Lead Strategic Partnerships Manager, Financial Services

About the role

Forter is seeking a Lead Strategic Partnerships Manager, Financial Services to own and accelerate our most strategic relationships across the global payments ecosystem. Reporting to the VP of Global Strategic Partnerships, this position carries expanded ownership: you will set the vision for Forter's PSP and issuing bank partnership strategy, close and structure landmark deals, and serve as an internal authority on how the Financial Services landscape intersects with Forter's AI-powered fraud and identity platform. You will work cross-functionally with Product, Sales, Marketing, and Analytics to shape Forter's go-to-market positioning and translate partner needs into product requirements. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role for a seasoned partnerships leader who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments and wants to leave a clear mark on one of fintech's fastest-growing companies.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Own and evolve Forter's end-to-end partnership strategy for PSPs, issuing banks, and broader financial institutions - translating company objectives into a disciplined, measurable BD plan with clear pipeline and revenue targets.
• Act as the internal subject-matter expert on the payments and Financial Services landscape; brief GTM leadership on emerging trends, competitive shifts, and white-space opportunities.
• Define and drive annual pipeline goals ($Xm+ in net-new bookings) and multi-year relationship roadmaps with Forter's most strategic partners.
• Partnership Development & Deal Execution
• Identify, evaluate, and advance strategic alliances with global PSPs, acquirers, issuing banks, card networks, and adjacent financial institutions that extend Forter's market reach and product distribution.
• Lead complex, multi-stakeholder deal cycles end-to-end: prospecting, value articulation, solution scoping with Product, commercial negotiation, contracting, and post-signature launch coordination.
• Structure partnership agreements that are commercially favorable, legally sound, and set both parties up for measurable joint success.
• Expand Forter's trust platform by onboarding new top- and mid-tier bank partners globally.
• Revenue & Pipeline Ownership
• Drive net-new revenue through the Payments product portfolio, including 1:Many platform partnerships & direct issuer integrations tied to a Business Development team bookings quota.
• Maintain rigorous CRM hygiene, clear account and close plans, and proactive stakeholder alignment to accelerate deal velocity and remove blockers.
• Own full deal cycles and collaborate with cross-functional teams, as needed, to convert partnerships to durable, growing revenue streams.
• Cross-functional Collaboration & Influence
• Partner closely with Product and R&D to ensure partner needs are prioritized in the roadmap; translate market intelligence and partner feedback into clear, actionable product requirements.
• Work with Field Marketing to advance Forter's brand in the 1:Many vendor space and drive adoption of Forter's platform, including our new Agentic motion.
• Align with Sales, Analytics, RevOps, Legal, and Marketing to ensure seamless strategy execution and consistent messaging across all partner touchpoints.
• Mentor and coach junior BD team members, elevating the team's overall capabilities in deal structuring, relationship management, and payments domain expertise.
• Market Intelligence & Positioning
• Conduct ongoing market research to identify emerging trends across payments, fraud, identity, and open banking ecosystems.
• Use market insights to shape product positioning, inform competitive strategy, and identify new partnership categories before they become table stakes.
• Represent Forter externally at industry events, conferences, and partner forums; serve as a credible, compelling voice for Forter's vision.

Requirements

• 8-12 years of experience in strategic partnerships, business development, or enterprise sales within the payments and/or Financial Services space - with a strong track record in online payments, Banks or PSPs, fraud, or identity-adjacent environments.
• Demonstrated ability to own, structure, and close complex multi-million-dollar deals with PSPs, issuing banks, card networks, or major financial institutions.
• Deep knowledge of the payments ecosystem: PSPs, acquirers, issuers, card networks, 3DS/Trusted Authentication, fraud prevention, and related identity domains.
• Executive presence and credibility: you build trust at the C-suite level and can navigate complex, multi-stakeholder organizations with confidence.
• Outstanding communication skills - clear, compelling writer and presenter; able to distill complex topics into sharp, visual storytelling for any audience.
• Ability to travel as needed (~20-30%), including internationally.
• Bachelor's degree in Business or a related field; MBA or equivalent preferred.
• Would Be Very Cool If You Have
• Direct experience partnering with global PSPs such

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