Senior Director, Bank Partnerships

Marqeta is on a mission to change the way money moves. We’re one of the earliest enablers of embedded finance, a market opportunity sized up in the trillions. Our card issuing platform provides unprecedented flexibility and control for companies to issue cards, authorize transactions, and manage payment operations in real time. Marqeta is powering the most well known brands in the new economy (Block, Cash App, Affirm, Instacart, Doordash, Uber, Walmart, etc). Today nearly 8 out of 10 Americans use a product powered by Marqeta every week. This is the opportunity of a lifetime to work with innovators around the world and unlock equitable financial access for all.

We work Flexible First. This role can be performed remotely anywhere within the United States or from our Oakland, CA headquarters. We’d love for you to join us!

Position Summary

The Partner Operations team is a key division within Marqeta's broader Go-To-Market Organization, with two essential functions. The bank and network partnership teams drive global strategies to enhance our core technology and capabilities across credit, debit, prepaid card, and money movement offerings. Meanwhile, the solution design and delivery teams guide and support our customers in launching tailored, best-in-class solutions to meet their business needs.

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Director of Bank Partnerships to lead the development, management, and optimization of key relationships with our bank partners. In this role, you will be responsible for driving growth, maximizing incentives, managing contractual obligations, and establishing favorable terms to enhance the economics of the company. Additionally, you will design and execute a holistic strategy to ensure we maintain the right mix of bank partners to support the company’s diverse products and services. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to align bank partnerships with the company’s overall objectives and growth goals.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in building and managing successful bank partnerships, particularly in the financial services or fintech industry. They will be an exceptional negotiator, balancing strategic and financial objectives to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, and possess strong analytical skills to optimize partnership terms and drive data-informed decision-making. With excellent communication abilities, they can influence and build relationships at all levels, both internally and externally. As a visionary leader, they will create and implement innovative strategies to shape long-term success, while leveraging deep industry knowledge of banking products and services. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities effectively, and is focused on driving growth, profitability, and operational efficiency.

The Impact You'll Have

• Partnership Development & Management: Build, foster, and maintain strong relationships with bank partners to ensure mutually beneficial partnerships. Develop deep expertise in the needs, goals, and business models of each partner to align objectives and drive growth.
• Growth Optimization: Maximize growth opportunities with each bank partner by identifying and executing on new business opportunities, expanding product offerings, and driving the adoption of our services across bank networks.
• Contractual Oversight & Negotiations: Lead the negotiation and management of contracts, ensuring favorable terms for the company, minimizing risk, and ensuring contractual obligations are met. Collaborate with legal and other teams to facilitate smooth contract execution.
• Strategic Planning & Alignment: Design and implement a comprehensive strategy to build and manage a diverse portfolio of bank partnerships, ensuring alignment with company objectives and long-term growth plans.
• Economic Optimization: Drive the company’s financial success through careful management of partnership terms, incentives, and compensation structures. Analyze and optimize the financial terms of each agreement to maximize profitability.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with internal teams, including sales, product, legal, and marketing, to ensure effective execution of partnership initiatives. Act as the primary point of contact between the company and bank partners, ensuring smooth communication and alignment.
• Performance Metrics & Reporting: Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor the success of bank partnerships. Regularly report on performance, identify challenges, and implement strategies to continuously improve outcomes.
• Market Intelligence: Stay informed of industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor activities that could imp