Manager, Specialist Sales, Acceptance & Merchant Solutions, Japan

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

Manager, Specialist Sales, Acceptance & Merchant Solutions, Japan

Acceptance is a foundational pillar of Mastercard’s success, complementing our technology, franchise, brand and customer relationships to support and grow Mastercard’s network.

In partnership with regional product and account management teams, the Acceptance & Merchant Solutions team executes acceptance-growth initiatives and deploys merchant-side solutions to expand acceptance, helping merchants and acquirers grow their businesses.
This position (Manager, Acceptance & Merchant Solutions – Japan) plays a critical role in supporting the execution and advancement of Mastercard’s acceptance growth strategy across the Asia Pacific region.
The role requires a unique combination of strategic thinking, ability to work with and influence a broad set of stakeholders, understanding of the payment acquiring ecosystem and its challenges, as well as the ability to execute against identified opportunities at speed.


Lead the execution and implementation of Mastercard’s AP acceptance growth strategy, including identifying key barriers to growth, developing solutions, and communicating strategic initiatives to senior stakeholders.
- Drive expansion & engagement in key verticals leveraging the broader organizational assets and capabilities to ensure a step change in AP’s acceptance growth trajectory.
- Work with the merchant-side ecosystem (Acquirers, PSPs, PayFacs) to increase profitability and utilization of existing card acceptance infrastructure.
- Manage key channel partners (PayFacs, PSPs, Solution Vendors etc.).
- Partner with and be the regional co-ordination point for the market and divisional teams on acceptance growth related initiatives.
- Identify and deploy value-added services and capabilities with the merchant-side ecosystem.
- Own the strategy and execution for Contactless expansion across the region.
- Identify gaps in ‘quality’ of existing acceptance and ways to improve customer experience.
- Identify business opportunities in products and services with potential to scale and advance Mastercard’s strategic acceptance priorities.
- Drive acceptance expansion across diverse segments, including SMEs, public transportation, e-commerce, bill payments, government, and B2B.


- Minimum of 3 years of experience in product management or business development within the payments industry; experience in merchant-facing roles is preferred.
- Solid understanding of Japan and Global payments trends as well as technological advances and consumer behavioral shifts in payments
- Strong strategic thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proven ability to distill complex market dynamics and product concepts into sound execution strategy through clear narratives.
- Passionate and self-motivated about his or her craft, with a reputation for getting things done in the right way.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with an ability to deliver compelling presentations to executive audiences.
- Ability to interact effectively at all levels and influence internal and external business partners.
- Ability to work with ambiguity and manage complex projects; successfully manage multiple responsibilities and tasks.
- Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments; flexibility to handle rapidly changing scenarios.
- Ability to think big and launch industry transformation ideas. Experience combining products or business assets in new ways to create new opportunities.
- Evidence of achieving consistent high-level success in a global organization - working collaboratively as a team player in a highly matrixed environment across functions and regions.
- Requires the skills and passion to not overlook issues related to acceptance, identify the cause, and work with stakeholders to resolve the issue.
- Fluent in Japanese and business level in English language.

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.