Sales - Card Acceptance

JR United Kingdom; London; Remote; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global payments organization is seeking a Business Development Manager to drive card acceptance growth in the UK. This role focuses on engaging non-accepting merchants, leveraging strong negotiation skills and industry knowledge. Join a pioneering direct sales team and influence the future of card acceptance across key sectors.

Benefits

Attractive daily rate of £450

Potential for contract extension

Qualifications

• Proven experience in direct merchant sales, particularly in card acceptance.
• Strong track record of engaging non-accepting merchants.
• Excellent commercial negotiation skills and ability to influence at C-level.

Responsibilities

• Identify and win new merchant acceptance deals within target verticals.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline across the UK market.
• Lead negotiations and close agreements directly with merchants.

Skills

Commercial negotiation

Sales execution

Industry knowledge of card schemes

Self-starter mentality

Job description

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Business Development Manager – Card Acceptance

Location: United Kingdom (Remote/Field-Based)

Contract: 12-Month Contract

Start Date: Immediate

Number of Positions: 6

About the Opportunity:

A leading global payments organisation—recently acquired by a major financial institution—is launching its first-ever Direct Sales Team in the UK to accelerate card acceptance growth for a major Third-Party Card Scheme.

This initiative is a direct response to the slow uptake of acceptance through traditional acquiring channels, and now seeks experienced merchant-facing sales professionals to help drive adoption across key verticals:

• Airlines
• Hotels & Hospitality
• Transport & Travel
• Entertainment
• Restaurants & Dining

This is a high-impact, strategic opportunity to join a fast-moving, change-driven environment focused on tangible commercial outcomes and growth.

The Role:

As Senior Principal Business Development, you will be responsible for identifying, targeting, and onboarding hold-out UK merchants who currently do not accept the Third-Party Card Scheme. Using a direct-to-merchant sales approach, you’ll drive acceptance adoption, collaborating closely with internal compliance, pricing, risk, and commercial stakeholders.

This is a hands-on role requiring strong commercial acumen, sales execution, and deep industry knowledge of merchant acquiring and card acceptance dynamics.

Key Responsibilities:

-Identify, engage, and win new merchant acceptance deals within target verticals.

-Build and manage a robust pipeline across the UK market.

-Lead negotiations and close agreements directly with merchants.

-Respond to RFPs and create tailored proposals for target businesses.

• Strategic Deal Structuring (25%)

-Create compelling business cases for internal approval (Pricing, Risk, AML).

-Influence internal stakeholders to support and prioritise opportunities.

• Sales Innovation & Collaboration (20%)

-Work closely with internal teams to refine the sales proposition.

-Gather and apply feedback from merchants to shape solutions.

• Account Relationship Growth (10%)

-Develop trusted relationships with key merchants and partners.

-Support post-sale engagement to maximise transaction volume and value.

• Industry Representation (10%)

-Attend relevant exhibitions, networking events, and industry forums to represent the brand and support growth.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven experience in direct merchant sales—particularly card acceptance, payments, acquiring, or fintech.
• Strong track record of winning over non-accepting merchants or those loyal to other schemes.
• Industry knowledge of card scheme dynamics (e.g. Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Third-Party Schemes).
• Familiarity with how UK acquirers (Barclaycard, Worldpay, etc.) support card scheme acceptance.
• Excellent commercial negotiation skills and ability to influence at C-level.
• Self-starter with a hunter mindset and ability to work independently in a fast-paced project.
• Sales experience in one or more target verticals is highly desirable.

Why This Role Stands Out:

• Be part of a first-of-its-kind direct sales team in the UK.
• Influence the future of card acceptance in strategically important sectors.
• High-visibility role with clear commercial KPIs and stakeholder engagement.
• Attractive daily rate of £450 (inside IR35) over a 12-month contract.
• Potential for contract extension or longer-term opportunity based on performance.

Apply Now:

If you’re a true hunter with deep experience in card acceptance, merchant sales, and breaking into hard-to-win accounts—this is your opportunity to drive major industry change and deliver tangible results.