Job Description
Head of Partnerships, Banking - US (m/f/d) Since 2020, Pliant has been on a mission to rethink credit cards and empower companies to grow by providing a smart way to pay that scale with their business. With our app and API-based solutions, Pliant allows companies to issue physical and virtual credit cards, automate payment processes, track spending, and seamlessly integrate these data into their finance stack.
Pliant is growing quickly. With our expansion into 30 international markets, we believe that people, passion, and diversity are the key ingredients to our future success. Our growing team of 200+ Plianteers come from 38 nationalities and work remotely or in a hybrid environment from our headquarters in the heart of Berlin. And we’re looking for more talented and committed people to join us on our journey!
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Who are Pliant
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are looking for a Head of Partnerships, Banking - US (m/f/d) to lead our go-to-market motion for partnerships with financial institutions. This role is focused on national banks, super-regional banks, and regional banks - institutions that are modernizing their B2B credit card offerings or exploring new embedded finance opportunities. These banks represent the most strategic segments for Pliant due to their client scale, infrastructure readiness, and potential to serve as distribution partners. Pliant’s white-label card issuing platform enables banks to deliver modern, flexible credit card experiences to their business clients without overhauling their tech stack.
As Head of Sales – Banks, you’ll be responsible for building a strong pipeline of institutional clients and collaborating cross-functionally with product, compliance, and onboarding teams to drive long-term success.
You’ll operate as both an individual contributor and a strategic leader, laying the foundation for Pliant’s institutional partnerships in the U.S.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Develop a Bank-Focused Sales Strategy: Define and lead our commercial approach for selling into U.S. financial institutions. Prioritize sub-segments based on digital readiness, distribution potential, and product alignment.
Build a Pipeline of Institutional Clients: Identify, engage, and convert regional banks, card issuers, and credit unions into long-term platform partners.
Drive Enterprise Sales Cycles: Own complex, high-value deals involving multiple stakeholders (CIOs, Heads of Cards, Innovation, Treasury, and Legal/Compliance).
Product-Market Fit Feedback: Work directly with Product to influence feature development based on the needs of financial institutions (e.g., BIN sponsorship, ledgering, card controls, etc.).
Team Expansion: Over time, recruit and manage a team focused on banking and financial services verticals across sales and partner success.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Collaborate with Legal, Risk, and Compliance teams to manage regulatory implications, onboarding processes, and operational readiness.
Partnership Structure Innovation: Craft creative go-to-market models (white-label, co-brand, embedded finance) that align with each institution’s goals.
Industry Positioning: Represent Pliant in fintech/banking events, roundtables, and working groups focused on embedded finance, BaaS, and commercial card innovation.
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
8–10+ years of experience in B2B enterprise sales or partnerships, with a focus on banks or financial services.
A strong and credible network of decision-makers within U.S. regional and mid-size banks, credit unions, or issuer processors ideally built over years in banking, fintech, or vendor relationships.
Deep knowledge of the banking ecosystem in the U.S.—including regulatory, technical, and strategic drivers of card program innovation.
Demonstrated success selling fintech infrastructure, card issuing platforms, embedded finance, or payments APIs to banks.
Experience navigating complex procurement and compliance processes in regulated institutions.
Familiarity with card issuing economics, BIN sponsorship models, interchange, and risk-sharing agreements.
Proven ability to close multi-year, multi-stakeholder deals with clear business cases.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
High attention to detail, especially when managing commercial and legal agreements.
Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.
WHAT WE OFFER
Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
An influential role shaping U.S. market growth at an international fintech
Opportunities for professional growth and ownership from day one
A remote-friendly environment with support for work-life flexibility
Health, wellness, and retirement benefits
Access to a diverse and ambitious team driven by impact, innovation, and transparency
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Sales and Business Development
Industries
Financial Services and Banking
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Job Tags
Full time, Remote work, Flexible hours,