Strategic Partnerships Manager, Bank & Program Launch

Responsibilities

• Own ongoing relationship management with issuing bank partners as the primary contact for program status, open issues, and escalations.
• Manage partner expectations across active programs by proactively communicating risks, delays, and open items.
• Lead or support new co-brand program launches from kickoff through go-live, including partner materials, legal and compliance milestones, and launch timelines.
• Translate internal workstreams into clear, partner-ready updates in collaboration with Compliance, Legal, Product, and Engineering.
• Build and maintain trackers, status reports, and governance cadences such as partner check-ins and steering committees.
• Represent Cardless in partner meetings, including meetings with senior bank stakeholders, and prepare internal teams for those conversations.
• Identify and resolve friction involving rewards, payments, disputes, and other program mechanics before escalation.
• Support due diligence and onboarding for new bank and brand partners.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in partnerships, account management, program management, or a related client-facing role, ideally in fintech, banking, or another regulated industry.
• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder relationships involving technical, legal, and business considerations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill complex cross-functional work into clear partner updates.
• Proactive communication and risk-management skills.
• Experience working cross-functionally with compliance, legal, product, and engineering teams.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and building processes from scratch.
• Based in or willing to work onsite in San Francisco.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with card issuing, co-brand credit card programs, or issuing banks.
• Familiarity with regulatory considerations for bank-fintech partnerships, including third-party risk management and program governance.
• Experience launching products or programs from contract signing through go-live.

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual starting salary: $150,000–$200,000, plus equity and benefits.
• Meaningful startup equity.
• Health, vision, and dental coverage.
• Catered lunches.
• $250/month commuter benefit.
• Parental leave.
• Team-building events and happy hours.
• Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off per year.
• Apple equipment.
• 401(k) plan.