The Role
The Sr. Manager of Strategic Partnerships will drive partnership strategies with major payment networks and wallets, manage relationships, influence product strategies, and align VGS's product roadmap with partner needs.
Summary Generated by Built In
VGS is the world's leader in payment tokenization. Large banks, aspiring fintechs, and growing merchants embed our universal token vault into their technology stack to manage the complexities of payment data tokenization across processors and networks, open banking, card issuance, omnichannel loyalty, PCI compliance, payment orchestration, and more. We empower our clients and partners by tokenizing sensitive payment data, limiting compliance scope, and consolidating payments to unlock revenue and business opportunities.
VGS provides processor-agnostic tokenization solutions via secure universal token vaults, iframes, mobile SDKs, tokenization proxies, APIs, and data orchestration tooling to support payment acceptance, card issuance, PII and bank account tokenization, and other payments value-added services. Some of the use cases we enable include multi-processor Network Tokenization, Account Updater, payment orchestration, secure settlement file processing, 3DS, and Risk provider connectivity.
The Sr. Manager, Strategic Partnerships will own a portfolio of high-impact partnerships and drive cross-functional initiatives that advance VGS’s product strategy and long-term roadmap. This senior role is deeply product-centric, requiring the ability to translate partner needs into product opportunities, influence internal stakeholders, manage highly strategic relationships, and drive value for VGS and our most important partners.
You will be responsible for leading partnerships with card networks, mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.), strategic PSPs, and partners within our Agentic Commerce initiatives.
What you will be doing at VGS…
- Lead and deepen relationships with global Card Networks, shaping joint initiatives around tokenization, credentials, compliance, and product alignment.
- Own partnership strategies with major mobile wallet providers (including Apple Pay and Google Pay), ensuring VGS product readiness, integration alignment, and joint GTM initiatives.
- Manage partnership development with strategic PSPs, identifying integration opportunities, co-innovation initiatives, and areas for mutual growth.
- Manage VGS’s emerging Agentic Commerce initiatives and support AI Partnerships, including ecosystem development, partner engagement, and opportunity exploration.
- Drive cross-functional alignment between VGS Product, Engineering, Strategy, Marketing, and Legal to deliver partner-driven product features, integrations, and programs.
- Translate partner insights into product requirements and influence VGS’s product roadmap with data-backed, strategic inputs.
- Lead negotiations for new partnership agreements, expansions, and strategic initiatives.
- Serve as a product-centric expert for your partnerships—understanding technical requirements, the competitive landscape, and the evolution of payment standards and tokenization.
- Represent VGS in strategic discussions with senior partner executives, industry groups, and technology ecosystem leaders.
- Identify opportunities for co-marketing, joint product launches, and partner-led commercialization.
- Champion partner needs internally, ensuring VGS delivers best-in-class partner experience and achieves measurable business outcomes.
- Stay on top of industry trends in payments, tokenization, digital wallets, PSPs, and emerging commerce technologies to inform partnership and product strategy.
What we are looking for from you (Requirements)...
- 5+ years of experience in Strategic Partnerships, Business Development, Product Partnerships, Product Strategy, or related roles.
- Payments or fintech experience strongly preferred (networks, wallets, PSPs, tokenization, processing, issuing, or acquiring).
- Deep curiosity for how payments products work, how partners operate, and how ecosystems evolve.
- Strong ability to manage and influence cross-functional teams, especially Product and Engineering.
- Experience negotiating and structuring complex partnerships with global technology or payments organizations.
- Proven ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with a high degree of ownership.
- Executive presence, exceptional communication skills, and strong relationship-building capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to drive strategic initiatives from idea through execution.
- Creative, resourceful thinker who thrives in a high-growth, startup environment.
- BA/BS required; advanced degree a plus.
What you get from us...
• Flexible work hours and flexible PTO
• Competitive health benefits
• VGS stock options
• 401k plan, with employer matching 4% and immediate vesting (available only for US employees)
• Life & disability insurance
• Pre-tax flexible spending accounts, dependent and healthcare FSA (available only for US employees)
• Global parental leave program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Home Internet reimbursement
• New hire home office set-up allowance
• Professional learning reimbursement
At VGS, we have a remote-first philosophy because we believe flexibility leads to great work and a healthy work-life balance. That said, if you live within 30 miles of one of our office locations, you’ll be on a hybrid schedule with some in-person time—because we know there’s real value in coming together.
We’re not about being in the office every day—but we are about connection, collaboration, and the energy that comes from a great brainstorm, a team lunch, or celebrating a big win in person.
We consider applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or other protected classes under all local, state, and federal laws and ordinances (AA/EOE/W/M/Vet/Disabled).
Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for the position in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
VGS will not be able to provide any kind of employment sponsorship at this time.
Please note we are currently only hiring in the following states...
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington
Top Skills
APIs
Data Orchestration
Mobile Sdks
Payment Tokenization
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The Company
What We Do
Providing essential security and compliance infrastructure, Very Good Security (VGS) enables startups and enterprises to focus on their core business instead of compliance and regulatory overhead. With one single integration, VGS customers unlock the value of sensitive data without the cost and liability of securing it themselves, while also accelerating compliances like PCI, SOC 2 and more.
