Senior Specialist, Strategic Partnerships (Payments)

Location: San Francisco Workplace: OnSite Company Description We’re http://checkout.comCheckout.com http://Checkout.com. You might not know our name, but companies like eBay, Spotify, Klarna, Uber, and Sony do, because we’re behind many of the digital experiences you use every day. We are where the world checks out, enabling over 10 billion transactions yearly for more than one billion global shoppers. Whether you want to book a holiday, order food, renew a subscription, or check out online, there’s a good chance our tech powers the payments behind the scenes. Our platform helps the most ambitious businesses deliver effortless digital experiences, at scale. If you want to do career-defining work, you’ve come to the right place. We move fast, think globally, and believe great teams are built by hiring exceptional people with conviction, curiosity, and the desire to make an impact. With 20 offices across six continents and London as our HQ, we’re shaping the future of fintech – and we’re just getting started. Most merchants don't find Checkout.com http://Checkout.com through an ad. They find us because someone they already trust told them to look at us, whether that’s their ecommerce agency, their billing platform, their fraud provider, their consultant. We view partnerships as a core growth engine for Checkout.com http://Checkout.com, and this role exists to turn that trusted relationship into a repeatable, scalable revenue channel through disciplined execution, strong commercial instinct, and relentless ownership. We're looking for a high-ownership self-starter who can originate, structure, and close partnerships that drive measurable revenue impact. Our ideal candidate is an operator with strong drive and bias for action — they move fast, take on meaningful challenges, and are recognized for the impact they deliver. You'll own a portfolio of partners and the merchants they bring us. This is a builder role: you won't inherit a book that carries you to your number — you'll go and find it. At Checkout.com http://Checkout.com, ambition and quality work get met with opportunity, and growth is in your hands. WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING - Source new partners from a blank list — agencies, systems integrators, ISVs, fintechs and consultancies. Cold outreach, events, referrals, whatever gets you in the room. - Win the commercial case: get partners to recommend Checkout to their clients ahead of the incumbent, built on the outcomes their clients care about — acceptance rates, market coverage, revenue. - Win the technical commitment: make the case for a partner investing engineering time in building with Checkout, then coordinate Partner Engineering to deliver it and keep the integration current as our product evolves. - Activate signed partners into producing partners — map their client base, train the solution architects and account directors who influence recommendations, and keep opportunities registered early. - Structure and close referral, reseller and embedded models, negotiating across commercial, legal and operational dimensions. - Own your number: net revenue, total processed volume, product penetration and conversion. You're recognized on partnerships converting into live merchants and revenue — not on signed logos or pipeline. - Act as the single owner across Sales, Legal, Product, Partner Engineering and Marketing, removing blockers and driving launches to go-live. WHAT WE LOOK FOR EXPERIENCE - 3+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic sales. - Payments or fintech experience, processor or merchant side — gateway, acquirer, PSP, orchestration, fraud and risk, or a software platform where you sold payments to existing customers. - Track record of closing Enterprise or complex, multi-stakeholder deals is a plus - Experience structuring commercial models (rev share, reseller, embedded partnerships) SKILLSET - Strong commercial acumen - understands what drives revenue and margin - Solid negotiation skills - can hold ground while progressing deals - Ability to operate in cross-functional, high-ambiguity environments - High attention to detail - no room for approximation - Resilience for genuine cold outreach. Most of your first six months is finding partners who have never heard from us MINDSET - Owner mentality - accountability without excuses - Performance-driven - focused on outcomes, not activity - Low ego, high standards - direct, constructive, and solution-oriented - Comfortable being challenged - and challenging back when needed NICE TO HAVES - Experience working inside or alongside an agency, systems integrator or ISV — you'll already know how partners decide which vendor to put in front of a client. - Exposure to embedded payments, payfac or marketplace models. Additional Information Bring all of you to work We create the conditions for high performers to thrive, through real ownership, fewer blockers, and work that makes a difference from day one. Here, you’ll move fast, take on meaningful challenges, and be recognized for the impact you deliver. It’s a place where ambition gets met with opportunity, and where your growth is in your hands. We work as one team, and we back each other to succeed. So whatever your background or identity, if you’re ready to grow and make a difference, you’ll be right at home here. It’s important we set you up for success and make our process as accessible as possible. So let us know in your application, or tell your recruiter directly, if you need anything to make your experience or working environment more comfortable. Life at Checkout.com http://Checkout.com We understand that work is just one part of your life. Our hybrid working model offers flexibility, with three days per week in the office to support collaboration and connection. Curious about what it’s like to be part of our team? Visit our Careers Page https://www.checkout.com/careers to learn more about our culture, open roles, and what drives us. For a closer look at daily life at Checkout.com http://Checkout.com, follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/checkout/life/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/checkout_com/