Partnerships Lead
Role Summary
As Partnerships Lead, you will own and scale the company’s strategic partner ecosystem in the acquiring and digital payments market. You will lead high-impact partnerships with banks, acquirers, PSPs, PayFacs, wallets, telcos, government-linked entities, and enterprise merchants to drive transaction growth, product adoption, and long-term commercial value.
This is a senior, hands-on role combining strategy, commercial ownership, and execution, requiring deep knowledge of the payments ecosystem and the ability to build trusted relationships across regulated financial institutions and key ecosystem partners.
Responsibilities:
Partnership Strategy & Ownership
Define and execute the partnerships strategy aligned with company growth objectives and market demands.
Identify, prioritize, and develop strategic partnerships across banks, acquirers, PSPs, PayFacs, wallets, POS providers, and government-linked entities.
Build and manage a high-value partner pipeline focused on driving transaction volume, merchant acquisition, and revenue growth.
Establish clear KPIs and success metrics for partner performance and long-term impact.
Commercial Leadership & Deal Execution
Own end-to-end commercial negotiations, including pricing, MDR structures, revenue share models, SLAs, and contractual terms.
Structure partnerships that align with local market economics, scheme rules, and regulatory requirements.
Develop business cases for new partnerships, product launches, and expansion opportunities.
Drive joint go-to-market initiatives with partners to acquire and activate SME and enterprise merchants.
Partner Execution & Growth
Manage the full partner lifecycle: sourcing, onboarding, integration, launch, optimisation, and retention.
Drive adoption of acquiring and value-added payment products such as POS, SoftPOS, QR payments, online acquiring, APIs, wallets, and value-added services.
Identify high-impact use cases across key verticals (retail, F&B, e-commerce, marketplaces, mobility, government payments).
Activate co-selling, joint marketing, and enablement initiatives to maximize partner-led growth.
Cross-Functional & Regulatory Collaboration
Work closely with Product, Engineering, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Operations, and Sales to ensure smooth partner integrations and launches.
Navigate local regulatory and scheme requirements (e.g., Central Bank, card schemes) impacting acquiring and payment partnerships.
Act as the internal voice of the partner ecosystem, translating external needs into product and commercial priorities.
Ecosystem Engagement & Representation
Represent the company in industry forums, partner meetings, and ecosystem events.
Build senior-level relationships with banks, regulators, and strategic partners.
Monitor market trends, competitive developments, and regulatory changes to inform partnership strategy.
Requirements:
8+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or commercial roles within payments, fintech, acquiring, or financial services.
Strong understanding of the payments ecosystem, including banks, PSPs, PayFacs, and local schemes.
Proven track record of closing and scaling strategic partnerships that drive material revenue or transaction growth.
Strong commercial negotiation and deal-structuring skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
Fluent English required; Arabic is a plus.
- Locations
- Dubai
Already working at Astra Tech?
Let’s recruit together and find your next colleague.