Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy - East Arabia

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

Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy - East Arabia

Overview
Coverage - UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Pakistan
Location: Dubai
- An experienced public policy practitioner to drive Mastercard’s advocacy efforts in the East Arabia Division (a cluster of countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including the UAE , Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Pakistan ), with the flexibility to take different responsibilities in other clusters within MENA or the wider EEMEA region, depending on function and business needs.
- The successful candidate will bring a positive commitment to joining a dynamic and collaborative team focused on the formulation and implementation of strategic plans for government and third-party influencer engagement to build relations with policymakers and regulators and positively shape the policy debate and outcome.
The key objectives are:
1. Position Mastercard as a trusted partner and enabler of the national agenda, focusing on accelerating the migration to digital payments to enable digital economies, spur innovation and drive financial inclusion.
2. Enable business and safeguard Mastercard's interests by advocating a conducive policy and regulatory environment.
3. Create a positive cycle of engagements, whereby Mastercard’s policy advocacy is reinforced by demonstrating the company’s local relevance and value proposition through strategic communications and government programs.
Based in Dubai, the jobholder will work closely with colleagues in the business, legal and regulatory functions to ensure issues of concern to Mastercard are identified and managed in a way that benefits Mastercard, the ecosystem where we operate, and our partners and stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
• Develop and execute a Government Affairs and policy strategy and implementable engagement programs for the countries in scope. These programs will be designed to both proactively and reactively head-off and respond to legislative, policy and regulatory opportunities and threats to Mastercard and the digital payments industry.
• Brief country, regional and global executive management on relevant policy developments, recommend appropriate course of action and work closely with internal stakeholders to move the agenda forward.
Establish and enhance relationships with key government officials and third-party influencers.
• Coordinate Industry cooperation efforts on non-competitive public policy issues and represent Mastercard in Industry forums, associations and related activities.
Manage external agencies to represent and advocate Mastercard's interests.
Experience Required:
• The ideal candidate will have a distinguished track record as a high achieving public policy and Government Affairs practitioner with a demonstrated capability to develop and successfully execute policy advocacy programs.
• University degree level, with experience in similar Public Policy or Government Relations roles in a major multinational business, consultancy, government, trade association or a regulatory authority.
• An intimate working knowledge of the processes and inner workings of the legislative and political process and an ability to analyze the impact of legislation on Mastercard and develop strategies to move the company’s interests forward.
• Strong leadership skills, sound priority-setting, strategic thinking and communication, ability to work autonomously and to handle multiple priorities, inscrutable integrity.
• A collaborative team player who will work well with senior management and peers, as a high-energy, self-motivated and results-driven individual.
• Must possess strong analytical approach to problem solving, ability to develop creative solutions to complex problems, ability to deal with short deadlines and to work productively in high pressure situations in dynamic commercial and policy environments.
• Excellent written and spoken Arabic and English communication and interpersonal skills as a foundation for developing and maintaining strong relationships at all levels, cross-functionally and across business units and geographies within Mastercard.
Willing to travel both within the countries of scope, and as necessary to the global headquarters in the US or other Mastercard locations.
• Knowledge and experience in technology, financial services and payments sector are valued. Candidate needs not be currently working in these sectors, but prior experience/familiarity is a clear plus.

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.