Director, SME

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, SME

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Through secure data, networks, partnerships and innovation, we help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential.

Our decency quotient, or DQ, shapes our culture and how we work, both inside and outside the company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a more sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

Role Overview

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

• The Turkey Director – Small Business role is based in Istanbul and supports the Turkey and Azerbaijan markets through regional market research, promotion, representation, communication and coordination activities, reporting to the Eastern Europe Division Lead.

• This role requires a strategic, consultative mindset and the ability to operate credibly as a trusted advisor to clients by providing non-binding market insights, informational support and head office-approved recommendations to clients and internal stakeholders.

• Provide strategic advisory support on small business market developments and client needs by combining leadership with strategic advisory support, helping clients understand relevant market opportunities, solve business challenges and consider appropriate, non-binding strategic recommendations based on Mastercard’s approved products and solutions.

• Identify and report market trends, ecosystem developments and potential areas for further assessment by the relevant head office or commercial teams. Support promotion of head office-approved small business solutions and coordinate communications and introductions.

• Provide market intelligence, competitor observations and customer feedback to support head office-led regional planning for small business initiatives across Turkey and Azerbaijan.

• Monitor and report small business payment trends, customer needs and market developments.

• Provide subject matter expertise and advisory leadership by working closely with clients and internal stakeholders to understand needs, develop non-binding strategic recommendations and coordinate implementation support across relevant product and market teams.

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, information transfer, governance and continuous improvement across internal stakeholders and partner teams.

Qualifications Required

• Deep knowledge of cards products and services, including small business card and solutions offerings, with experience in market research, client advisory, ecosystem engagement, promotion or regional coordination.

• Progressive business experience with a strong track record in the payments industry and a solid understanding of commercial and consumer payments.

• Strong strategic thinking and consulting capabilities, including the ability to assess client needs, translate market insights into actionable recommendations and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders.

• Experience in consulting, client advisory or advisory-led client management, with a strong track record of working directly with customers in on-site environments to understand business needs, develop strategic recommendations, guide implementation and support successful outcomes.

• Strong influencing and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to drive outcomes through stakeholders and partners who may not report directly into the role.

• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, build alignment across stakeholders and drive execution through strong collaboration.

• High bias for action, with a disciplined and results-driven approach to achieving strategic objectives and agreed deliverables.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify issues early and resolve them directly or through effective escalation.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, writing and presentation skills, with the executive presence required to engage senior stakeholders, facilitate strategic discussions and represent Mastercard credibly in client-facing environments.

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.