Head of Partner Engagement & Strategy, Managing Director

Citi•New York, NY

9d•$250,000 - $500,000•Onsite

About The Position

Citi's U.S. Consumer Cards (USCC) division is seeking a Head of Partner Engagement & Strategy for the Partnership Cards and Development (PCD) organization. This leadership role will collaborate with the Head of PCD and senior USCC leadership to define the vision and strategy for the partnership business. Key responsibilities include renewing existing partnerships, optimizing portfolios, enhancing capabilities for cobrand and private label products, and driving a consistent approach to partner engagement. The role will lead a team responsible for supporting new partnership programs to achieve USCC's mission and goals. This requires a deep understanding of consumer banking products, the payments industry, digital commerce, and mid-to-large-sized private label and co-brand partnership programs. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in negotiation, relationship management, strategic thinking, people leadership, financial acumen, and an entrepreneurial mindset, with a "One-Citi" approach. Strong communication skills and conviction in deal stances are essential for engaging with senior C-suite leaders across Citi.

Requirements

15+ years of management experience with expertise in financial services.
Analytical and conceptual thinker with the ability to operate in “white space.”
Demonstrated success in managing internal and external partnerships and ability to negotiate complex structures.
Successful track record of executing deals.
Prior P&L management, strong financial acumen, and analytical skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams through a clear and consistent line of sight regarding critical work activities.

Nice To Haves

Strategic thinking, financial acumen, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Excellent stakeholder management skills to ensure alignment and buy-in across the organization.
Superior negotiating proficiency.
Continuously challenging the status quo.
Strong leadership who leads a high-performing organization, focuses on building talent and organizational depth.
Executive communication skills. Ability to synthesize complex and multiple source data into fact-based and nuanced solutions.
Ability to build highly credible, influential, and trusting relationships across the firm and with key external partners.
Influential and high track record of followership with demonstrated experience gaining consensus and alignment in a highly matrixed environment.
Ability to set priorities and ‘triage’ in a fast-paced, highly matrix, dynamic environment.
Self-motivated, highly adaptive, and able to work well in high stress.
High ethical standards and mature risk tolerance who structures deals with balancing risk and reward.

Responsibilities

Partner with USCC businesses to identify and implement strategic and tactical initiatives that provide Citi with a sustainable competitive advantage, including supporting potential partnerships, defining partnership constructs, and negotiating/executing agreements.
Support or lead transactions from beginning to closing, including client sourcing, pitching, M&A process, valuation analyses, due diligence, negotiations, and closing.
Evaluate potential transactions and business cases from strategic, operational, and financial perspectives, and lead or assist in client meetings and pitches, providing strategic advice and proposals.
Establish the strategy and direct resources to develop, negotiate, and secure existing partner contract negotiations.
Integrate Citigroup product offerings as part of a robust financial solutions package in new business and merger/acquisition activities.
Assist in evaluating the internal and external business environment to develop a long-term overall vision and strategy for the organization.
Oversee key analysis and support for negotiations, working closely with internal and external partners to structure and execute transactions.
Manage internal and external processes for sourcing, evaluating, winning, and closing new partner programs and retaining existing relationships.
Analyze prospects by gathering information about growth, competitors, and market share possibilities.
Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, prioritizing the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citi’s clients and assets.
Drive compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, adhering to policy, applying sound ethical judgment, and escalating, managing, and reporting control issues with transparency, while supervising others and creating accountability.