Institutional BD - DeFi Lending (220815B)

About the role

Referment is partnering with a fast-growing, institutional lending platform operating at the intersection of traditional finance and digital assets. This is a standout opportunity for a senior business development professional to play a pivotal role in scaling an institutional platform during a key phase of growth. br> br>This is a high-impact, senior individual contributor role for a hunter who is deeply embedded in the New York institutional finance ecosystem and thrives on relationship-led origination and deal sourcing. br> br> strong>The Opportunity br> br> /strong>This is not a retail, high-volume, or inbound sales role. It is not a strategy, operations, or advisory position. This is a pure new business origination role focused on finding borrowers who need capital and structuring lending deals with them. br> br> ul> li>You will act as the primary external face of the platform in New York, embedded in the institutional community, attending industry events, meeting senior decision-makers, and originating new borrower relationships /li> li>You ll own the full lifecycle of business development, working on fewer, larger, more complex transactions with typical deal sizes of $25m-$100m+ /li> li>This is a hands-on role for a dedicated individual contributor who wants to drive deal flow personally rather than managing a team br> br> /li> /ul> strong>What You ll Be Doing br> br> /strong> ul> li>Originating new institutional borrower relationships across hedge funds, trading firms, prime brokerage, asset managers, banks, credit funds, and family offices /li> li>Owning the end-to-end business development process: sourcing, progressing, structuring lending conversations, and closing /li> li>Acting as a senior relationship manager to borrowers post-close /li> li>Representing the platform at industry events, conferences, and in-market meetings /li> li>Collaborating closely with credit, capital markets, and leadership teams /li> li>Feeding real-time market insight back into product and growth strategy br> br> /li> /ul> strong>What We re Looking For br> br> /strong> ul> li>5+ years experience in institutional business development, relationship management, or capital markets, specifically in a hands-on origination or loan coverage role /li> li>A stable career history with a proven track record of longevity and growth within previous organizations /li> li>Direct experience in institutional lending, credit, or structured finance (e.g., securitization, corporate lending, warehouse facilities) is essential. This role requires a focus on finding borrowers and structuring deals, rather than fund distribution or capital raising from LPs /li> li>Currently working at a blockchain, DeFi, or crypto-native firm in an institutional capacity. This is essential, as candidates must bridge TradFi and crypto /li> li>A professional background in traditional finance (TradFi), with experience in structured finance at a top-tier investment bank being highly regarded /li> li>Well-networked in the NYC institutional finance community, with a proven track record of personally originating and winning new business through large-ticket, low-volume transactions /li> li>Experience engaging with BTC miners or BTC treasury firms is a significant plus /li> li>Must be based in New York City or the immediate surrounding area (e.g., New Jersey) to facilitate frequent in-person meetings and community engagement /li> li>A dedicated individual contributor mindset; this role is for a practitioner who enjoys being in the weeds of deal-making rather than managing a team br> br> /li> /ul> strong>What Is The Ideal Experience br> br> /strong> ul> li>Currently working at a crypto-native firm (e.g., exchange, lending platform, DeFi protocol) in an institutional sales or BD capacity, with a prior background in traditional finance lending or structured products. Someone who can speak fluently to both TradFi and crypto counterparties. /li> li>This role is not a fit if: /li> li>Your experience is primarily in capital sourcing, fund distribution, or raising money from LPs /li> li>Your experience is primarily in SaaS or technology platform sales /li> li>Your background is in operations, strategy, M&A, or advisory rather than direct origination /li> li>Your focus is on account management of an existing portfolio rather than new business development /li> li>Your experience is focused on non-transferable sectors such as renewables, or specific niches like tokenization and stablecoin launches br> br> /li> /ul> strong>Working Arrangement & Compensation br> br> /strong> ul> li>Remote-first culture with optional access to a shared New York office space /li> li>No mandated in-office days, autonomy and trust are core to the culture /li> li>Competitive base salary plus meaningful performance upside (OTE typically in the 50-100% range, depending on performance) br> br> /li> /ul>This is a great opportunity to join a high growth company at a really exciting stage of their grow

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