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

Program Manager, Learning and Development (L&D)

Overview: 

The Program Manager, Learning and Development (L&D) plays a pivotal role in planning, executing, and managing high-impact leadership development experiences, programs, and resources that support the organization’s strategic priorities. Sitting within the global Leadership Development team, this role manages a portfolio of initiatives that build leadership capability across critical leader levels of the enterprise.   The ideal candidate brings expertise in program management and stakeholder engagement, with experience enabling leadership excellence considered a plus. This individual will support the end-to-end execution of leadership development experiences for Managers, Directors, and Vice Presidents and will work closely with the Director of People Leader development. 

Role and Responsibilities: 

Experience Design 

• Engage with stakeholders to gather learning needs, program requirements, timelines, and strategic outcomes.
• Collaborate across the Leadership Development team, with instructional designers and external partners, to envision programs aligned with strategic goals and delivered through high-engagement, cost-effective modalities (e.g., in-person, virtual, e-learning).
• Ensure programs incorporate feedback and adapt to changing organizational needs.

Program Planning and Execution 

• Manage leadership development programs aligned with business needs, timelines, and available resources.
• Coordinate with cross-functional partners—including instructional designers, facilitators, administrators, and subject matter experts—for smooth delivery.
• Track progress and adjust plans to meet program goals and deadlines.

Stakeholder Management 

• Keep stakeholders informed and aligned throughout the program lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for program communications and, building strong relationships with internal teams and external partners.

Resource Management 

• Support resource planning and scheduling to ensure programs are well-staffed and funded.
• Monitor budgets to stay within financial targets and use resources effectively.

Quality Assurance 

• Ensure leadership development experiences meet quality standards and deliver meaningful impact.
• Apply feedback and lessons learned to continuously improve program design and execution.

Data Analysis and Reporting 

• Gather and analyze data to assess program effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Create clear, actionable reports that highlight outcomes, trends, and recommendations.

Benchmarking and External Insights 

• Stay informed on leadership development trends and best practices.
• Bring fresh ideas and external perspectives to enhance program relevance and innovation.

Process Improvement 

• Review and refine workflows to improve efficiency and impact.
• Introduce practical solutions and best practices to strengthen program delivery.

Team Leadership 

• Provide day-to-day guidance and support to program contributors.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.

All About You-Skills and Qualifications: 

We’re looking for a versatile program manager with a strong track record of driving impactful initiatives—ideally in leadership development, but also in related areas such as human capital, education, or business-facing roles where developing people, leading programs, and influencing change are central. Success in this role depends less on formal credentials and more on excellence in program management – driving end-to-end delivery through structured planning, execution, and continuous improvement. 

What you bring: 

• Program Leadership – Experience managing complex initiatives from concept to execution, especially in leadership development or related areas. 
• Execution Excellence – Strong organizational skills with the ability to juggle multiple priorities, stay on track, and deliver high-quality outcomes. 
• Communication Strength – Clear, confident communicator who can tailor messages for different audiences and facilitate meaningful dialogue. 
• Design Thinking – Ability to shape engaging, relevant experiences that meet the needs of diverse audiences. 
• Stakeholder Engagement – Skilled at building relationships, influencing across levels, and navigating a matrixed environment. 
• Analytical Mindset – Comfortable using data to inform decisions, measure impact, and continuously improve programs. 
• Adaptability – Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment and brings a proactive, solution-oriented approach to challenges. 
• Technical Fluency – Familiarity with project management tools and learning platforms (e.g., LMS, authoring tools) is helpful but not required. 

Optional: Facilitation & Coaching – Comfort and skill in facilitating leadership experiences, workshops, and coaching conversations that drive growth and engagement.

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 reasonable_accommodation@mastercard.com 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

O’Fallon, Missouri: $112,000 – $179,000 USD