Legal Compliance, Programme 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
Legal Compliance, Programme Specialist
Mastercard Prepaid Management Services (MPMS), in its capacity as Program Manager, is contractually responsible for the services it undertakes on behalf of its Prepaid Card Issuers and for ensuring they (and MPMS) remain compliant to regulatory requirements.
The compliance function is responsible for ensuring that the business adheres to all regulatory requirements, including anti-money laundering and sanction laws. This includes developing and implementing policies, systems and processes that meet both regulatory and internal standards, monitoring compliance and providing guidance to mitigate risks and maintain the integrity of the organization.
The Compliance Programme Specialist is responsible for supporting the effective delivery of compliance oversight operations across prepaid card and payment programs. The role combines operational compliance knowledge with project coordination, stakeholder management, and regulatory support activities.
The successful candidate will serve as a key point of contact for internal teams, customers, and compliance partners, helping to manage compliance initiatives, monitor operational workloads, and support the implementation of regulatory requirements. The role requires a high degree of autonomy and ownership and provides direct support to senior compliance team members on strategic and priority compliance activities.
The role requires a strong understanding of financial crime controls, including Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Transaction Monitoring (TM), Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) screening, and Sanctions controls within a regulated payments and prepaid environment.
Key Accountabilities
Support the delivery and ongoing management of compliance operations across prepaid and payment programs
Coordinate compliance-related projects, ensuring actions, milestones, and deliverables are tracked through completion within agreed timelines.
Provide support to Compliance Managers and senior compliance leadership on high-priority projects and regulatory initiatives.
Take ownership of defined workstreams and deliverables with minimal supervision.
Assist with regulatory and compliance initiatives, including process enhancements and control improvements.
Monitor operational compliance metrics and identify trends, issues, and areas for improvement, and escalate risks or issues where appropriate.
Lead or coordinate escalation of risk and issues.
Support reviews of financial crime controls and operational effectiveness.
Liaise with operational teams to ensure compliance policies and procedures are followed consistently.
Prepare briefing materials, reports, and presentations for senior stakeholders and governance forums.
Step-in and assist with wider operational compliance tasks as needed.
Core Skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Understanding of AML laws, regulations, typologies and best-practice guidelines.
Critical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills to evaluate complex or sensitive scenarios, make informed decisions, and escalate appropriately.
Strong stakeholder management skills.
Ability to work independently and as a part of a team.
Effective verbal and written communication skills to prepare clear and concise reports, interacting with various stakeholders within the team.
Knowledge and understanding of prepaid card / electronic money products preferable.
Education And Skills (All About You)
Bachelor's degree required.
AML and Sanctions compliance experience in banking/financial operations.
Intermediate skills with AML compliance program requirements and experience with program/project management and familiarity with FATF, FCA international standards, and practices and knowledge of banking/financial operations, transaction processing and/or payments-related industry experience is preferred.
Sound judgment with ability to build rapport at all levels, and in all business units; proven ability to persuade and drive results.
Proven ability to work independently in a fast-paced matrix environment or as a team player and function effectively in a dynamic, fast paced environment while handling multiple projects and consistently meeting deadlines.
Practical problem solver with demonstrated ability to partner effectively with others in handling complex and/or sensitive issues.
Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS) or ICA (International Compliance Association) certification preferred.
Working knowledge of data analytics and emerging technology tools, including AI, large language models (LLMs), automation, SQL/querying, and the ability to use data insights to support compliance monitoring, reporting, and process improvement is preferred.
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.