Director of SME Account Management

About the role

Mastercard is looking for a Director of SME Account Management to be based in Istanbul. The role will drive the growth of small and medium‑sized enterprises across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, covering markets such as Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and neighbouring countries. You will work with internal teams and external partners to expand Mastercard’s SME value proposition and increase access to innovative payment solutions.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute SME‑focused initiatives across the region.
• Identify, negotiate and nurture partnerships with fintechs, marketplaces, telecom operators, payroll providers, trade and logistics platforms and other ecosystem players.
• Collaborate with Account Management, Product, Customer Solutions and regional stakeholders to design and launch programmes that meet evolving SME needs.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams to ensure successful implementation, monitoring and optimisation of initiatives.
• Create partnership frameworks, engagement plans and governance models for long‑term collaboration.
• Represent Mastercard in industry forums and contribute to market‑level strategy for SME growth.

Required profile

• Proven experience in managing large‑scale partnership programmes or account management for SMEs.
• Strong understanding of the payments ecosystem and the needs of small and medium‑sized businesses.
• Ability to work with diverse internal and external stakeholders across multiple countries.
• Excellent strategic thinking and execution skills.

Required skills