Vice President, Strategic Partnerships

Upgrade, Inc.

. Lead development of strategic white-label partnerships with financial institutions, fintechs, and major consumer-facing brands .

Posted 11/3/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesLead💰 $250,000 - $275,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading strategic partnerships and business development within the fintech and financial services sectors, with a strong focus on compliance, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration to drive successful partner integrations and product initiatives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Strategic PartnershipsBusiness DevelopmentCommercial NegotiationsCross-Functional LeadershipFintech Experience

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Sourcing Complex AgreementsManaging Deal ProcessesOnboarding PlaybooksCompliance ReviewRisk Management

Soft Skills

Excellent NegotiationExecutive PresenceRelationship Management

Industry Keywords

Financial InstitutionsConsumer LendingWhite-Label PartnershipsEmbedded FinanceAI-Driven Products

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead development of strategic white-label partnerships with financial institutions, fintechs, and major consumer-facing brands
Identify and engage high-value partners
Build and manage a pipeline of prospective white-label partners
Develop and prioritize target lists based on strategic fit, reach, and revenue potential
Represent Upgrade at industry events and conduct outbound outreach
Source partnerships for emerging AI-driven product initiatives
Lead commercial negotiations covering economics, exclusivity, SLAs, and branding terms
Partner with Legal, Finance, and Risk to structure compliant, profitable deals
Own the business case and internal approval process from term sheet through signed contract
Own end-to-end onboarding of signed partners, including integration, compliance review, branding, marketing, UX approvals, and go-live
Serve as primary partner contact during implementation
Coordinate Engineering, Product, Compliance, and Operations to meet launch dates
Build repeatable onboarding playbooks and SLAs
Collaborate with executive leadership and cross-functional teams across Finance, Product, Engineering, Legal, Compliance, and Risk
Contribute to emerging AI-driven products and initiatives

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years in strategic partnerships, business development, or a related deal-making role
Track record of sourcing and closing complex commercial agreements
Experience in fintech, consumer lending, or financial services
Comfortable with regulatory, compliance, and risk considerations
Ability to manage a deal from first outreach through signed contract and live launch
Strong cross-functional leadership aligning Legal, Compliance, Risk, Product, and Engineering around partner launch timelines
Excellent negotiation and executive presence
Comfortable representing Upgrade to large enterprise partner leadership
Direct experience structuring white-label or embedded finance partnerships (nice to have)
Existing network of relationships at financial services companies or consumer-facing brands (nice to have)
Experience at a high-growth fintech or consumer lending company (nice to have)

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive salary
Stock option plan
Paid medical, dental and vision insurance
Flexible PTO
Opportunities for professional growth and development
Paid parental leave
Health & wellness initiatives
Annual performance-based bonus
Equity and other benefits as part of Upgrade’s total compensation package
Remote-flexible position