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.