Innovation & Ecosystem Program Manager (German-Speaking)

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

Innovation & Ecosystem Program Manager (German-Speaking)

Innovation & Ecosystem Program Manager (German-Speaking), Advisors & Consulting Services, Deploy

Services within Mastercard is responsible for acquiring, engaging, and retaining customers by managing fraud and risk, enhancing cybersecurity, and improving the digital payments experience. We provide value-added services and leverage expertise, data-driven insights, and execution capabilities to help clients and partners drive measurable impact.

Our Advisors & Consulting Services team combines traditional management consulting with Mastercard's rich data assets, proprietary platforms, and technologies to provide clients with powerful strategic insights and recommendations. Our teams work with a diverse global customer base across industries, from banking and payments to retail, technology, and the public sector.

The Advisors & Consulting Services group has five specializations: Strategy & Transformation, Performance Analytics, Business Experimentation, Marketing, and Program Management. Within Deploy, our consultants help clients turn strategy into action by leading complex implementation, transformation, and innovation initiatives. They serve as the center of engagement across stakeholders, bringing together business, technology, and delivery expertise to drive measurable outcomes.

This role supports a strategic public sector innovation initiative in Germany that brings together public sector organizations, startups, innovation ecosystem partners, academia, industry stakeholders, and Mastercard experts to address complex challenges through emerging technologies, AI-powered solutions, cybersecurity capabilities, and modern payment technologies.

As an Innovation & Ecosystem Program Manager, you will act as Mastercard's on-site lead in Munich and serve as the connector between ecosystem partners, startups, public sector stakeholders, account teams, and Mastercard subject matter experts. You will help transform innovation opportunities into implemented outcomes by coordinating stakeholders, driving execution, and ensuring successful delivery across a complex ecosystem environment.

Positions for different specializations and levels are available in separate job postings. Please review our consulting specializations to learn more about all opportunities and apply for the position that is best suited to your background and experience.

Roles and Responsibilities

You will manage and coordinate a portfolio of innovation initiatives, providing efficient and effective orchestration across a complex stakeholder landscape. You will act as the primary connector between public sector organizations, startups, ecosystem partners, Mastercard account teams, and subject matter experts to accelerate innovation, drive execution, and deliver measurable outcomes.

Client Impact

• Lead and coordinate innovation initiatives involving public sector stakeholders, startups, ecosystem partners, and Mastercard teams.

• Act as the central point of engagement across internal and external stakeholders, ensuring strategic alignment and execution excellence.

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with public sector organizations, innovation hubs, academia, startups, and industry partners.

• Identify innovation opportunities and connect stakeholders with Mastercard capabilities, expertise, and solutions.

• Facilitate workshops, working sessions, and stakeholder engagements to define opportunities and accelerate implementation.

• Translate Mastercard's capabilities in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data, and payments into relevant value propositions for public sector organizations.

Program Delivery & Governance

• Manage multiple innovation initiatives and workstreams across a complex stakeholder environment.

• Define scope, timelines, governance structures, milestones, and success measures.

• Coordinate cross-functional teams across Product, Technology, Services, Legal, Marketing, Communications, and Commercial functions.

• Identify risks, dependencies, and delivery challenges, and proactively develop mitigation strategies.

• Monitor initiative progress and communicate updates, risks, recommendations, and outcomes to senior stakeholders.

• Prepare governance materials, executive updates, steering committee presentations, and progress reports.

• Ensure initiatives are delivered against agreed objectives and expected benefits.

Team Collaboration & Culture

• Develop sound business recommendations and deliver effective executive-level presentations.

• Plan, organize, and structure work across multiple stakeholders, partners, and project teams.

• Lead team meetings, workshops, governance forums, and stakeholder engagements.

• Apply structured consulting, program management, and problem-solving approaches to address complex challenges.

• Act as a trusted and reliable partner to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Contribute to Mastercard's intellectual capital and solution development across public sector innovation, ecosystem partnerships, AI, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.

• Serve as a strong brand ambassador for Mastercard and Data & Services.

• Mentor and support junior team members where applicable.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree with relevant professional experience.

• 4-7 years of experience in consulting, innovation programs, ecosystem management, startup engagement, business transformation, or program management.

• Experience coordinating complex stakeholder environments and driving initiatives from planning through execution.

• Experience managing clients, partners, senior stakeholders, or cross-functional teams.

• Strong project management, governance, and stakeholder management skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Advanced Word, Excel, and PowerPoint skills.

• Fluent German and English language skills.

• Ability to work on-site in Munich 3-4 days per week

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within startup ecosystems, incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs, venture-building environments, or innovation programs.

• Consulting experience within a leading consulting firm.

• Experience supporting public sector, digital government, GovTech, or transformation initiatives.

• Exposure to AI, cybersecurity, digital identity, data-driven services, payments, or emerging technologies.

• MBA or Master's degree with relevant specialization (not required).

• Apply with English version CV only

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.