Job Description: Vice President – Strategic Partnerships

Location: United States

Employment Type: Full-Time

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Vice President of Strategic Partnerships to lead partnership strategy, channel sales, and ecosystem development within the AI-powered credit decisioning and financial technology space.

The ideal candidate will have a strong track record of building strategic alliances, driving partner-led revenue growth, negotiating complex commercial agreements, and developing partnerships with banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, and technology providers.

This role will work cross-functionally with sales, product, engineering, and marketing teams to expand market reach, accelerate revenue growth, and establish a strong network of strategic partners.

Key Responsibilities

1. Partnership Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategic partnership plan aligned with business objectives and market opportunities.
• Identify, evaluate, and establish partnerships that support product development, client acquisition, and business expansion.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across banking, financial services, fintech, and technology ecosystems.
• Drive partner-sourced and partner-influenced sales pipeline, new customer acquisition, and recurring revenue growth.

2. Channel Sales & Revenue Generation

• Develop and scale channel sales and referral partnership programs.
• Establish measurable partnership KPIs and monitor performance using CRM tools such as Salesforce.
• Identify opportunities to improve partner engagement, conversion rates, and revenue contribution.
• Collaborate with sales teams to develop partner-led go-to-market strategies.

3. Commercial Negotiations & Relationship Management

• Lead negotiations and finalize strategic partnership agreements.
• Structure referral fees, revenue-sharing arrangements, commercial pricing, and joint sales programs.
• Develop partner enablement plans, engagement strategies, and communication frameworks.
• Ensure partnerships deliver sustainable business value and mutually beneficial outcomes.

4. Product Integration & Collaboration

• Partner with product and engineering teams to identify and execute platform integration opportunities.
• Ensure integrations align with product requirements, client needs, and long-term technology strategy.
• Establish clear integration milestones and hold partners accountable for delivery timelines.
• Support the development of scalable technology partnerships that enhance platform capabilities.

5. Industry Engagement & Market Development

• Represent the organization at industry conferences, financial services events, and client meetings.
• Identify and negotiate sponsorship opportunities, speaking engagements, and industry collaborations.
• Organize joint webinars, partner events, and co-marketing initiatives to generate qualified sales opportunities.
• Strengthen brand visibility and position the organization as a preferred technology partner.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in strategic partnerships, channel sales, business development, or alliance management within SaaS, cloud technology, or financial technology environments.
• Relevant experience in credit decisioning, AI-driven credit underwriting, lending technology, risk management solutions, or related fintech products.
• Established professional network across banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, lending businesses, or technology partners.
• Proven track record of developing strategic partnerships that generate measurable revenue and business growth.
• Experience negotiating and closing complex commercial agreements, including revenue-sharing and referral arrangements.
• Familiarity with partner pipeline management, CRM systems, and Salesforce reporting.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with product, engineering, sales, and marketing teams.
• Strong understanding of financial services industry trends, credit technology, and partnership-led go-to-market strategies.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strategic partnership development and management
• Channel sales and ecosystem expansion
• Business development and revenue generation
• Commercial negotiations and deal structuring
• Banking, fintech, and financial services industry knowledge
• SaaS and cloud technology partnerships
• Product integrations and cross-functional collaboration
• Pipeline development, forecasting, and performance measurement
• Executive stakeholder management
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills
• High ownership, initiative, and ability to work independently

Travel Requirements

• Willingness to travel approximately 30% of the time for partner meetings, client engagements, and industry events.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a commercially driven partnership leader who combines strong industry relationships with the ability to execute strategic initiatives. They should be comfortable building partnerships from the ground up, influencing senior stakeholders, negotiating complex deals, and translating partner relationships into measurable revenue growth.

Experience working with AI-powered credit underwriting, lending platforms, credit risk solutions, or banking technology providers will be highly valuable.