Head of Strategic Partnerships

Accountabilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing strategic partnerships team, fostering a culture of accountability, ownership, strategic thinking, and effective deal execution.

• Define and execute the partnership strategy, prioritizing channels, partner categories, and opportunities that offer the greatest potential for sustainable revenue growth.

• Personally source, pursue, and establish new strategic relationships across payroll providers, benefits brokers, accountants, financial institutions, professional employer organizations, and embedded fintech distribution partners.

• Lead high-stakes negotiations and close complex, high-value, multi-year commercial and distribution agreements with strategic partners.

• Develop scalable partnership processes, playbooks, operating systems, and performance frameworks that support team growth and long-term partner success.

• Establish clear team objectives, key performance indicators, and revenue targets, regularly monitoring performance and providing coaching to drive results.

• Oversee deal structuring and execution from initial opportunity through negotiation and launch, collaborating with legal and finance teams to protect business interests and ensure commercially sound agreements.

• Work cross-functionally with product, engineering, marketing, legal, sales, and operations teams to scope integrations, develop co-marketing initiatives, and operationalize partner-generated demand.

• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders at partner organizations, representing the business with credibility and communicating its value proposition effectively.

• Translate partnership strategy, pipeline performance, commercial opportunities, and results into clear updates and recommendations for executive leadership.

• Monitor developments across fintech, retirement services, wealth management, payroll, benefits, and financial services to identify emerging opportunities, competitive threats, and relevant regulatory changes.

• Evaluate partnership economics, model potential channel performance, and make data-informed decisions about investment priorities and resource allocation.

• Collaborate with senior partnerships leadership to expand the ecosystem, deepen integrations, improve partner performance, and deliver measurable contributions to the revenue plan.

Requirements:

• At least 10 years of experience in strategic partnerships, business development, channel sales, or a related commercial function, with a proven record of personally building and growing strategic partnerships.

• At least 5 years of experience leading, mentoring, and scaling high-performing teams, including enabling team members to achieve ambitious revenue objectives.

• Demonstrated success sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and closing complex, high-value partnership or distribution agreements with measurable commercial impact.

• Significant experience in fintech, retirement or wealth management, payroll, employee benefits, financial services, or a closely related industry.

• Strong understanding of partner-driven distribution models, including how potential partners evaluate, purchase, integrate, and commercialize new solutions.

• Proven ability to influence and mobilize cross-functional teams across product, engineering, marketing, legal, sales, and operations without relying on direct reporting authority.

• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to negotiate effectively and build trusted relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including the ability to model channel economics, assess deal structures, evaluate return on investment, and prioritize opportunities strategically.

• Experience creating scalable processes, playbooks, and operational frameworks that enable partnership teams to grow beyond individual contributors.

• A builder’s mindset, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, establish new partnership channels, and introduce structure and momentum in a fast-moving organization.

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to connect partnership activity to broader business objectives and revenue outcomes.

• A collaborative, accountable, and customer-focused approach, with a commitment to long-term relationship building, independent decision-making, and continuous improvement.

• The ability to balance hands-on business development and negotiation with team leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development.

Benefits:

• Total on-target earnings (OTE): $700,000, comprising a base salary of $350,000 and target variable compensation of $350,000.

• Compensation tailored to relevant skills, experience, and labor market considerations.

• Stock option grants, providing an opportunity to participate in long-term company growth.

• 401(k) retirement plan with a dollar-for-dollar employer match of up to 4% of compensation, immediately vested, with no plan fees.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Competitive paid time off and parental leave.

• Access to financial wellness resources through Addition Wealth, including digital tools, financial professionals, and educational materials.

• Enhanced mental health support for employees and dependents through Lyra.

• Fertility care and family-forming benefits through Carrot.

• Student loan planning and repayment resources through Candidly.

• Monthly work-from-home stipend.

• Quarterly lifestyle stipend.

• Team-building activities, including virtual social events and team offsites.

• The opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven organization focused on expanding access to retirement benefits and improving long-term financial security for employees at small and medium-sized businesses.