Senior Director, Partner Business Development

Affirm is reinventing credit to make it more honest and friendly, giving consumers the flexibility to buy now and pay later without any hidden fees or compounding interest.

We are seeking a highly accomplished and results-oriented Senior Director of Business Development to lead our strategic partnership efforts within key distribution channels. This pivotal role will be responsible for sourcing, negotiating, signing, and critically, activating and scaling impactful partnerships across Payment Service Providers (PSPs), Gateways, E-commerce Platforms, and emerging verticals such as Travel and Invoicing.

Reporting directly to the VP of SMB and Distribution Partnerships, the Senior Director will lead and mentor a team of approximately 5 Business Development professionals, driving the identification and execution of high-value partnerships that significantly expand Affirm's reach and drive merchant adoption.

What you'll do:

• Strategic Partnership Development: Define and execute a comprehensive strategy for identifying, prioritizing, and securing strategic partnerships within target verticals (PSPs, Gateways, E-commerce Platforms, Travel, Invoicing, etc.).
• End-to-End Partnership Lifecycle: Lead the full partnership lifecycle, from initial opportunity identification and qualification through negotiation, contract execution, and successful activation and ongoing management.
• Activation and Scalability Focus: Develop and implement robust activation plans in collaboration with internal teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales) to ensure signed partnerships translate into significant merchant adoption and transaction volume.
• Team Leadership and Development: Build, lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of Business Development professionals, fostering a collaborative and results-driven environment.
• Market Expertise and Insights: Maintain a deep understanding of the payments landscape, industry trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging opportunities within target verticals.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, 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.

What we look for:

• 10 years of progressive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or related roles within the payments industry, financial technology, 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 successful partnership activation strategies that result in tangible outcomes (e.g., merchant adoption, transaction volume).
• Strong understanding of the ecosystem within PSPs, Gateways, E-commerce Platforms, and ideally, experience in emerging verticals like Travel and Invoicing.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a proven ability to build, lead, and motivate high-performing teams.
• 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; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Affirm offers a competitive compensation package, including a salary range of $300,000 - $375,000 per year, depending on location and experience, as well as equity and benefits. We are proud to be a remote-first company, with the majority of our roles allowing remote work.

Affirm is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. We are committed to providing a fair and inclusive hiring process.