Who we are:
Zilch is a payment tech company on a mission to create the most empowering way to pay for anything, anywhere. Combining the best of debit, credit and savings, we give our customers the option to earn instant cashback or spread the cost of pricier purchases, completely interest free and with no late fees. Pretty great, right?
We started in 2018 with a small team and a big dream - to make credit accessible to all. Since then, we've achieved double unicorn status and taken on more than 5 million customers. There are some exciting projects coming up and we’ve got big growth plans.
Want to join us?
About the role:
We are seeking a commercially driven, strategic, and execution-focused VP of Strategic Partnerships to define and scale Zilch’s global partnership strategy. This executive will own the end-to-end partnership lifecycle - from strategy and origination through negotiation, launch, and long-term value creation - driving measurable revenue growth, distribution expansion, and ecosystem advantage. This is a high-impact leadership role requiring a blend of fintech expertise, commercial structuring capability, and startup operator mindset.
What you'll do.
Partnership Strategy & Vision
- Develop and own Zilch’s global partnerships strategy aligned to company growth objectives
- Identify high-impact opportunities across issuing banks, card networks, merchants, platforms, and embedded finance ecosystems
- Translate corporate strategy into actionable partnership roadmaps
Revenue & Commercial Ownership
- Drive significant revenue contribution through partner channels
- Structure complex commercial agreements (revenue share, interchange splits, incentive structures, risk-sharing models)
- Own partnership P&L impact, performance tracking, and optimisation
- Establish scalable, repeatable partner programs rather than one-off deals
Deal Origination & Negotiation
- Source and close strategic, enterprise-level partnerships
- Lead executive negotiations with banks, networks, major merchants, and technology platforms
- Navigate regulatory, compliance, and risk considerations in partnership structures
- Manage full deal lifecycle: sourcing → diligence → contracting → launch → scale
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner closely with Product, Risk, Operations, Legal, Compliance, Marketing, Finance, and Engineering teams
- Translate partner requirements into product and operational deliverables
- Ensure seamless partner integration and launch readiness
- Align internal incentives to maximise partner performance
Ecosystem Development
- Build and maintain senior relationships across fintech, payments, retail, and platform ecosystems
- Represent Zilch externally at industry events, conferences, and executive forums
- Monitor competitive landscape and emerging embedded finance trends
Team Building & Leadership
- Build and lead a high-performing partnerships organisation
- Establish KPIs, governance, and performance accountability
- Coach and develop senior partnership leaders
- Implement scalable processes and partnership infrastructure
What we’re looking for.
- Proven senior-level experience in fintech, payments, consumer lending, BNPL, or financial services
- Proven track record of building and scaling strategic partnerships that drive revenue growth
- Experience negotiating complex, multi-million-pound enterprise agreements
- Deep understanding of payments economics (interchange, network incentives, merchant acquiring)
- Exposure to consumer credit, underwriting models, and regulatory frameworks preferred
- Experience in high-growth or venture-backed environments strongly preferred
Skills.
- Exceptional commercial acumen and financial modelling capability
- Strategic thinker with strong execution bias
- Entrepreneurial mindset; comfortable operating in ambiguity
- Influential executive communicator with board-level presence
- Strong cross-functional leadership skills
- Data-driven decision maker with operational rigour
What Success Looks Like
- Meaningful revenue growth driven through partnership channels
- New strategic distribution channels unlocked
- High-value, defensible ecosystem relationships established
- Scalable partner programs embedded into Zilch’s operating model
- A best-in-class partnerships function built for long-term growth
Benefits.
Compensation & Savings:
- Pension scheme.
- Death in Service scheme.
- Income Protection.
- Permanent employees enjoy access to our Share Options Scheme.
- 5% back on in-app purchases.
- £200 for WFH Setup.
Health & Wellbeing:
- Private Medical Insurance including;
- GP consultations (video, telephone or face-to-face).
- Prescribed medication.
- In-patient, day-patient and out-patient care.
- Mental health support.
- Optical, dental & audiological cover.
- Physiotherapy.
- Advanced cancer cover.
- Menopause support.
- Employee Assistance Programme including:
- Unlimited mental health sessions.
- 24/7 remote GP & physiotherapy.
- 24/7 helpline for emotional & practical support.
- Savings & discounts on everyday shopping.
- 1:1 personalised well-being consultations.
- Gym membership discounts.
Family Friendly Policies:
- Enhanced maternity pay.
- Enhanced paternity pay.
- Enhanced adoption pay.
- Enhanced shared parental leave.
Learning & Development:
- Professional Qualifications.
- Professional Memberships.
- Learning Suite for e-courses.
- Internal Training Programmes.
- FCA & Regulatory training.
Workplace Perks:
- Hybrid Working.
- Casual dress code.
- Workplace socials.
- Healthy snacks.
Zilch London, England Office
London, United Kingdom
