Strategic Partner Manager (Payment Ops)

Job Title: Strategic Partner Manager (Payment Ops)

Location: Menlo Park, CA or SFO, CA

Duration: Contract - 6 months

Pay Range: $79/hr $84/hr (W2)

Job ID: 372103

About BCforward

BCforward is a leading global IT consulting and workforce solutions firm providing services and support to Fortune 500 and government clients. Founded in 1998, BCforward has grown with our customers needs into a full-service business solutions provider. With delivery centers and offices across North America and India, we take pride in building long-term relationships and delivering excellence through innovation, collaboration, and integrity.

Job Description

We are seeking a Strategic Partner Manager to join our dynamic Global Payments Partnerships team. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in payments partnerships, cross-functional leadership, and commercial negotiations and a proven ability to own high-impact partner workstreams end-to-end, from strategy and business case development through negotiation, launch, and ongoing performance management.

Responsibilities:

• Lead major partner workstreams with key payments ecosystem partners (networks, processors, issuers, PSPs), including quarterly planning, executive reporting, and issue resolution.
• Develop and drive partnerships strategy, identify opportunities, prioritize bets, define success metrics, and align internal stakeholders on the path forward.
• Structure and negotiate complex agreements covering commercials, technical scope, performance expectations, privacy and data protection terms, and operational readiness requirements.
• Partner with Product and Engineering to translate strategy into executable roadmaps and provide clear tradeoffs and recommendations grounded in business and platform constraints.
• Run cross-functional execution across Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, Tax, Operations, and Marketing to launch and scale initiatives.
• Create decision frameworks and operating mechanisms to select partners, sequence builds, and manage ongoing partner performance.
• Communicate effectively across levels with concise leadership updates, clear asks, strong stakeholder management, and thoughtful escalation when needed.
• Use AI thoughtfully for drafting, summarizing, analysis support, and workflow automation to increase speed and quality while applying sound judgment.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Proven track record leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing without authority.
• Experience structuring and negotiating commercial agreements, with comfort in financial models, pricing, and key contractual terms.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to tailor messages to executives, cross-functional teams, and external partners.
• Experience with payments cost optimization.

Preferred Skills:

• 12+ years of relevant payments and/or partnerships experience, including ownership of complex, multi-threaded negotiations.
• Ability to operate strategically in ambiguous environments, create frameworks, and drive alignment across competing priorities.
• Experience working with large global partners and executive stakeholders.
• Operational rigor in setting goals and metrics, running QBRs, and driving accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools for productivity, including prompting, synthesis, analysis support, and automation, with sound data-handling judgment.

Why BCforward?

At BCforward, we believe in advancing lives and careers. When you join our team, you gain access to:

• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• Opportunities for growth with global clients.
• A supportive, inclusive culture that values innovation and people.
• Exposure to cutting-edge technologies and projects.

About Our Commitment

BCforward is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, qualified applicants will be considered for assignment with arrest and conviction records. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position, including the duties and responsibilities listed above and the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness, meet client expectations and standards, and safeguard business operations and company reputation.

Interested? Apply Now!

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, please apply with your most recent resume or contact:

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