Strategic Partnership Specialist

Lead is a fintech building banking infrastructure for embedded financial products and services. We operate an FDIC-insured bank headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Additionally, we have offices in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and New York City, where our technical, product, design, and legal teams operate.

We are built for a constantly evolving financial landscape, where new ventures and technological advancements emerge daily. Guided by a team of entrepreneurs and technologists with decades of experience navigating intricate banking and payments regulations, Lead blends regulatory and technological expertise to help our fintech partners scale their operations with compliance and creativity.

Simply put, Lead offers the essential attributes that every fintech seeks in a partner bank. First, unparalleled technical expertise from a distinguished team of developers with an extensive understanding of the banking and payments systems. Second, oversight expertise, automated compliance systems, and bespoke program management to navigate the ever-shifting regulatory landscape. Finally, a commitment to transparency and operational rigor to ensure everyone’s money does what it’s supposed to do.

The Strategic Partnerships team is responsible for sourcing, structuring, and signing new fintech-bank partnerships with new and existing clients in the fintech and digital asset space. As a Strategic Partnerships Specialist, you will report to the Head of Strategic Partnerships and support the broader Strategic Partnerships team with execution of Lead’s growth initiatives.

As an external-facing representative of Lead, you will serve as a first point of contact for those that want to learn more about us. This role is equal parts “bouncer” and “business development” and plays a critical role in determining which programs our team will pursue beyond initial discovery. You will help scale Lead’s go-to-market operations by developing & implementing playbooks, processes, and tools that improve our deal execution across all stages and are expected to maintain an in-market network to support deal flow and intelligence on the broader ecosystem we operate in.

• Be a first point of contact for prospective partners that want to learn more about Lead

• Qualify top of funnel opportunities for fit with Lead’s Ideal Partner Profile

• Coordinate end-to-end deal execution (sourcing, structuring, signing) of new programs for new and existing partners

• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment on deal structure, program scope, and execution.

• Present updates to stakeholders internally and externally, including Founders and executive leadership.

• Utilize and maintain deal management tooling, playbooks, and processes.

• Develop materials such as pitch decks, proposals, and onboarding documentation.

• Contribute insights to help scale the partnerships function, processes, and strategy.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience & Expertise

• 4+ years of experience in strategic partnerships involving fintechs and/or banks, venture investing (with fintech/banking/digital assets focus a plus), or a related function within the fintech, sponsor bank, VC, or broader financial services industry.

• Proven track record of identifying high signal opportunities in a high volume environment and championing deals to senior leaders/investment committee

• Strong understanding of the sponsor banking landscape, including BaaS models, regulatory considerations, and the operational nuances of fintech-bank relationships.

• Experience working cross-functionally with legal, compliance, risk, product, and operations teams to facilitate partner success and internal alignment.

Strategic & Operational Acumen

• Strong commercial acumen and “deal sense” with an ability to analyze and underwrite potential partnerships both for immediate and long-term potential

• Skilled in deal lifecycle management, including structuring and negotiating complex, positive-sum partnerships

• Proficiency in using BD and partnership infrastructure - including CRM systems, pipeline management processes, and internal reporting.

Communication & Relationship Management

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting to and collaborating with external management-level stakeholders.

• Comfortable serving as a key point of contact to fintech partners and industry forums.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a proactive and collaborative mindset.

Tools & Technical Proficiency

• Experience creating, using, and improving systems to support BD and partnership workflows (CRM, demo tools, etc.)

• High proficiency in developing pitch decks, memos, and other external-facing materials.

• Bonus: Experience at fintech startups, traditional financial institutions, or venture investing