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About the Role

The Director, Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing serves as the regional owner for sponsorship strategy and delivery across Europe, with end-to-end responsibility for portfolio performance. This role sets direction, establishes standards, and drives alignment across stakeholders, ensuring sponsorship assets are deployed with discipline, scale, and impact. Sponsorships are treated as growth engines, tightly connected to product integration, issuer and merchant priorities, and measurable consumer outcomes. Football serves as a flagship vertical across Europe, with the Director positioning the brand as a credible partner within the sport.

Responsibilities

Set functional objectives, deliver strategies, and lead work efforts of teams impacting the business.
Oversee a strategic portfolio of sponsorship assets and experiential platforms, capitalizing on consumer passions, with Football as a primary vertical.
Ensure the application of business and marketing priorities and the use of relevant data in the selection of sponsorship marketing partnerships, acquisition of rights, benefits, assets, and incentives, with a strong focus on football ecosystems.
Ensure activation plans align with segmentation, marketing, and business strategies to drive revenue and long-term brand equity.
Support the construction, evolution, and governance of the sponsorship marketing portfolio to support consumer, issuer, and merchant initiatives, anchored by Football.
Spot, anticipate, and leverage emerging consumer and cultural trends to refine segment strategies and prioritize consumer passions.
Develop and execute sophisticated marketing solutions to support Mastercard marketing and business initiatives.
Oversee on-site activation and event delivery for priority sponsorship properties, including major football matches and tentpole events.
Identify business development opportunities with issuers and merchants through the strategic application of sponsorship assets and the pursuit of new revenue streams.
Lead the creation of offline and online content for product and marketing programs, leveraging synergies across marketing platforms and football-led storytelling opportunities.
Drive fully integrated activation of sponsorship properties within broader marketing campaigns, collaborating with key Mastercard functional groups.
Support and contribute to the ongoing development of standardized metrics and measurement tools to assess the effectiveness and ROI of sponsorship investments and initiatives.
Provide senior-level guidance and best practices for property identification, negotiation, and activation to maximize the commercial and brand impact of the sponsorship portfolio, with deep expertise in football partnerships.
Manage compliance tools, charitable support programs, and work with the legal team on sponsorship/ambassador contracts, terms/conditions, consumer waivers, and creative reviews.
Develop, manage, and maintain executive-level relationships with stakeholders of select partners, property owners, and retailers, including senior stakeholders across the football industry.
Manage the Sponsorship budget and deliver against annual revenue, performance, and budget goals.
Ensure compliance with internal policies, procedures, and audit requirements related to sponsorship and asset management.
Utilize consumer data and program results to continuously optimize program performance.
Lead and manage external agencies responsible for the activation and delivery of sponsorship properties.

Requirements

10+ years of Global and/or regional sponsorships and promotions experience, preferably in the media, packaged goods, or financial service industries (agency experience a plus).
Advanced skills in sponsorship management, event planning, event management, and consumer activation.
Direct experience in negotiating and optimizing sponsorship contracts.
Direct experience with digital and social marketing and AI tools.
Experience in building and managing a large sponsorship program with top national brands.
Demonstrated expertise in activating sponsorships with consumers as well as B2B channels.
Proficiency in budget management and financial forecasting.
Strong problem-solving skills to identify critical issues and opportunities, evaluate options, and provide clear recommendations for business and brand growth.
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.
Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines.

Skills

Interpersonal skills
Organizational skills
Expert communication skills
Expert presentation skills
People management skills (cross-functional, internal and external agencies and properties)
Customer management skills
Relationship skills
Negotiation skills
Sales skills
Leadership skills
Project management skills
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
Cross-functional team building skills
Relationship building skills
Knowledge of navigating heavily matrixed organizations
Influencing skills
Budget management skills
MS Office skills (PowerPoint, Excel, Word)

Location

Europe

Work Type

Full-time
Occasional travel

Experience Level

Director level

Education Level

BA or MBA in Marketing/Finance preferred

About the Company

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.