Partnerships Manager – Merchant Partnerships & Loyalty

About the role

The client is strengthening its Loyalty function by embedding a dedicated Partnerships Manager to accelerate merchant ecosystem expansion and drive commercially impactful cardholder offers. This 18‑month role sits at the intersection of commercial strategy and execution, owning the end‑to‑end merchant partnership lifecycle.

Key responsibilities

• Source, evaluate and onboard new merchant partners across retail, dining, travel, e‑commerce and lifestyle, aligning with the card portfolio strategy.
• Serve as the primary contact for existing merchant partners; conduct regular business reviews, resolve issues proactively, and identify upsell and cross‑sell opportunities.
• Design, negotiate and optimise merchant‑funded offers, cashback structures and loyalty rewards to drive cardholder engagement and measurable spend uplift.
• Monitor competitor loyalty programmes, emerging merchant categories and regional consumer trends to inform partnership strategy.
• Collaborate with product, marketing, digital, risk and compliance teams to ensure seamless offer execution, regulatory alignment and go‑to‑market delivery.

Required profile

• 5–8 years of experience in partnership management, merchant acquisition or loyalty programme management within banking, payments or fintech.
• Proven track record of merchant partner acquisition and relationship management.
• Previous experience in banking, cards & payments or fintech industry.
• Professional fluency in English.
• Immediate availability or short notice period.

Required skills