Director, Start Path Lead - APAC

MasterCard; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading company as a Regional Partnerships Director to drive fintech collaboration across APAC. You will develop strategies and manage key partnerships, ensuring impactful commercial deals. This role demands a strong commercial acumen and exceptional relationship-building skills, working in a dynamic environment with significant influence.

Qualifications

• Strong track record in partner management and strategic business development.
• Ability to work in ambiguous environments and deliver results.
• Experience in engaging with fintechs and understanding emerging technologies.

Responsibilities

• Drive collaboration and innovation with fintech partners.
• Develop and manage fintech distribution strategies.
• Facilitate and close commercial partnerships with strategic fintechs.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Consultative selling

Negotiation skills

Relationship building

Influencing skills

Job description

Job Title:

Director, Start Path Lead - APAC

Overview:

• Are you motivated by a fast-paced environment where you would be a subject matter expert, a connector, and a leader with a reputation for impact?
• Do you have a passion for later-stage startups and emerging technology, and possess an entrepreneurial spirit?
• Are you compelled to win and wish you could work in an environment that has the nimbleness of a fintech and works with fintechs globally?
• Do you thrive on building strategic partnerships, facilitating impactful commercial deals, and driving innovative distribution strategies in high-growth product areas?

Start Path is Mastercard’s award-winning, global fintech engagement program through which Mastercard engages with later-stage fintechs to drive product development and commercial opportunities across the company. Over the last ten years, Start Path has worked with over 480 companies across more than 60 countries. The Start Path team is agile, cross-functional group which works with multiple teams across the organization and partners in the external ecosystem to engage the best later-stage fintechs across the globe.

We are now seeking a Regional Partnerships Director to work at the
intersection between our fintechs, customers as well as internal product and commercial teams to drive collaboration, innovation and value.

THE ROLE:
• Ensure best-in-class sourcing of fintechs through relationship building with external ecosystem (e.g. investor network, ecosystem partners)
• Partner with regional product teams to identify opportunities for new product development and expanded distribution that can be unlocked via fintech partnerships
• Develop regional fintech distribution strategy, identifying and onboarding Mastercard resellers, system integrators, and other indirect sales partners
• Facilitate and close commercial deals with strategic fintech partners that align with business objectives, ensuring mutual value creation
• Manage top fintech accounts to drive product development and distribution, and track commercial outcomes to demonstrate business value
• Function as a regional expert; consolidate and synthesize signals from fintech, investment, regulatory landscape to central Start Path team and product teams
• Work closely with regional account teams to evangelize the Start Path program and train Account Managers and Sales teams on how Start Path creates commercial value for Mastercard and our customers
• Contribute to evaluation and selection of fintechs pre-programme and mentoring of fintechs during programme
• Create a go-to-market strategy to maximize commercial engagements between fintechs and customers
• Cultivate effective senior level relationships in the region, building rapport and trust with Mastercard customers

ALL ABOUT YOU:
• Strong commercial acumen and track record of identifying strategic partnerships that drive business value
• Ability to build valuable relationships with ecosystem partners and customers
• Expert consultative selling, influencing, and negotiation skills
• Quick learner of emerging technologies, demonstrating thought leadership
• Customer-focused, solutions-driven, with a strong sense of urgency
• Proven ability to take accountability and deliver results in ambiguous environments
• Multi-disciplinary expertise in product development, business development, marketing, and client relationship management