Lead Technical Program Manager - Peterborough, England

Job summary

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.

Lead Technical Program Manager

Who is Mastercard?
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.
Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

Overview
The Prepaid team is looking for a highly experienced Lead Technical Program Manager to oversee the successful delivery of complex, cross-functional programs. This role demands a strategic leader who can manage all aspects of technical program management—including vendor and budget oversight, roadmap planning, program intake, and executive reporting—while driving operational excellence and stakeholder alignment.

Role
In this position, you will need to:

Program Leadership & Execution
-Own the full lifecycle of technical programs from intake and planning through execution, delivery, and closure.
-Define program scope, goals, success metrics, and deliverables that support business objectives in collaboration with stakeholders.
-Develop and maintain detailed program plans, schedules, and resource allocations.
-Drive alignment across engineering, product, design, operations, and business teams to ensure successful delivery.

Stakeholder & Communication Management
-Serve as the primary point of contact for program status, risks, and issues.
-Create and deliver executive-level dashboards, reports, and presentations.
-Facilitate effective communication across all levels of the organization, ensuring transparency and alignment.
-Manage stakeholder expectations and foster strong relationships across internal and external teams.

Vendor & Budget Management
-Oversee vendor selection, onboarding, contract negotiation, and performance tracking.
-Manage program budgets, forecasts, and financial reporting, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
-Ensure all documentation related to vendors, contracts, and budgets is accurate, compliant, and up to date.

Risk & Issue Management
-Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program risks and issues.
-Develop contingency plans and drive resolution of blockers to maintain program momentum.

Governance & Compliance
-Ensure adherence to organizational policies, compliance standards, and program governance frameworks.
-Maintain audit-ready documentation and ensure programs meet regulatory and contractual obligations.

Process Improvement & Best Practices
-Continuously evaluate and improve program management processes, tools, and templates.
-Promote the adoption of Agile, SAFe, or hybrid methodologies as appropriate.
-Drive operational efficiency, innovation, and scalability across the program portfolio.

Team Leadership & Collaboration
-Mentor and guide junior program managers or project coordinators.
-Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
-Work closely with engineering managers to optimize team performance and delivery sequencing.

Job description