Associate Consultant

About the Role

The Associate Consultant position in Mastercard's Advisors & Consulting Services focuses on driving client success through strategic project and portfolio management in the payments and financial services sectors. This role combines management consulting expertise with Mastercard's unique data assets and technology platforms to provide clients with insightful recommendations and measurable impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee multiple large-scale, intricate projects across diverse industries, managing interdependent resources and complexities to achieve strategic objectives.
• Lead delivery with excellence by applying accredited project and change management methodologies to generate measurable value for clients.
• Define project scopes, timelines, budgets, and conduct cost-benefit and risk assessments throughout project lifecycles.
• Report progress, risks, and issues clearly to stakeholders, providing analysis and viable solutions.
• Build trusted partnerships with client managers to foster strong working relationships.
• Conduct portfolio-level analysis covering performance, risk, progress, and value delivery, especially in cards, payments, or adjacent financial products.
• Benchmark portfolio outcomes against industry standards and historical data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Develop executive dashboards and scorecards that support decision-making with data-driven insights.
• Offer recommendations on portfolio optimization, prioritization, and product refinements based on analytics.
• Translate client strategies into detailed product, portfolio, and delivery roadmaps to align with business goals.
• Deliver structured advice on product performance, customer outcomes, and portfolio economics beyond delivery metrics.
• Support clients in linking program execution with customer impact, revenue growth, cost efficiencies, and long-term portfolio value.
• Lead and mentor teams, promoting innovation and fostering an inclusive culture focused on growth and collaboration.
• Manage internal Mastercard stakeholder relationships and contribute to building organizational intellectual capital.
• Leverage subject matter experts to tailor solutions and provide on-the-job coaching for junior members.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with professional experience in project and change management.
• At least 6 years of project management experience or 7+ years in cards product, payments, and portfolio management.
• Background working with financial institutions, payment systems, or consulting firms.
• Proven capability managing clients or internal stakeholder expectations.
• Strong logical and structured thinking skills coupled with advanced proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to handle multiple simultaneous tasks across different clients in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluent communication skills in English and the local office language as applicable.
• Eligibility to work in the specified country and ability to obtain travel visas as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in leading solution implementations and measuring client business impact.
• Expertise in product or portfolio performance management, including analytics, benchmarking, and reporting.
• Track record leading programs linked to product launches, portfolio optimization, or commercial transformation.
• Interest or completion of professional project management accreditation such as PMP.
• Familiarity with project management tools and innovation in consultancy solutions.
• An MBA or relevant master’s degree is a plus but not mandatory.

Corporate Security Responsibilities

• Adhere to Mastercard’s security policies and practices to maintain confidentiality and data integrity.
• Report any suspected breaches or security violations promptly.
• Complete all required periodic security training in line with company guidelines.