[Hiring] Strategic Partnerships Director @Human Interest

Role Description

The Director, Strategic Partnerships owns a vital piece of Human Interest's most important growth channel: expanding our ecosystem of partners who put our retirement platform in front of millions of small and medium-sized businesses. Reporting directly to the Head of Strategic Partnerships, you will source and land business partnerships across payroll providers, benefits brokers, accountants, financial institutions, PEOs, and embedded fintech distribution.

This is an individual-contributor role with a builder's mindset and a quota orientation. You will be responsible for signing complex, multi-year agreements with some of Human Interest’s largest and most important partners.

The role is equal parts strategist, dealmaker, and operator:

• Modeling the economics of a new channel.
• Negotiating terms in a room.
• Driving deals across the finish line.
• Shaping the partnership thesis with the CRO and the broader leadership team.

The person who thrives here is a natural hunter:

• Energized by the pursuit of net-new relationships.
• Comfortable opening doors cold.
• Relentless about carrying complex, multi-stakeholder deals through long sales cycles.

You bring executive presence and the systems thinking to see how a single partnership fits into a broader distribution strategy.

Above all, you are a builder:

• Drawn to the ambiguity of standing up new channels from scratch.
• Bringing structure, pace, and judgment to a function that is still writing its own playbook.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in partnerships, business development, or channel sales.
• Proven history of sourcing, structuring, and closing complex, high-value partnership agreements.
• Deep experience in fintech, retirement/wealth, payroll, benefits, or an adjacent financial-services ecosystem.
• Proven ability to mobilize cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Ability to negotiate with and present to senior executives with confidence.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, scaling environment.
• Strong commercial and financial instincts.
• Alignment with Human Interest's core principles.

Requirements

• Demonstrated history of personally owning and growing a book of strategic partnerships.
• Ability to model channel economics and make sharp prioritization calls.

Benefits

• A great 401(k) plan with a dollar-for-dollar employer match up to 4% of compensation.
• Top-of-the-line health plans, as well as dental and vision insurance.
• Competitive time off and parental leave.
• Unlimited access to digital tools and financial professionals for financial wellness.
• Enhanced mental health support for employees and dependents.
• Fertility healthcare and family forming benefits.
• Student loan resources to help plan, borrow, and repay student debt.
• Monthly work-from-home stipend; quarterly lifestyle stipend.
• Engaging team-building experiences.