• Serve as a communications support for Mastercard's social impact platform, inclusive economic growth agenda and sustainability portfolio, as well as our work in white space markets.
• Translate complex economic, social and environmental priorities into clear, compelling and business-relevant narratives and storytelling.
• Connect the work of the Center for Inclusive Growth & Sustainability and Growth Segments initiatives to Mastercard's broader corporate strategy and growth objectives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Mastercard's reputation as a trusted partner helping build inclusive and sustainable economies.
• Develop integrated communications strategies that advance Mastercard's commitments related to financial health, small business growth, inclusive innovation, digital trust and sustainable growth.

Executive Communications and Visibility
• Serve as a communications partner to our leadership in the Mastercard Center for Inclusive & Sustainability, Growth Segments and other executive leaders across the portfolio.
• Manage executive speaking opportunities, media interviews, stakeholder engagements and thought leadership platforms.
• Provide strategic counsel on executive positioning, messaging and reputational considerations.

Data and Insights Thought Leadership Strategy
• Lead communications development and amplification for major research reports, indexes and insights platforms.
• Partner with research, insights and business teams to translate data and trends into compelling stories.
• Build integrated campaigns around thought leadership initiatives, including earned media, digital, executive content and event activations.

Convenings and Global Engagement
• Support communications for Mastercard-hosted social impact and sustainability convenings, including the Global Inclusive Growth Summit, ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit, Regional Inclusive Growth Forums, MADE Alliance and key stakeholder forums.
• Shape event narratives, communications plans, speaker positioning, media engagement and stakeholder outreach.
• Prepare executives and support post-event storytelling, content development and amplification.
• Help shape Mastercard’s visibility at major third-party forums focused on inclusive growth, sustainability, economic development and innovation.

Media and Reputation Management
• Develop and execute media strategies supporting major announcements, partnerships, reports and initiatives.
• Build relationships with top-tier impact, sustainability, development, technology and business media.
• Manage media outreach, interview coordination and press materials.
• Monitor emerging issues, industry trends and reputational risks.
• Advise internal stakeholders on external positioning, communications and stakeholder expectations.

Sustainability Communications and Claims Governance
• Act as Communications lead for environmental claims review and governance processes.
• Partner closely with Legal and Sustainability teams to ensure adherence to Mastercard Environmental Claims Guidelines.
• Review communications materials, reports and marketing content for sustainability-related claims.

Internal Communications and Employee Engagement
• Lead employee communications related to sustainability, inclusive economic growth and social impact in partnership with our internal communications team.
• Partner with Employee Communications to develop content for internal channels and engagement programs including executive town halls and enterprise awareness efforts.
• Drive communications strategies supporting key moments including the Mastercard Impact Report launches, as well as major cultural and social impact milestones.

Qualifications
• 10+ years of communications, social impact, corporate affairs or reputation management experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives and managing high-profile communications programs.
• Strong understanding of corporate reputation, sustainability, public policy, social impact and stakeholder engagement.
• Proven experience leading communications for major events, conferences or executive platforms.
• Exceptional writing, storytelling and content development skills.
• Ability to translate complex policy, sustainability, technology and economic issues into business-relevant narratives.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and navigating complex approval processes.
• Strong media relations capabilities and executive presence.
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Success Profile
The ideal candidate is equally comfortable serving as strategist, counselor, writer and operator. They possess a deep understanding of stakeholder expectations around business impact and sustainability, are passionate about inclusive growth, and have demonstrated success elevating executive thought leadership through data-driven storytelling, high-profile convenings and integrated communications campaigns.

This role helps define how Mastercard shows up at the intersection of business growth, social impact and sustainability, ensuring the company continues to lead important global conversations while delivering measurable reputational value for the enterprise.

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. THIS POSTING RELECTS ONE OR MORE CURRENT VACANCIES ON OUR TEAM, AND MASTERCARD INTENDS TO FILL THIS POSITION BY 01/05/2027. If the fill date has passed, Mastercard intends to fill this position as soon as possible.

Pay Ranges

Purchase, New York: $174,000 - $286,000 USD

How we rate this

Director, Communications at Mastercard rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Open the description and count.

Key facts

Director, Communications is an open job at Mastercard.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The role is based in Purchase, New York.
The job was posted on October 7, 2026.
Seniority: executive.
Applications are handled by Mastercard. Apply on Mastercard

Prepare for this job

A free preview built only from this posting: what it asks for, what you could be asked in an interview, and how to adjust your resume.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Strategic CommunicationsMedia EngagementThought LeadershipSocial Impact

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where strategic communications was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where media engagement was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where thought leadership was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where social impact was part of your work. What did you do?

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List these exact terms on your resume: Strategic Communications, Media Engagement, Thought Leadership, and Social Impact. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them — a tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.

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