Corporate Development & Ventures, Senior Director

Circle•San Francisco, CA

5d•$245,000 - $307,500•Remote

About The Position

Circle is building the foundational infrastructure for an open global financial system and is the issuer of USDC, the world's most widely used regulated dollar stablecoin. This Senior Director role is central to Circle's inorganic strategy as USDC transitions from crypto-native rails to mainstream enterprise and sovereign payment flows. The role involves originating, evaluating, structuring, and closing acquisitions, strategic investments, and joint ventures that enhance Circle's network position in payments, stablecoins, and institutional financial infrastructure.

Requirements

13+ years in corporate development, investment banking, growth equity, or strategic finance.
Proven track record of leading transactions end-to-end.
Deep, active network in fintech, payments, and/or crypto, with genuine relationships at the operator, founder, and fund level in the Bay Area.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of writing decisive memos and presenting to executives and boards.
Strong quantitative instincts, including building and stress-testing financial models and understanding cap tables and income statements.
Familiarity with generative AI models (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) and prompt development.
Bachelor's degree required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in crypto, stablecoins, digital assets, or regulated payments infrastructure (as a practitioner or through deep coverage).
Track record of closing deals in fast-moving, ambiguous environments.
Familiarity with the AI ecosystem (as an AI practitioner and in deal discussions).
Experience working in or advising companies through regulatory complexity (FinCEN, OCC, international money transmission licensing).
Prior corporate development experience at a fintech, crypto-native firm, or large-cap tech company.
Economics, Finance, Business, Technology, or related discipline preferred for Bachelor's degree.
Experience/familiarity with Slack, Apple MacOS and GSuite.

Responsibilities

Maintain a high-signal pipeline of acquisition targets, investment opportunities, and strategic partnership candidates.
Stay informed about developments in fintech, payments, and AI in the Bay Area to generate actionable strategic intelligence and deal flow.
Conduct build-vs-buy-vs-partner analyses aligned with Circle's strategic pillars, particularly Digital Assets and the AI/agentic commerce stack.
Lead the full deal lifecycle from initial evaluation through diligence, structuring, negotiation, closing, and integration.
Coordinate and align cross-functional stakeholders (Legal, Finance, Product, Compliance, Engineering) using structured decision frameworks.
Write clear, recommendation-focused analysis, alignment, investment memos, and board materials.
Structure transactions considering Circle's regulatory positioning, USDC liquidity, and multi-jurisdictional requirements.
Develop a synthesized view of the competitive landscape and translate market signals into organizational alignment.
Mentor and improve the deal quality, process discipline, and strategic framing of the broader Corporate Development & Ventures (CDV) team.