Business Development Lead, Payments

Sei Foundation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Sei Foundation in New York City is seeking a Business Development Lead to accelerate payments partnerships and settlement infrastructure. You will work directly with Sei Development Foundation leadership to shape multi-party collaborations with PSPs, banks, and card issuers.

This high-impact role demands deep payments knowledge, deal-making excellence, and the ability to move partnerships from concept to launch in a fast-paced, on-site environment in NYC.

Qualifications

• Experience building partnerships with PSPs, banks, and card issuers.
• Ability to negotiate complex deals and drive partnerships to launch.
• Strong market sensing across payments trends and use cases.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic partnerships with payment service providers (PSPs), banks, card issuers, and middleware providers.
• Lead high-impact negotiations from outreach through diligence, term sheets, and launch.
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Legal, Growth, and Ecosystem teams to align on execution and deliverables.
• Track payments trends across regions, verticals, and use cases to inform growth priorities.
• Represent Sei externally at industry events and strategic conversations to position Sei as a global settlement layer.

Skills

Partnership Development

Deal Negotiation

Cross-functional Collaboration

Market Intelligence

Job description

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEADPaymentsNew York City On-Site Full-Time Position Sei as the Premier Global Settlement LayerAbout SeiSei is the first parallelized layer 1 blockchain, setting a new standard in blockchain performance and scalability. By re-writing the most widely adopted execution environment in Web3, Sei enables apps to benefit from both the performance of web2 and the decentralization and sovereignty of web3.With unparalleled speed and efficiency, Sei is positioned to become the backbone of global payments infrastructure, bridging traditional finance with blockchain technology. Layer 1First Parallelized BlockchainPaymentsBuilt for Global SettlementPerformanceWeb2 Speed + Web3 SecurityAbout the RoleWe're looking for a Business Development Lead to drive payments partnerships. This is a high-impact role for someone who knows the payments landscape inside and out. You'll work directly with Sei Development Foundation leadership, ecosystem teams, and strategic partners to position Sei as a premier chain for payments and settlement.You'll lead strategic negotiations with PSPs, enterprises, banks, and card issuers, shaping Sei's position in the global payments infrastructure landscape. This role requires deep payments expertise, exceptional deal-making skills, and the ability to navigate complex partnerships from concept to launch.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Partnership Development Drive strategic partnerships with payment service providers (PSPs), enterprises with payments use cases, banks, middleware providers, and card issuersDeal Leadership & Negotiation Lead high-impact negotiations from initial outreach through diligence, term sheets, and successful launch—owning the full partnership lifecycleCross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Legal, Growth, and Ecosystem teams to align on partnership execution and deliverablesMarket Intelligence & Strategy Track payments trends across regions, verticals, and use cases to inform Sei's broader growth priorities and strategic positioningExternal Representation & Thought Leadership Represent Sei externally at industry events, with the press, and across strategic conversations to position Sei as a global settlement layerWhat We're Looking ForInvestment & Fintech Background Experience as a VC investor at a fintech or crypto-focused firm, with deep understanding of the payments value chainPayments Ecosystem Expertise Familiarity with the payments ecosystem, including PSPs, processors, card networks, banks, and middleware providersProven Deal‑Making Track Record A proven track record of closing complex deals and driving partnerships from concept to execution with measurable impactCommunication & Negotiation Excellence Excellent communication and negotiation skills, able to explain technical value propositions to non-technical stakeholdersData-Driven Decision Making Analytical instincts and the ability to make data-driven decisions with metrics that drive ecosystem health and partnership successHigh Agency & Execution Mindset High agency, proactive, solutions-oriented, and comfortable working with ambiguity in a fast-paced environmentNice to Haves Direct experience working with major payments providers or payments startups (e.g., PayPal, Visa, Stripe, Ramp) Experience in business development or strategic partnerships at a high-growth fintech or blockchain company Experience launching or scaling payment-related products from concept to marketPosition DetailsFocus AreaPayments partnerships & settlement infrastructureKey PartnersPSPs, banks, card issuers, middleware providersLocationNew York CityWork ModelOn-SiteEmployment TypeFull-TimeDepartmentBusiness DevelopmentWhy Join Sei?Revolutionary Payments Infrastructure Position Sei as the premier global settlement layer, bridging traditional payments with blockchain technologyHigh-Impact Leadership Role Work directly with Sei Development Foundation leadership and drive strategic direction for payments partnershipsEnterprise-Scale Partnerships Build relationships with major PSPs, banks, card issuers, and enterprises transforming global paymentsFirst Parallelized Layer 1 Leverage breakthrough blockchain technology that combines web2 performance with web3 securityNYC Fintech Hub Be based in New York City at the heart of the global fintech and payments ecosystemShape the Future of Payments Define how blockchain technology transforms global payments and settlement infrastructureKnow the payments landscape inside and out?Join Sei and build the future of global settlement infrastructure!

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic partnerships with payment service providers (PSPs), enterprises with payments use cases, banks, middleware providers, and card issuers
• Lead high-impact negotiations from initial outreach through diligence, term sheets, and successful launch—owning the full partnership lifecycle
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Legal, Growth, and Ecosystem teams to align on partnership execution and deliverables
• Track payments trends across regions, verticals, and use cases to inform Sei's broader growth priorities and strategic positioning
• Represent Sei externally at industry events, with the press, and across strategic conversations to position Sei as a global settlement layer

Requirements

• Experience as a VC investor at a fintech or crypto-focused firm, with deep understanding of the payments value chain
• Familiarity with the payments ecosystem, including PSPs, processors, card networks, banks, and middleware providers
• A proven track record of closing complex deals and driving partnerships from concept to execution with measurable impact
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, able to explain technical value propositions to non-technical stakeholders
• Analytical instincts and the ability to make data-driven decisions with metrics that drive ecosystem health and partnership success
• High agency, proactive, solutions-oriented, and comfortable working with ambiguity in a fast-paced environment

Tech stack

• Business Development