Senior Managing Counsel, Blockchain & Digital Assets

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

Senior Managing Counsel, Blockchain & Digital Assets

Job Description, Senior Managing Counsel, Digital Assets & Strategic Product Integration

Who is Mastercard?
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments, and businesses realize their greatest potential.
Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
Overview
Mastercard is looking for an experienced lawyer to serve as a key legal advisor supporting the integration of BVNK and the development of next-generation digital asset, stablecoin, cross-border payments, and embedded finance solutions. This role will partner closely with multiple teams and stakeholders across Mastercard and BVNK including Product, Business Development, Privacy, Compliance, and Regulatory teams to enable strategic revenue synergies, accelerate go-to-market readiness, and support Mastercard's evolving digital assets ecosystem.

The position requires strong judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory and commercial issues in a rapidly evolving environment. The ideal candidate is highly motivated, intellectually curious and analytical, dedicated to delivering strategic and hands-on legal support and partnership to develop the next generation of Mastercard product solutions focused on enabling the future of payments.
Role
As Senior Managing Counsel, you will be a member of the Law Department supporting Blockchain & Digital Assets team under Mastercard’s Core Payments business. You will handle product development and support matters for the business on a day-to-day basis, identifying and analyzing relevant issues and helping the business effectively navigate legal and regulatory risks and implement appropriate controls, policies and processes. You will:
• Lead legal support for the strategic development and daily operations of Mastercard’s global digital assets products and services, reporting into the Assistant General Counsel for Core Payments.
• Manage tactical and strategic legal support related to products and solutions to advance Mastercard’s corporate objectives, including Mastercard’s stablecoin, digital assets, and blockchain strategy.
• Develop strong relationships with senior management, product development and business and sales clients.
• Collaborate with product, technology, regulatory, sales, franchise, marketing, communications and others to develop and launch innovative products and solutions that differentiate Mastercard and meet our customers’ and cardholders’ rapidly changing needs.
• Assist executive level clients, and others, in managing and mitigating legal, regulatory and commercial risks by providing solution oriented guidance.
• Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of applicable laws and government regulations affecting the operation and product development of Mastercard’s digital assets business.
• Inform policy and regulatory positions related to Mastercard’s products and innovation with relevant internal and external stakeholders.
• Advise from the concept through development to launch stage and beyond of various solutions and services:
o ensuring alignment and compliance of products and services with Mastercard’s policies, procedures and processes and with local and global regulatory and commercial laws;
o covering a broad range of commercial and contractual matters, including product and marketing legal review, non-disclosure agreements, pilot agreements, and bid process support;
o draft, review and negotiate a wide range of contracts (including complex technology agreements, customer and vendor agreements).
• Identify needed process improvements and efficiencies; own and execute solutions to support Mastercard’s transformation strategy and streamline processes to increase ease of doing business.
• Take responsibility for special projects while continuing to handle a steady stream of day-to-day matters.
• Instruct and manage external counsel within agreed policy and budget.

Please note that roles within Mastercard evolve with the needs of the business and department. Therefore, the above is a guideline and by no means comprehensive.

Location
This role will be based in Purchase, NY. As our team supports the business globally, the role may require some travel and ability to support other time zones.

All About You
• A qualified lawyer with a solid academic and training background, licensed to practice in New York.
• Experience in the financial services industry, emerging technology, stablecoin and other digital currencies, and the use of public and private blockchains.
• Experience working on products and solutions involving digital assets and advising on related legal issues. Good working knowledge of the regulatory landscape and legal issues relating to digital assets.
• Experience across a range of commercial and technology contracts and the ability to analyze and identify the core legal issues, skilled at explaining technical problems succinctly and clearly.
• A working knowledge of data privacy and intellectual property issues and how they relate to emerging technology such as digital assets.
• A fast learner who can gain rapid familiarity with complex products, services and legal frameworks and maintain knowledge of those changing products, services and legal frameworks.
• Solutions oriented with excellent time management, planning and organizational skills.
• Agile and flexible while working under pressure and with tight deadlines.
• Strong drafting, writing, oral communication and negotiating skills, able to communicate your vision and roadmap effectively to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with proven experience in relationship building and partnering. Must work well in both team and individual settings.
• Strong business acumen.
• Language: Fluent English.

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 [email protected] 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

Purchase, New York: $239,000 - $383,000 USD