Senior People Specialist

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 People Specialist
Overview
Mastercard is seeking a Senior People Specialist to support execution of critical people priorities across multiple Technology, AI, and Innovation organizations. This role provides a unique opportunity to gain deep exposure to the People Business Partner (PBP) craft, support a rapidly evolving technology business, and operate in a highly visible space with senior executives.
The individual will work closely with People Business Partners, Centers of Expertise, business leaders, and cross-functional partners to ensure programs, processes, and organizational initiatives land with excellence. This role reports directly to a Senior Vice President, People Business Partner for Services - Technology, AI & Data
Success requires strong judgment, high ownership, proactive communication, and the ability to operate with speed, discretion, and precision.
Role Responsibilities
People Operations & Delivery
Own timely execution of day-to-day People Strategy deliverables for the Services business, ensuring exceptional follow-through and partnership with PBPs and business stakeholders.
Manage cyclical people processes (Talent, Compensation, Performance Calibration, Organizational Health Inputs) with strong attention to detail, anticipating needs and ensuring readiness across leaders and teams.
Serve as the operational anchor for the PBP team-driving clarity, timelines, coordination, and quality in deliverables.
Strategic Project & Program Support
Support organizational effectiveness and change initiatives, including structure design, transitions, and leadership team enablement.
Help build executive-ready materials, narratives, and analyses for senior PBPs and business leaders.
Manage discreet, sensitive workstreams with high confidentiality and sound judgment.
Data, Insights & Reporting
Conduct analysis across headcount, cost, attrition, hiring, talent, and engagement data to translate findings into actionable insights for PBPs and business leaders.
Partner with People Analytics and Finance teams to prepare data packs, track key metrics, and proactively surface trends.
Support position management, organizational modeling, and headcount planning.
Communication & Stakeholder Experience
Draft clear, compelling communications for leaders, employees, and partners.
Coordinate communication workflows and support experience design for major people initiatives.
Ensure HR systems (Workday, dashboards, portals) are leveraged effectively and consistently.
Team & SVP Support
Provide operating leverage to 2-3 PBPs, including preparing materials, synthesizing updates across stakeholders, and driving actions to closure.
Act as an extension of the SVP to help ensure coordination, alignment, and transparency across the Services Technology PBP team.
Partner closely with peers to ensure seamless delivery across workstreams.
All about you- What Success Looks Like
Core Capabilities
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities at speed while maintaining high-quality output.
Strong critical thinking skills and a data-driven approach to problem solving.
Comfortable operating in fast-paced, matrixed, and evolving environments.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparing materials for senior audiences.
Ability to anticipate needs, raise risks early, and drive clarity and alignment across stakeholders.
Technical Skills
Strong proficiency with Excel and comfort working with data (pivot tables, trend analysis, modeling).
Experience with Workday strongly preferred; ability to learn and master new HR tools quickly.
Curious with AI Tools, experience with AI tools is a plus
Mindset & Work Style
Proactive, resourceful, highly organized, and able to exercise sound judgment.
Thrives in a role that blends strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
Operates with discretion, maturity, and credibility in interactions with senior leaders.
Curious, eager to learn, and motivated by supporting a growing and dynamic technology organization.
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
New York City, New York: $102,000 - $158,000 USD
Arlington, Virginia: $98,000 - $152,000 USD
O'Fallon, Missouri: $85,000 - $132,000 USD
Purchase, New York: $98,000 - $152,000 USD