Product Manager - Partnerships

IDFC FIRST Bank; Mumbai; On-site; INR 2,500,000 - 4,500,000; Full time

Job summary

IDFC FIRST Bank is seeking a Product Manager - Partnerships to lead end-to-end partnership programs. You will coordinate with lending, operations, technology, finance, compliance and sales teams to drive partner productivity and business growth.

The role emphasizes onboarding, implementation, vendor relationships, and performance tracking across multiple product lines with a focus on activation and payouts.

Qualifications

• MBA/PGDM from a reputed institute.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Partner relationship management and governance with assigned partners.
• End-to-end onboarding of new partners with cross-functional coordination.
• Coordinate with IT, Product and Sales teams for partner integrations and API work.
• Drive partner activation, training and business growth through campaigns.
• Monitor KPIs, prepare dashboards and activation/payout reports.
• Ensure timely payouts and adherence to commercial agreements.
• Collaborate with multiple departments to meet partner requirements.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Lending products understanding

Project management

MIS reporting

Communication & presentation

Process improvement

Cross-department collaboration

Education

MBA/PGDM

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Finance/Engineering

Job description

Job Description:

Job Requirements

Role Purpose

The Product Manager - Partnerships will be responsible for end-to-end management of strategic partnership programs, ensuring seamless onboarding, operational excellence, product implementation, partner engagement, and business activation. The role will act as the central coordination point between external partners, lending businesses, operations, technology, finance, compliance, and sales teams to drive partner productivity and business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Partner Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned partners.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partner leadership and operational teams.
• Conduct regular business reviews and governance meetings with partners.
• Resolve partner escalations and ensure high service standards.

Partner Onboarding & Implementation

• Manage end-to-end onboarding of new partners.
• Coordinate with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, Finance, Product, and Technology teams for partner onboarding.
• Ensure timely completion of agreements, process approvals, and system integrations.
• Drive implementation timelines and track onboarding milestones.

Product & Technology Coordination

• Work closely with all lending product teams including Home Loans, LAP, Business Loans, Personal Loans, Microfinance, Rural Lending, and other business units.
• Coordinate with IT and digital teams for partner integration, workflow creation, API implementation, lead management systems, and process automation.
• Identify process gaps and drive technology-led enhancements.

VLE/Agent Activation & Business Growth

• Drive activation and productivity of VLEs (Village Level Entrepreneurs), agents, and partner resources.
• Coordinate with lending sales teams for training, activation, lead generation, and business conversion.
• Monitor productivity metrics and develop action plans to improve performance.
• Design and execute engagement initiatives to increase partner participation and business contribution.

Payouts & Financial Management

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of partner payouts, incentives, and commissions.
• Coordinate with Finance and Operations teams to resolve payout-related issues.
• Maintain payout MIS and reconciliation reports.
• Ensure adherence to approved commercial agreements.

Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with Sales, Product, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Finance, Marketing, and Technology teams.
• Drive closure of partner requirements within agreed timelines.
• Ensure alignment between business objectives and partner expectations.

Performance Monitoring & MIS

• Track business performance against agreed KPIs.
• Prepare and present dashboards, business reviews, activation reports, payout summaries, and productivity analysis.
• Identify growth opportunities and recommend corrective actions.

Training & Enablement

• Coordinate training programs for partner teams and sales teams.
• Develop partner onboarding kits, product guides, process manuals, and communication material.
• Ensure continuous capability building of partner resources.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Partner onboarding TAT
• Partner activation rate
• Active VLE/Agent percentage
• Business sourced through partnerships
• Lead conversion ratio
• Partner satisfaction score
• Payout processing accuracy and TAT
• Technology implementation milestones
• Productivity per active partner/VLE
• Revenue and portfolio contribution from partnerships

Desired Candidate Profile

Education

• MBA/PGDM from a reputed institute preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field.

Experience

• 5 to 10 years of experience in Partnerships, Product Management, Lending, Business Development, Fintech, Rural Banking, or Channel Management.
• Experience in managing large distribution or partnership networks.
• Exposure to Banking, NBFC, Fintech, CSC ecosystem, or Rural Financial Services preferred.

Skills Required

• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• Understanding of lending products and distribution channels.
• Project management and execution excellence.
• Analytical and MIS reporting capabilities.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Process improvement and problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to work across multiple departments and drive outcomes without direct authority.

Preferred Background

Candidates from Banking, NBFCs, Fintechs, CSC ecosystem, Business Correspondent networks, Rural Distribution organizations, or Digital Partnership roles with experience in managing partner onboarding, activation, and business growth programs will be preferred.