Strategic Partnerships Manager

Equals; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension

Life assurance

Health insurance through BUPA

Employee Assistance Programme (24/7)

25 days holiday + birthday off

Cycle to work scheme

Season Ticket Loans

Gym access in London

Interbank currency rates for travel/ox

Job summary

Equals is expanding its UK and European network of infrastructure partners. The role focuses on identifying and onboarding tier-one acquirers and managing day-to-day relationships with schemes and processors. You will shape how we run partnerships, drive commercial returns, and scale globally as Equals grows, with clear ownership of contracts and renewals.

Qualifications

• Experience building and managing partner networks.
• Ability to negotiate commercial terms with partners.
• Strong stakeholder management across teams.

Responsibilities

• Build and expand our partner network, identifying gaps and bringing on board new partners.
• Own end-to-end commercials for new infrastructure partners, from first contact to signed agreements.
• Manage partner performance, including SLA reviews and escalation when needed.
• Maintain visibility of activities, pipeline and performance in HubSpot and Notion.

Skills

Partner management

Commercial negotiation

Stakeholder management

Tools

HubSpot

Notion

Job description

• Equals runs on a network of infrastructure partners: schemes and processors; acquirers; and BIN sponsors and issuing partners
• This role builds that network out and helps keep it running well
• It also covers the strategic platforms side of the business, where part of the job is working out which relationships are genuine commercial partnerships and which are suppliers we happen to run on
• The role divides roughly in half with half of it is number-driven: new partners brought on and taken live; the commercial return on the volume we route out through two-way partnerships; and the other half is building the network and managing the partnerships in it: finding the right partners; and running the relationships we already have so they work for both sides
• You will find, approach and bring on new acquiring partners, tier-one acquirers among them, and own those commercials end to end
• Alongside that you will be a key part of the day-to-day relationship with the schemes and processors we already work with, where the top relationship stays with the department head
• The estate is UK and European today
• As Equals expands, these become global relationships, and there is a clear route for this role to grow in scope and seniority alongside them
• Be a key part of the day-to-day relationship with our existing schemes and processors, escalating what needs the department head
• Build out our network of infrastructure partners, acquiring first: find the gaps; approach the right partners; and bring them on board
• Own the commercials with new infrastructure partners end to end, from first conversation through to signed agreement
• Own partner performance, including service and SLA reviews, and escalation when something goes wrong
• Manage the volume we route out through two-way partnerships, and the commercial return that comes with it
• Work out where each platform relationship belongs, commercial partner or supplier, and manage it accordingly
• Work with Legal and Procurement on partner contracts and renewals, ensuring that what gets signed gives the business what it actually needs
• Build the way we run these relationships: review cadence; escalation routes; and the reporting the business needs from them
• Keep partner activity, pipeline and performance visible in HubSpot and Notion

Benefits

• Contributory pension
• Life assurance
• Health insurance through BUPA
• Our Employee Assistance Programme offers a 24/7 confidential advice line for health, bereavement and other areas of support
• 25 days holiday per year + your birthday off
• We are members of the cycle to work scheme
• We offer Season Ticket Loans
• Free onsite Nuffield Health gym & pool (London) and discounted gym membership elsewhere
• Interbank currency rates on travel money and international transfers
• Opportunities for progression, development and learning new skills

Work with Legal and Procurement on partner contracts and renewals, ensuring that what gets signed gives the business what it actually needsBuild out our network of infrastructure partners, acquiring first: find the gaps; approach the right partners; and bring them on boardKeep partner activity, pipeline and performance visible in HubSpot and NotionBuild the way we run these relationships: review cadence; escalation routes; and the reporting the business needs from themBe a key part of the day-to-day relationship with our existing schemes and processors, escalating what needs the department headOwn the commercials with new infrastructure partners end to end, from first conversation through to signed agreementManage the volume we route out through two-way partnerships, and the commercial return that comes with itOwn partner performance, including service and SLA reviews, and escalation when something goes wrongWork out where each platform relationship belongs, commercial partner or supplier, and manage it accordinglySelf-motivated, sets up their own activity rather than waiting to be directedWorks well with people they do not manage: product; engineering; legal; procurement; and finance all sit in this role’s pathComfortable carrying a number and reporting against itKeeps a clear head when a partner has an incident, and is direct about what we need from them to resolve itA builder. The network is still being built and so is the way we run it. You will be defining the processes for managing these relationships as much as following them, and driving new partnershipsComfortable holding a commercial conversation with a large counterparty, and holding a line on terms