Creative Director, Head of Creative Powerhouse

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 Creative Director, Head of Creative Powerhouse Overview The Services team is a key differentiator for Mastercard, providing the cutting‑edge services that help our customers grow. Centered on data‑driven technologies, innovation, and scalable solutions, this team delivers consulting, marketing, loyalty programs, and analytics to financial institutions and merchants globally. Within Services, the Marketing Services team develops and executes the programs that help our clients achieve their marketing goals. The Advisors Creative Desk (ACD) is the in‑house creative engine responsible for crafting creative strategy, ideating and delivering engaging, forward‑thinking, brand‑consistent creative solutions across digital, social, experiential, content, and campaign formats. As Head of Creatives / Lead Creative Director, you will steward the overall creative vision, operational excellence, and organizational health of the Creative Desk team. You will be accountable for end‑to‑end creative leadership - from concept development, team culture, and quality governance to cross‑functional alignment and commercial impact. You bring strong creative intuition, operational discipline, and a passion for elevating craft while scaling creative capability across Europe and globally. Role & Responsibilities 1. Executive Creative Leadership • Own the creative vision, quality standards, and output across all ACD workstreams. • Translate Mastercard’s business strategy into clear creative direction, structures, and operating principles. • Act as the final decision-maker on creative feasibility, prioritization, and standards. • Champion innovation and push creative boundaries while ensuring alignment with brand, strategy, and client goals. • Represent the Creative Desk at senior stakeholder forums, ensuring strong creative positioning and credibility. • Managing a team of Creative Leads located in Creative hubs (Lisbon and Warsaw). 2. Creative Governance & Quality Control • Oversee development of creative strategy and ensure strong conceptual grounding across all client deliverables. • Review, challenge, and elevate creative work at key milestones without micromanaging; coach teams to reach excellence. • Ensure all creative meets strategic intent, brand guidelines, industry best practices, and innovation benchmarks. • Guarantee smooth handovers between concepting, art direction, copy, production, and post‑production teams. 3. Team Leadership & People Management • Lead through a team of Creative Leads (4 direct reports), Senior Art Directors, Copy Leads, and Heads of Craft (approx. 30-40 ppl total) • Define roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, and growth paths across creative disciplines. • Conduct senior‑level performance management; ensure high morale, clear direction, and a culture of accountability. • Hire, develop, and retain top creative talent; identify skill gaps and future capability needs. • Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and creative bravery – paying attention to team’s needs and personal performance, being a present leader and partner (incl. Creative hubs presence – across Lisbon and Warsaw). 4. Creative Operations & Delivery Oversight • Partner closely with global Leadership Team, Creative Project Managers and Creative Operations to align creative ambition with delivery realities. • Own capacity planning, resourcing decisions, and workload allocation across the full studio. • Identify roadbl ... (truncated, view full listing at source)