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Salary: USD 175,000 - 220,000 / annual
Cardless is a Series C fintech (raised $60M Series C in Sept 2025, $170M+ total funding) that enables major brands to build credit card programs into their ecosystems using AI. Customers include Coinbase, Bilt Rewards, Alibaba, Qatar Airways, and LATAM Airlines. The company powers cards across Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, and operates at a fraction of traditional card issuer headcount using agentic servicing.
As Director of Business Development, you will own the top of the commercial funnel, responsible for identifying, qualifying, and closing brand partnerships. This is a hands-on individual contributor role reporting to the Chief Business Officer. You will be evaluated on the quality and velocity of opportunities generated and moved through the sales process.
Key responsibilities include:
**Build New Partner Relationships**: Identify and prioritize brands most likely to benefit from Cardless, develop relationships with senior decision-makers at target companies, represent Cardless credibly to executives at major consumer brands and financial institutions, and work with Marketing and Product to ensure materials and narratives reflect Cardless capabilities.
**Work the Consulting and RFP Channel**: Build relationships with consulting firms that run RFP and vendor selection processes for card program decisions. Ensure Cardless is known and credibly represented in these processes through ongoing relationship maintenance. Develop a point of view on which consulting firms are most active and where to invest resources. Respond to formal RFP processes with accurate, compelling, differentiated materials.
**Target Companies with Existing Card Programs**: Identify companies with incumbent card programs and build the case for Cardless as a better partner. Develop deep familiarity with the competitive landscape, incumbent offerings, and what companies that have launched card programs actually care about. Build relationships respectfully while focused on future opportunities.
**Own the Business Development Process**: Manage pipeline from first contact through signed agreement with enterprise-level discipline. Work with leadership to prioritize opportunities given partnerships team constraints. Maintain CRM, contact databases, and outreach cadences to ensure repeatable, scalable operations. Provide regular reporting on pipeline health, deal velocity, and competitive dynamics.
This is the first dedicated BD hire at Cardless, meaning you will set the template for how the company approaches business development going forward. The role requires selling a better version of a product most prospects already have—a harder challenge than selling products with established 30-year track records.
**Requirements**:
- 7–10 years in business development, partnerships, or sales with meaningful financial services exposure (ideally banking, card issuance, or payment networks)
- Demonstrated track record closing complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise deals (not just sourcing, but owning full process from prospecting through signature)
- Existing network in card and payments space with relationships at consumer brands, financial institutions, loyalty programs, or consulting firms
- Experience navigating formal RFP processes for fintech/financial infrastructure is a strong plus
- Network and relationship building skills; ability to open doors that are not obviously open
- Financial services fluency; understanding of card program economics, players, contract structures, and regulatory context
- Sales process discipline; clean pipeline management with clear visibility into deal status and next steps
- Communication and presence; ability to explain Cardless compellingly to senior executives and strong writing skills
- Competitive intelligence; staying current on incumbent and new entrant activity
- Judgment and autonomy; ability to prioritize across opportunities and make good calls without activity-level management
Not a fit if: background is primarily inbound sales or account management; lack meaningful financial services experience; seeking a management role with team to build; require remote or hybrid work.
