CAREERS & JOBS (LOYALTY & CX)

American Express is hiring: Senior Partnership Manager

You Lead the Way. We’ve Got Your Back.

With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you’ll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that’s unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.

At American Express, you’ll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact—every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company’s success. Together, we’ll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. And we’ll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.

Join Team Amex and let’s lead the way together.

Global Merchant & Network Services brings together American Express’ merchant-and network-related businesses. This includes: GMS, which manages the relationships with the millions of merchants around the world that accept American Express; Global Loyalty Coalition which includes the international PAYBACK rewards programs; and Global Network Services, which brings together Global Network Partnerships, Network Solutions & Operations and Prepaid.
How will you make an impact in this role?

This exciting London based role is focused on growing UK & European small merchant coverage and revenue through third party partnerships. Our strategy is to do this through Payment Facilitation (Payfac) partnerships. Every year we secure new Payfac partnerships and in parallel we’re advancing our key strategic priority to migrate existing relationships from older legacy partnership models to Payfac.

Our partners operate in a high growth, dynamic environment offering pioneering payment solutions across several channels including eCommerce, POS/mPOS and In App. Your job is to ensure AXP is accepted as a method of payment across all Partner offerings whether through their traditional models, Payfac, or Payment Intermediary channels (e.g. Digital Wallet Operators and Buy Now Pay Later).

Specific responsibilities include:

• Leading 1 x B30 Partner Manager to oversee their portfolio of smaller partnerships
• In addition, direct portfolio management and growth – establishing strong relationships with existing Payment Facilitators, working with them to increase our overall share of business volume.
• Where appropriate, to migrate Partners from legacy models (MR/MRPS) onto the Payfac model (Project Knight).
• Drive existing and new growth opportunities to increase AXP coverage and billings through deep understanding of the partners business and identifying key growth opportunities e.g. marketing led opportunities.
• Contract negotiation – Negotiate complex contracts to maximize the commercial opportunities available, leading partner facing negotiations and developing the negotiation strategy to ensure the best possible outcome for AXP.
• Compliance & Regulation – Work to ensure ongoing compliance with UK & European Regulatory framework, AXP Policy and Contractual terms.
• Working alongside a wide range of internal stakeholders to manage the day-to-day relationship with Partners, including Risk, Pricing, Servicing, Legal, Compliance, Policy, the global strategy teams etc.
• Subject Matter Expertise – become a reference point for Payment Facilitation and Intermediary models within Amex, sharing knowledge within the European GMNS organization (CLM and Acquisition teams) and collaborating where necessary to deliver business objectives that benefit the Blue Box.
• Acquisition of new intermediary partners in the Digital Wallet and Buy Now Pay Later landscape by prospecting, contracting and implementing new partnerships within the network policies and guardrails to support wider team goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Track record of managing Large & Enterprise Partnerships and driving performance by identifying and delivering on business development opportunities, driving new contract negotiations and ensuring we are doing so in a compliant manner.
• Direct, recent people leadership experience
• Strong understanding of the Payment Facilitator space and the value they offer.
• Track record of identifying, engaging and launching new partnership opportunities.
• Excellent relationship management skills. The ability to establish and maintain strong relationships built on credibility and trust with a broad network of contacts within partner organizations (incl. C-suite).
• Ability to clearly articulate the American Express value proposition.
• Comfortable working in a highly dynamic, fast paced and evolving environment. Previous experience in a Partnerships role within Merchant Acquiring industry is preferred.
• Industry expertise – demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the European Payment Facilitator and payments landscape and use this knowledge to grow new and existing partnerships.
• Highly focused on achieving results and delivering against annual targets. The candidate must be able to identify and deliver quick wins to drive scorecard results and demonstrate tenacity and focus to drive results through long cycle times.
• Excellent communications skills; must be comfortable working with senior leaders both within AXP and externally to influence decisions and drive change.
• Thought leadership and problem-solving skills – much of this role is rapidly changing and evolving, so it requires innovative thinking and the ability to develop and adapt strategy as circumstances change.
• Strong financial acumen – key elements include innovative commercial constructs, margin and revenue analysis.
• Ability to operate effectively within a global matrix organization, sharing knowledge, best practices and collaborating to drive greater alignment and streamlined processes.

We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• Support for financial-well-being and retirement
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
• Free access to global on-site wellness centres staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counselling support through our Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.