Director of Partnerships & Business Development

The Company

Merchant Growth is Canada’s leading fintech provider of credit to small businesses. The company differentiates itself through a proprietary, technology-driven application process, advanced underwriting, and a highly focused servicing process. Our mission is to bring the most convenient and accessible financing experience to Canadian business owners.

We care about growing strong and capable teams with creative, collaborative people. Your peers at Merchant Growth have diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences but share an established track record of driving significant business growth.

Partnerships are at the core of our strategy - fueling revenue growth and strengthening our innovation ecosystem. We collaborate with banks, technology providers, platforms, and industry leaders to deliver transformative financial solutions.

The Role

We are seeking a Director of Partnerships & Business Development who thrives in a dual role: both a hunter who actively sources, pursues, and closes deals as an individual contributor, and a leader who drives the execution of our broader partnership strategy alongside the VP of Partnerships and executive team.

A central focus of this role will be to identify and build partnerships that serve as trusted resources for small businesses across Canada. The Director will not only source and close high-impact partnerships but also ensure that these relationships create real value for the small business community we serve.

This role is ideal for someone who wants to be hands-on in building the pipeline, negotiating deals, and owning key relationships, while also shaping and managing initiatives that align with the company’s strategic vision.

Key Responsibilities

Individual Contributor Responsibilities

• Personally identify, source, and pursue new partnership opportunities across financial institutions, fintechs, SaaS providers, and distribution channels.
• Focus on building partnerships that provide trusted resources, solutions, and support for small businesses across Canada.
• Drive adoption of the Tabit Buy Now Pay Later solution by sourcing partners who will offer BNPL to their small business buyers to increase sales performance.
• Conduct proactive outreach, build pipelines, and directly manage deal negotiations from start to close.
• Serve as the primary owner for selected high-value partner relationships, ensuring strong performance and mutual value creation.
• Deliver measurable revenue impact as an individual contributor in addition to leadership responsibilities.

Strategic & Leadership Responsibilities

• Translate the VP of Partnerships’ strategy into actionable initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Lead execution of partnership initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and vision.
• Manage and mentor partnership managers/associates, fostering a culture of ownership and accountability.
• Collaborate cross-functionally (Sales, Tech, Ops, Marketing) to ensure smooth execution of partner initiatives.
• Represent the company at industry events and forums, acting as a senior ambassador.

Growth & Ecosystem Impact

• Own a portfolio of partners driving both direct revenue, product innovation, ecosystem optimization, and brand awareness and equity.
• Negotiate revenue-sharing agreements, integrations, and joint business plans.
• Contribute to ecosystem expansion by identifying product and service integration opportunities and strategic alliances.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances (ideally fintech, SaaS, or financial services).
• Proven success in both individual contributor roles (deal sourcing, outreach, closing partnerships) and strategic/leadership roles.
• Strong negotiation and contract execution skills.
• Excellent relationship management, communication, and executive presence.
• Deep knowledge of fintech trends, partner ecosystems, and the Canadian small business landscape.
• Experience with embedded finance, payments, or BNPL solutions is a strong asset.
• Entrepreneurial, hands-on approach with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field (MBA a plus).
• Bilingual (English & French) is a strong asset.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive Group Health Benefits (Life, AD&D, Extended Health, Vision & Dental and Travel Insurance).
• Company-wide Lunch and Learns
• Monthly Team Events
• A collaborative, mission-driven environment with visibility to executive leadership.