Research Director, Advisors Research Center

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

Research Director, Advisors Research Center

Our Purpose
We work 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. We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better business results.

Job Title
Research Director, Advisors Research Center, EEMEA Region

All About Us
The Data & Services team is a key differentiator for Mastercard providing the cutting-edge services that help our customers grow. Focused on thinking big and scaling fast around the globe, this agile team is responsible for end-to-end solutions for a diverse global customer base. We combine traditional management consulting with our rich data assets and in-house technology to provide our clients with powerful strategic insights and recommendations. Centered on data-driven technologies and innovation, these services include consulting, loyalty and marketing programs, test-and-learn business experimentation, and data driven information and risk management services. While specializing in the payments industry, Mastercard Data & Services also works closely with major retailers, airlines, and other enterprises, leveraging data and insights garnered from within and beyond its network.

All About the Role
Advisors Research Center is a new capability designed to respond to fast evolving customer needs for high-quality research support, with the important mission of value realization in developing insights and recommendations. This capability augments Advisors traditional areas of strength.
The ARC Research Director plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between ARC’s research endeavors and commercial success within our organization. This position is responsible for developing and executing commercial strategies tailored to the specific needs and dynamics of the assigned region. By leveraging commercial skills, and a deep understanding of our research capabilities, the Research Director drives ARC’s growth and fosters strategic partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:-
• Engage in ARC’s front-door activities in the respective region for all tracks and business lines
• Enable scoping & pricing for research opportunities by working closely with region’s BD Leads and PEMs
• Represent ARC in the 3rd Party spend committee in the region to review all research spends.
• Act as the single-door for pipeline opportunities in the region
• Provide feedback to Product teams to bundle research across product lines
• Conduct ARC Roadshows and other communications in the region to drive awareness of ARC capabilities

All About You
• Have 15+ years of extensive experience in the research domain across leading market research firms in various quantitative research projects.
• Lead and manage the EEMEA region’s market research opportunities by working closely with Account Managers, Business Development team and Pre-Engagement Managers
• Define project scope, coordinate cross-functional activities, manage timelines, and pricing, monitor progress to ensure successful delivery of research initiatives.
• Serve as the main point of contact for stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring clear communication and issue resolution.
• Collaborate with internal research teams to design surveys that meet specific business needs and research standards.
• Coordinate with third-party vendors to manage fieldwork and ensure accurate, on-time data collection aligned with project specifications.
• Maintain a centralized data repository with proper version control, secure access, and timely updates for internal stakeholders.
• Partner with market research, analytics, and business teams to align project and data efforts with broader strategic goals.
• Design and generate reports on revenue, 3PCA and net efficiency goals for EEMEA region
• Contribute insights to strategic initiatives and thought leadership efforts across the organization.
• Ensure all outputs are tailored to the needs of internal teams and external clients, making data easily digestible and actionable.
All About Your Education & Skills
• A bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Computer Science, Business, Economics, Market Research, or a related field.
• Prior experience in market research, with a solid understanding of the market research process from start to finish.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the use of pivot tables, advanced formulas, and data visualization tools for effective analysis.
• Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring high levels of data accuracy and the ability to convert raw data into actionable insights.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to effectively engage with both internal teams and external vendors to achieve project objectives.
- Local language (Arabic- Fluent) is mandatory for this role

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.