Director: Regional VASS Controllership in London

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.

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.

The Director, VASS Controllership provides senior level accounting leadership and governance for Value Added Services & Solutions (VASS) across the Regions (AP, EEMEA, Europe, LAC and NAM). This role ensures consistent application of accounting policy, controls, processes and governance while enabling the business to scale rapidly, move faster on go‑to‑market initiatives, while ensuring alignment with Corporate Controllership. The role has been established to strengthen regional execution, improve responsiveness, and mitigate financial integrity and audit risks associated with rapid VASS growth.

Role & Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior controllership partner to regional VASS business leaders, FP&A and product teams.
• Provide expert guidance on complex accounting matters including:
• Revenue recognition (market‑wide initiatives, contra vs. expense)
• Bundles, Funds, and go‑to‑market program structures
• Gross vs. net assessments and considerations
• Ensure early controllership engagement in new VASS products, pricing bulletins and scale initiatives.
• Design, implement and monitor robust front and back‑end controls for VASS activities within the region.
• Ensure compliance with Mastercard accounting policies, SOX requirements and internal governance standards.
• Proactively identify and remediate risks related to fragmented execution, inconsistent accounting treatment and rapid business expansion.
• Act as the primary regional owner for VASS controllership matters, resolving the majority of VASS inquiries locally.
• Support the business with accounting matters by ensuring:
• Timely issue resolution
• Consistent accounting application
• Scalable and repeatable processes
• Support regional delivery of Funds, Bundles, impairment reviews and VASS specific assessments.
• Partner with Corporate Controllership to execute global accounting guidance and policy changes at the regional level.
• Drive standardization of VASS accounting treatments, documentation and controls across markets.
• Collaborate closely with:
• Corporate Controllership
• FP&A and Finance Business Partners
• Tax and Legal
• GBSC
• Act as a bridge between regional execution and corporate policy intent.
• Produce quarterly VASS reporting packs to Corporate Controllership.

All About You

• CPA, ACA or equivalent professional qualification preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressive controllership / accounting leadership experience, preferably in a multinational environment.
• Deep expertise in U.S. GAAP; with an emphasis in complex revenue recognition and product‑driven business models. IFRS knowledge is a plus.
• Extensive experience in technical accounting, financial reporting or audit (public accounting and/or large multinational environment).
• Proven ability to handle complex, ambiguous accounting issues and influence senior stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills - particularly for technical accounting documentation and audit support. Experience creating and delivering presentations for training events.
• Must have strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently through obstacles.
• Comfortable owning ambiguity and scaling new models.
• Strong influencer across Finance and Business leadership.
• Trusted advisor with high credibility at both regional and corporate levels.

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.