ANZ Head of Startups & Ecosystem Growth

Airwallex; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Airwallex is seeking a Head of Startups, ANZ to shape the Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem and build the commercial engine behind it. You will connect ecosystem partnerships, founder programmes and segment sales into one high-performing motion that drives pipeline, activation, conversion, adoption and revenue contribution.

You’ll work from our Sydney or Melbourne office three days a week, leading cross-functional teams across sales, partnerships, marketing and community to deliver

Qualifications

• Experience in venture capital, a venture platform team, startup partnerships, or a commercial leadership role focused on the startup ecosystem
• A track record of building and scaling programmes, functions or go-to-market motions with clear structure, process and performance metrics
• Experience working closely with sales teams and contributing to pipeline and revenue outcomes
• Strong understanding of the ANZ startup landscape, with an established network or the credibility to build one quickly
• Commercially minded and data-driven, with experience owning or influencing growth KPIs
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills, with the ability to align multiple stakeholders around a shared strategy and operating model
• Experience in fintech, payments, SaaS infrastructure or developer platforms
• Experience as a founder, investor, or operator within a startup or accelerator environment
• A track record of scaling an existing ecosystem, programme or segment motion
• Comfort operating in both external and internal leadership settings, from founder engagement through to process and operating cadence design
• Experience supporting startups with international expansion

Responsibilities

• Own the ANZ startup strategy and operating model across sales, partnerships, community, events and startup-focused programmes, including Latitude 37
• Build repeatable acquisition and engagement motions across founder, portfolio and ecosystem channels, with effective lead-routing and handoff processes into the broader commercial organisation
• Establish clear operating rhythms across sales, partnerships, marketing and community teams to improve coordination and execution
• Expand and deepen relationships with leading VCs, accelerators, incubators and founder networks across ANZ, while representing Airwallex through events, partner engagement and founder-facing activity
• Track segment performance, programme effectiveness and ROI, using data to refine the approach and report clearly to leadership

Skills

Venture capital

Startup partnerships

Commercial leadership

Go-to-market

Growth KPIs

Cross-functional leadership

ANZ startup network

Job description

Airwallex is seeking a Head of Startups, ANZ to shape the Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem and build the commercial engine behind it. You will connect ecosystem partnerships, founder programmes and segment sales into one high-performing motion that drives pipeline, activation, conversion, adoption and revenue contribution.

You’ll work from our Sydney or Melbourne office three days a week, leading cross-functional teams across sales, partnerships, marketing and community to deliver