Partnerships, Digital Verticals

Cardless is transforming the credit card landscape by empowering innovative brands to offer their customers world-class, digital-first, and seamlessly integrated credit card experiences.

We are looking for a highly accomplished and results-oriented Partnerships Manager to spearhead new partnership development within key digital-first and tech-forward sectors. In this hands-on role, you will collaborate closely with the Cardless business development, product, and engineering teams, as well as other cross-functional partners, to identify and secure new partnership opportunities. You will be responsible for building a pipeline of digital and AI-driven opportunities and managing the entire sales process, from lead sourcing to contract negotiations. Additionally, you will work closely with product and design to shape the future product and feature roadmap for Cardless, playing a critical role in driving significant growth for the business.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Partnership Development: Define and execute a comprehensive strategy to identify, prioritize, and secure strategic partnerships within target verticals, including Digital Marketplaces, E-commerce Platforms, AI, and Digital Currencies.

• End-to-End Partnership Lifecycle Management: Lead the complete partnership lifecycle, from initial opportunity identification and qualification through negotiation, contract execution, and successful activation and implementation.

• Tech-Forward Go-To-Market: Leverage your experience and comfort with technology and AI/data-driven sales to effectively position the Cardless product and solution set to prospects, engaging key decision-makers and influencers from engineering, data and analytics, and other technical roles.

• Sales Tools and Enablement: Partner with design and product teams to develop product demos, sales aids, and working prototypes to support the business development process.

• Market Expertise and Insights: Maintain a deep understanding of the payments, data, and fintech landscape, including industry trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging opportunities within target verticals. Utilize this knowledge to inform partnership strategy and identify innovative collaboration models.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Legal, and Finance teams to ensure seamless partnership integration, activation, and ongoing success.

• Executive Communication: Effectively communicate partnership strategy, progress, and key performance indicators to senior leadership.

• Performance Management: Establish and track key performance metrics for partnership success, ensuring the team meets and exceeds targets for signed partnerships and activation goals.

• Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain strong, executive-level relationships with key partners.

Requirements

• 7+ years of progressive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or related roles within the payments industry, financial technology, e-commerce platforms or closely related sectors.

• Proven track record of sourcing, negotiating, and successfully signing significant strategic partnerships that have driven substantial business growth.

• Demonstrated expertise in developing and executing software, AI/data and platform focused partnerships within the payments and loyalty vertical

• Strong understanding of the payments ecosystem gained from experience working with Issuers, PSPs, Fin-techs, and other related sectors.

• Deep knowledge of partnership models, contract negotiation, and financial implications.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build consensus at all levels.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to develop data-driven strategies and track performance.

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.

• Willingness to travel as needed.

This role has an annual starting salary range of $150,000 - $200,000 + equity + benefits (see below). Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors, including but not limited to skills, experience, and specific work location.

Benefits

We're headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful office in the Mission District. We're proud to offer our team excellent benefits:

💸 Meaningful Start-up equity

🏥 100% health, vision & dental primary coverage

➕ 75% health, vision & dental dependent coverage

🍱 Catered lunches

🚎 $250/month Commuter benefit

👶 Parental leave

✈️ Team building events & happy hours

🌴 Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off per year

🖥️ Apple equipment

💸 401k plan

Location

We're headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful office in the Mission District (near Dolores Park). We welcome employees who want to work from this office; we offer additional benefits to those who do, and relocation assistance to those who'd like to.

We regularly bring our team together for offsites & trips, about every 2 months, both for fun and for work. We cover all travel & lodging in these cases.