Director, Employee Relations

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
Director, Employee Relations
Overview
Mastercard is seeking a senior Employee Relations leader with deep expertise in workplace investigations, employment law, policy interpretation, and risk management. This highly visible role serves as a strategic advisor to People Business Partners, Employment Counsel, Compliance, and business executives on complex employee matters with legal, regulatory, and reputational implications.
The Role• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, HR Business Partners, Compliance, and Employment Counsel on complex employee relations matters involving legal, regulatory, and reputational risk.• Investigate employee relations concerns, including complaints of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and other work-related issues.• Prepare investigative documentation, including interview notes and summary of findings.• Partner closely with Employment Law to support litigation readiness, regulatory inquiries, agency responses, discovery requests, and employment-related compliance initiatives.• Develop and enhance global employee relations policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and guidance materials to ensure consistent and compliant practices across jurisdictions.• Conduct thorough fact-finding, witness interviews, evidence reviews, and documentation to support investigation outcomes and recommendations.• Assess legal, regulatory, employee experience, and reputational risk associated with employment-related decisions and provide recommendations to senior leaders.• Deliver training and coaching to HR and business leaders on employee relations practices, workplace investigations, risk mitigation, and employment law developments.• Lead cross-functional projects and initiatives aimed at strengthening organizational culture, compliance, and employee experience on a global scale.• Partner with internal employment counsel, compliance and HR Business Partners to effectively manage employee relations issues/investigations• Create insights from data to inform process and improvements to drive a culture consistent with Mastercard values.
All About You:• Juris Doctor (JD) with a minimum 5+ years of practicing employment law in a law firm, in-house legal department, or combined legal and ER environment is strongly preferred.• 10+ years of employee relations, employment law, workplace investigations, labor and employment compliance, or a related field, with significant experience managing complex workplace investigations involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, ethics concerns, and employee misconduct.• Experience advising on a wide range of complex U.S. employment law and employee relations issues.• Demonstrated experience partnering with legal teams to assess risk, develop investigations strategy, and guide employment-related decision making.• Strong knowledge of US employment law and strong investigative skills.• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to organize and analyze data.• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leaders on legally sensitive employee matters and risk mitigation strategies.• Proven project management skills with demonstrated ability to manage global projects.• Experience working in close partnership with in-house or external employment counsel.
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 [email protected] 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.
THIS POSTING RELECTS ONE OR MORE CURRENT VACANCIES ON OUR TEAM, AND MASTERCARD INTENDS TO FILL THIS POSITION BY 08/27/2026. If the fill date has passed, Mastercard intends to fill this position as soon as possible.
Pay Ranges
Purchase, New York: $168,000 - $269,000 USD
O'Fallon, Missouri: $146,000 - $234,000 USD