Director, Strategic Business Development – Fintech & Payments

Engine is redefining how businesses experience travel — and the strategic partnerships that power our growth are central to that mission. As Director, Strategic Business Development – Fintech & Payments, you will own our most consequential Fintech & Payments partnerships from first conversation through long-term scale. This is a full-cycle role: you source it, negotiate it, close it, and grow it. You will build deep executive relationships across the Fintech & Payments landscape, structure complex high-value deals, and ultimately build and lead a team beneath you as this vertical scales. If you thrive at the intersection of strategic thinking and relentless execution — and you want to build something that matters at a category-defining company — this is your role.

What You'll Do

• Full-Cycle Partnership Ownership: Own the end-to-end lifecycle for Fintech & Payments partnerships — from initial outreach and qualification through negotiation, close, onboarding, and long-term growth. You bring it in, you scale it.
• Pipeline Development: Identify, qualify, and build a high-value pipeline of Fintech & Payments partnerships, each with the potential to reach $100M+ in annual volume. Manage a named account list, tier opportunities strategically, and self-source with creativity and urgency.
• Executive-Level Negotiation: Lead complex, multi-stakeholder deal negotiations with C-suite and VP-level decision-makers at Fintech & Payments organizations. Craft compelling partnership structures that drive durable mutual value.
• Vertical Expertise & Market Intelligence: Develop and maintain deep knowledge of the Fintech & Payments landscape — key players, buying dynamics, competitive forces, regulatory considerations, and partnership models that unlock distribution or revenue at scale.
• Post-Close Relationship Leadership: Serve as Engine's primary executive relationship owner for Fintech & Payments partners post-close. Drive retention, expansion, and partner satisfaction across your portfolio.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Product, Marketing, Revenue Operations, and Finance to craft tailored proposals, support partner onboarding, and ensure Engine's platform capabilities match Fintech & Payments partner needs.
• Industry Representation: Represent Engine at Fintech & Payments-relevant conferences, industry events, and executive forums. Build Engine's brand and credibility in the market.
• Pipeline Rigor & Forecasting: Maintain a well-organized, accurate pipeline in Salesforce. Forecast clearly, communicate progress to leadership, and leverage tools like ZoomInfo, Outreach, and Gong to drive efficiency.
• Team Building: As the Fintech & Payments vertical matures and scales, recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing BD team beneath you. You're not just a dealmaker — you're building a business within a business.

What We're Looking For

• Fintech & Payments Expertise: 10+ years of strategic BD, partnerships, or enterprise sales experience with a demonstrated focus in Fintech & Payments. Deep network and established credibility within the Fintech & Payments ecosystem.
• Partnership Track Record: Proven history of sourcing, structuring, and closing complex B2B partnerships at significant scale — not just transactional deals. You've managed high-value portfolios and know what it takes to win and keep strategic accounts.
• Executive Presence: Strong executive presence with the ability to navigate complex organizations, build trust with senior stakeholders, and lead high-stakes conversations at the C-suite level.
• Builder's Mindset: You create the playbook as you go. You thrive in environments without a defined script, identify the right path forward independently, and turn ambiguity into momentum.
• Leadership Orientation: Experience building, managing, or mentoring BD or sales teams — and a genuine drive to scale a high-performing team as this vertical grows.
• Commercial Acumen: Ability to model and communicate the commercial value of complex deals. Comfortable with deal economics, partnership structures, and cross-functional alignment on contract terms.
• Industry Bonus: Experience in travel, fintech, SaaS, or marketplace platforms is a strong plus. Familiarity with the corporate travel ecosystem is an advantage.