Higher Education Vp Strategy Innovation Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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, GBSC Strategy & Innovation
OVERVIEW
Mastercard's Global Business Solutions Center (GBSC) is dedicated to helping the organization transform their business operations to achieve higher efficiency, effectiveness, and agility. Today, with over 1,200 dedicated colleagues worldwide, the GBSC supports more than 200 services across 89 countries spanning all business units. Our commitment to excellence, innovation, and collaboration drives us to continuously elevate standards and exceed expectations in every endeavor. By leveraging a comprehensive suite of services and solutions, the Strategy, Enablement and Transformation Team is one of the key foundational pillars that supports overall GBSC and enterprise stakeholders in optimizing their business to drive value and enhance performance.
As the GBSC continues to evolve its operating model and expand its role within the enterprise, the organization is seeking a Vice President, Strategy & Innovation. This leader will be responsible for driving alignment of strategic priorities, governing the transformation portfolio, and ensuring coordinated execution across GBSC and partner verticals. This role focuses on translating enterprise and GBSC objectives into a clear, actionable roadmap and ensuring effective prioritization, sequencing, and delivery of transformation initiatives. Reporting into senior leadership, this individual will lead cross-functional coordination, portfolio governance, and executive operating rhythm, working closely with business leaders, transformation teams, and key stakeholders to drive outcomes.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead development and refinement of the GBSC strategy, translating enterprise priorities into a clear, actionable roadmap
- Own portfolio governance, including prioritization, sequencing, and tracking of initiatives aligned to strategic objectives
- Establish and manage governance forums (e.g., steering committees, portfolio reviews) to drive effective decision-making and escalation
- Coordinate transformation efforts across GBSC and partner verticals, identifying dependencies, resolving conflicts, and ensuring alignment to shared priorities
- Partner with site and regional leaders to ensure execution is aligned to strategic priorities
- Drive executive operating rhythm, including business reviews, portfolio updates, and strategic reporting
- Partner with PMO, Financial Planning, Data Insights, and functional leaders to ensure initiatives are appropriately prioritized and resourced
- Serve as a key liaison between senior leadership and delivery teams, ensuring visibility into progress, risks, and key decisions
- Serve as chief of staff to EVP, GBSC, supporting strategic presentations to executive leadership, ad-hoc projects and assignments
SKILLS
- Strong strategic leadership with demonstrated ability to translate enterprise priorities into executable plans
- Proven experience managing complex, cross-functional transformation portfolios
- Deep understanding of governance frameworks, portfolio management, and prioritization processes
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with ability to influence across functions and levels
- Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, including ability to identify dependencies and trade-offs
- Experience operating in global, fast-paced environments with competing priorities
- Strong executive communication skills, including ability to synthesize complex topics into clear insights
- Collaborative leadership style with focus on alignment, accountability, and execution
- Systems thinking with ability to utilize AI and automation tools to efficiently recommend, use, and implement scalable solutions
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- 15+ years of experience in strategy, transformation, consulting, or business leadership roles
- Proven track record leading large-scale, cross-functional transformation initiatives in complex organizations
- Experience operating within global shared services, GBS, or similar operating models strongly preferred
- Demonstrated success in building and running governance structures and executive forums
- Experience partnering with senior executives and influencing enterprise-level decisions
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred
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.
Pay Ranges
O'Fallon, Missouri: $189,000 - $312,000 USD