Partnerships Manager

Liquid Thought Group; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Liquid Thought Group in Cape Town, South Africa, seeks a Partnerships Manager to identify, secure and grow strategic fintech partnerships that drive customer acquisition, revenue and market reach. You will manage relationships across retail, banking, technology and distribution partners, helping shape a partnership ecosystem that differentiates the business.

You will collaborate with product, marketing, operations and technology teams to launch partner propositions and integrations, while

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in partnerships, business development or key account management.
• Experience in fintech, banking, payments, retail or financial services.
• Proven ability to negotiate and close commercial partnerships.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to build business cases and manage partner P&L.
• Excellent relationship building, negotiation and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate and prioritise new partnership opportunities aligned with commercial strategy.
• Lead negotiations and structure commercial agreements delivering mutual value.
• Build a pipeline of partners across retail, banking, technology and distribution.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship building

Presentations

Data analytics

AI in partnerships

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Commerce/Marketing or related field

Job description

PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Our client, a Cape Town based business operating in the fintech space, is focused on changing how people access and experience financial services. With ambitious growth plans ahead, they are building the commercial team that will drive their expansion.

Main purpose of the role

Our client is looking for a Partnerships Manager to identify, secure and grow strategic partnerships that drive customer acquisition, revenue and market reach. Reporting to the Chief Business Officer, you'll manage relationships across retail, banking, technology and distribution partners, and help shape a partnership ecosystem that sets the business apart.

Key responsibilities

1. Partnership development

• Identify, evaluate and prioritise new partnership opportunities in line with the commercial strategy
• Lead negotiations and structure commercial agreements that deliver mutual value
• Build a strong pipeline of potential partners across retail, banking, technology and other relevant sectors

2. Partner management and growth

• Own the end to end relationship with key partners, from onboarding through to ongoing performance
• Set and track partnership KPIs, including revenue, customer acquisition and engagement
• Identify opportunities to expand and deepen existing partnerships
• Resolve issues and manage partner expectations to maintain strong, long term relationships

3. Commercial and data insight

• Use data, AI tools and market insight to identify high potential partners and opportunities
• Prepare business cases, forecasts and performance reports for the executive team
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity and emerging fintech and AI partnership models

4. Collaboration

• Work closely with product, marketing, operations and technology teams to launch partner propositions and integrations
• Ensure partnership agreements and activities meet regulatory, legal and compliance requirements

Required skills and experience

• A degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing or a related field
• 5 to 8 years of experience in partnerships, business development or key account managementExperience in fintech, banking, payments, retail or financial services
• A proven track record of negotiating and closing commercial partnerships
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to build business cases and manage partner P&L
• Excellent relationship building, negotiation and presentation skills
• Comfort working with data and digital tools, with an interest in how AI can create new partnership opportunities

Personal characteristics

• Commercially driven: focused on creating value and delivering results
• Relationship builder: builds trust quickly and maintains strong long term relationships
• Strategic and hands on: able to see the big picture while managing the detail
• Resilient: thrives in a fast paced, growing business
• Collaborative: works well across teams to bring partnerships to life

What's on offer

• A competitive salary, commensurate with your experience and skills
• High impact work, building partnerships that change how people access and experience financial services
• Real ownership of key relationships and the chance to shape a growing partnership ecosystem
• A collaborative, innovation focused environment where new ideas are welcomed, tested and built on

In line with the company's Employment Equity plan, preference will be given to South African citizens from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.