VP Partnerships (North America)

Why Entersekt

Founded over 16 years ago, with more recent investments from Accel-KKR, Entersekt is a leader in digital banking fraud prevention and payment security, including mobile authentication, mobile app security, and 3-D Secure authentication for issuers, acquirers and payment networks. We offer highly scalable products with a track record of success across multiple continents.

Entersekt enables secure digital transactions for leading financial institutions globally. We exist to create a world where everyone can transact digitally without fear or compromise. Currently, we protect the digital transactions of over 210 million active users on our platform and hold 120 active patents that recognize innovation in digital security, payments, and user experience. Entersekt offers customers secure authentication and digital payments experiences that remove unnecessary friction. Entersekt has a diverse product portfolio and aggressive roadmap that positions the company well to sustain competitive advantage as it expands globally with emphasis on North America and European markets.

The Ideal Candidate

The VP of Partnerships will lead the strategy, development, and execution of our partnerships program, focusing on identifying, building, and nurturing strategic alliances that drive growth. This includes developing partnerships with OEM or Platform partners and resellers. The VP of Partnerships will collaborate closely with sales, marketing, product, and leadership teams to ensure that partnerships align with company objectives and deliver significant value to the business. 

The Role

As the VP of Partnerships, reporting to the Chief Revenue Officer, you will be responsible for developing and executing a partnership strategy that drives revenue growth, expands market reach, and strengthens our ecosystem of strategic alliances. You will work closely with executive leadership, product, sales, and marketing teams to identify, negotiate, and manage high-impact partnerships across the payments and authentication landscape. A key function of this role is to establish and run the key structures required to scale partnerships such as Q2 and Mastercard effectively. 

Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership Development

• Identify, evaluate, and secure strategic partnerships with payment processors, banks, fintech platforms, and technology providers.
• Develop and execute the overall partnership strategy, identifying key partnership opportunities that align with the company’s growth objectives and deliver measurable results.
• Implement the structure required to maximise the effectiveness of our partnerships
• Develop joint go-to-market strategies with partners to drive adoption of our solutions.

Build and manage relationships with a diverse portfolio of strategic partners, including technology partners, integration partners, channel partners, and resellers, to drive revenue growth and market expansion.

• Lead negotiations with partners to establish mutually beneficial agreements, ensuring legal and financial terms align with the company’s objectives. Manage partnership contracts, renewals, and negotiations.
•  Track, analyze, and report on partnership performance, using data and KPIs to measure success and make informed decisions about the future direction of partnerships. Provide insights to leadership on the overall health and impact of the partner ecosystem.

Relationship Management

• Cultivate and manage executive-level relationships with key partners.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for strategic partners in North America.
• Attend partnership events and conferences where you will build strategic relationships that can further our brand and positioning as a market leader. 

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a partnership enablement team and support them to be successful in unlocking new and existing partnership deals.
• Oversee hiring, training, and development of team members as the partnerships program scales.

Revenue Growth & Market Expansion

• Collaborate with sales and marketing to drive partner-led revenue opportunities.
• Expand our footprint in North America through ecosystem engagement and co-branded initiatives.
• Stay informed on industry trends, the competitive landscape, and emerging technologies, using this knowledge to identify new partnership opportunities and innovate the partnership strategy.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with product and engineering to align partner needs with our product roadmap.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure messaging alignment and operational coordination alignment of our partner strategy.
• Coordinate with legal and finance on deal structuring, contracts, and compliance.

Market Intelligence 

• Stay informed on industry trends, competitive landscape, and regulatory developments.
• Provide insights to inform strategic planning and product innovation.

Skills and Experience

Successful candidates for this role will generally possess the following qualifications and skills:

• 10+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances within fintech, payments, or financial services.
• Deep understanding of the North American payments’ ecosystem, including processors, acquirers, issuers, and authentication technologies.
• Proven history of negotiating and managing complex, high-value partnerships.
• Experience in a high-growth company. Strong ability to interact and influence effectively with C-level executives and team members.
• Bachelor’s degree required, MBA or equivalent preferred.
• Regular travel (local and global) as needed. 

Personal Attributes

• Strong strategic thinking, communication, and executive presence.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth, and collaborative environment.
• Build trust and rapport quickly with internal and external stakeholders.

We place a lot of value on how we treat prospective employees and appreciate the time and effort that goes into job hunting. That is why we aim to keep the hiring process as quick and seamless as possible while ensuring the best possible fit for both you and the company.

Working at Entersekt is truly a dream. You get exposed to cutting-edge technology, colleagues who are leaders in their fields, and an awesome working environment that includes flexible hours, remote work, and plenty of growth opportunities.

Apply for this position by following the "apply now" tab and or viewing our other roles at Entersekt Careers page.

Entersekt is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects the global communities we serve. For all South Africa-based roles, preference will be given to candidates from historically disadvantaged groups, in accordance with local Employment Equity objectives.