Partner Manager

Applause; India; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Applause is a recognized leader in software testing and UX research solutions. We are seeking a Partnership Manager in India to identify and pursue strategic partnerships that align with business goals.

You will lead partner relationships across PSP Banks, NPCI, and ecosystem partners, driving launches, go-to-market strategies, and compliance initiatives while optimizing costs in merchant acquiring.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or product management in banking/payments.
• Experience with C-level executives and cross-functional leadership across management levels.
• Led cross-functional teams on partner programs, product features, and compliance initiatives.
• Expert in managing partnerships and negotiating deals with banks, fintechs, and regulators.
• Experience with payments/banking regulators and merchant acquiring.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and pursue strategic partnership opportunities aligned with business goals.
• Lead partner relationships and drive engagements across PSP Banks, NPCI, and ecosystem partners.
• Drive launches, go-to-market, business growth, compliance, transformation and cost optimization initiatives for merchant acquiring.
• Resolve escalations and regulatory issues, leading cross-functional and partner teams.
• Drive contractual alignment and agreement closure for work streams.
• Lead industry thought leadership with cross-functional partners.
• Drive business growth and cost optimization for acquiring work streams and more.

Skills

Strategic partnership development

Cross-functional leadership

Negotiation with banks/fintech/regul

Regulatory/compliance knowledge

Payments industry expertise

Executive stakeholder management

Education

Master degree or equivalent practical experience

Job description

Applause is raising the bar for digital quality and employee experience. Recognized as a Top Workplace, Applause provides award-winning software testing and UX research solutions to top brands. Our fully managed services leverage a global team and the world's largest independent testing community. We improve digital experiences for global innovators like Google, Microsoft, PayPal, Starbucks, Vodafone, and BMW.

As a Partnership Manager you will Identify, evaluate, and pursue strategic partnership opportunities aligned with business goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead partner relationships, and drive partner engagements across PSP Banks, NPCI, and ecosystem partners.
• Drive launches, go-to-market, business growth, compliance, transformation and cost
• optimization initiatives for merchant acquiring business
• Resolve critical escalations, regulatory issues, leading XFN and partner teams
• Drive contractual and legal alignment and agreement closure for work streams.
• Drive thought leadership on the industry and ecosystem with cross-functional partners.
• Drive business growth and cost optimization for acquiring work streams and more.

Job Requirements and Preferred Skills:

• Master degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 6+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, product management in the Banking/ Payments verticals
• Experience working with C-level executives and cross-functionally across all levels of management.
• Experience in leading cross-functional teams on partner programs for launching new product features, adherence to compliance, improve reliability, etc
• Expert in managing partnerships, negotiating deals, contracts with banks, fintech, regulators
• Experience in the payments or banking industry including regulators,working with digital payments, and merchant acquiring
• Well versed in leading operations/ cross-functional teams on escalations, formulating SOPs
• Experience driving results in an organization
• Excellent partnerships, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Why Applause?

We’re proud to cultivate an inspiring, engaging employee culture that’s consistently reflected in high employee retention rates and satisfaction. Our talented team - known as Applause Nation - is set up for success with the latest collaboration and learning tools, opportunities for career advancement, and more.

• We have a flexible work environment with top talent from across the globe
• Collaborate with an international team of 450+ passionate, talented co-workers
• Expand your portfolio with exciting, hands-on projects providing exposure to well-known, global brands
• Learn and grow through structured onboarding, in-house knowledge sessions and access to thousands of virtual courses available on demand
• Incorporate AI and other exciting technologies into your work, to help you prioritize and boost productivity
• Experience a supportive culture that emphasizes teamwork, innovation and transparency
• Share your voice! Contribute and integrate creative and innovative ideas across roles and departments

Applause Core Values:

As a global employee community, we strive to uphold the following core values, which are critical to business success and how we measure individual and team performance. Do you share our core values?

• Be Accountable: You love to take ownership, and hold yourself and others accountable to increase empowerment and success.
• Celebrate Authenticity: You love bringing your true self to work and creating genuine and trustful relationships within a diverse environment.
• In It Together: You have a team-first mindset and love collaborating with your peers.
• Create Value for Our Customers: You love delivering meaningful business impact and being a release partner for all aspects of digital quality.
• Crush Your Goals: You always strive for excellence and constantly seek ways to be better, more effective and more efficient.