Head of Sales & Partnerships – SME merchants in London

www.cardandpaymentjobs.com; City Of London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A thriving payments business in the City of London seeks a Head of Sales & Partnerships to lead commercial growth and drive merchant acquisition. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of experience in senior sales leadership within payments, with a proven track record of closing deals and building high-performing teams. This role offers the opportunity to shape strategy and influence the company's expansion in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 7+ years’ experience in senior sales and partnership leadership within payments.
• Track record of closing complex merchant and ISV deals in a high-growth environment.
• Strong knowledge of digital payments and partnership ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Build and deliver a sales and partnerships strategy that meets ambitious revenue targets.
• Lead, mentor, and grow sales and partnership teams.
• Drive merchant acquisition via direct sales and partner introductions.

Skills

Senior sales leadership

Partnership strategy

Stakeholder management

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Job description

Head of Sales & Partnerships – SME merchants

We’re looking for an ambitious Head of Sales & Partnerships to lead commercial growth at a high-growth fintech payments business. This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for driving new merchant acquisition, scaling partner channels, and building a world-class sales organisation.

This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of sales and partnerships at a fast-scaling payments business. You’ll shape strategy, lead a growing team, and directly influence the company’s next phase of expansion. If you’re a results-driven commercial leader who thrives on building teams and closing deals, we’d love to hear from you

Job Scope

As Head of Sales & Partnerships, you’ll own the full sales lifecycle — from lead generation through to deal closing — and lead all commercial initiatives across both direct merchant sales and strategic partnerships. You’ll shape go-to-market strategies, manage high-performing teams, and ensure our payment solutions are aligned with client needs.

Reporting directly to the Chief Revenue Officer, you’ll also work closely with product, marketing, and client success to drive company-wide growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and deliver a sales and partnerships strategy that meets ambitious revenue targets.
• Lead, mentor, and grow sales and partnership teams, setting clear KPIs and objectives.
• Drive merchant acquisition in key SMB verticals via direct sales and partner introductions.
• Develop and scale ISV and technology partnership programmes.
• Oversee affiliate and referral networks to increase inbound opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to align sales, product, and marketing efforts.
• Report regularly to the executive team on performance, pipeline, and growth forecasts.

What We’re Looking For

• 7+ years’ experience in senior sales and partnership leadership within payments.
• Track record of closing complex merchant and ISV deals in a high-growth environment.
• Strong knowledge of digital payments, merchant services, and partnership ecosystems.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills.
• Empathetic leadership style with proven success in building and motivating high-performing teams.
• Analytical, data-driven, and commercially minded.
• Comfortable with regular travel to meet clients and partners.