Director of Business Development

About the role

Cardless is a Series C consumer fintech that enables brands to integrate credit cards into their ecosystems. It powers cards on all three major networks and uses AI for servicing. Key clients include Coinbase, Bilt Rewards, Alibaba, Qatar Airways, and LATAM Airlines. Founded in 2020, Cardless has grown from $10 million to $150 million in run rate revenue in the last 12 months and raised $60 million in Series C funding in September 2025.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize brands most likely to benefit from Cardless cards, using market data, competitive intelligence, and personal connections.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior decision-makers at target companies, focusing on long-term strategic partnerships rather than just initial conversations.
• Represent Cardless effectively to executives at major consumer brands, financial institutions, and loyalty programs, ensuring Cardless is seen as a superior alternative to existing solutions.
• Work with the marketing and product teams to develop materials, demos, and narratives that accurately represent Cardless' capabilities and future plans.
• Engage with consulting firms and networks that handle RFP processes for large card program decisions, ensuring Cardless is well-positioned to win deals.
• Develop and respond to RFP processes with compelling and differentiated materials, collaborating with the product, finance, and partnerships teams to provide relevant information.
• Identify companies with existing card programs and build a case for why Cardless offers a better partnership, leveraging existing relationships and understanding the competitive landscape.
• Manage a pipeline of prospects from initial contact through signed agreements, ensuring deals are executed efficiently and effectively.
• Set up and maintain CRM and outreach systems to support the BD process, providing regular reports on pipeline health and competitive dynamics.

Requirements

• 6-10 years of experience in business development, partnerships, or sales, particularly in financial services.
• A proven track record of closing complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise deals, not just sourcing conversations.
• An existing network in the card and payments space, with relationships at consumer brands, financial institutions, loyalty programs, and consulting firms.
• Experience navigating formal RFP processes for financial services technology or infrastructure.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong network and relationship-building skills, able to open doors in the right places.
• Deep understanding of the card and payments industry, including the economics, players, and regulatory context.
• Effective in managing a sales pipeline, with clear forecasting and disciplined follow-through.
• Excellent communication and presence, able to articulate Cardless' value proposition to senior executives.
• Competitive intelligence and market awareness, staying current on trends and positioning Cardless accordingly.
• Judgment and autonomy, making strategic decisions about which opportunities to pursue and how to allocate resources.

What We Are Looking For

• Experience in business development, partnerships, or sales, with a focus on financial services.
• Existing network in the card and payments space, with relationships at key decision-makers.
• Experience navigating RFP processes and developing compelling materials for formal proposals.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with existing card program partners, demonstrating a positive approach to collaboration.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, able to convey Cardless' value in a persuasive manner.

Why This Role

• Cardless has found product-market fit and is growing rapidly, with a need for a dedicated business development function to scale further.
• The role sets the standard for how Cardless will approach business development, requiring a candidate who can generate cold pipeline and build strategic partnerships.
• The challenge of selling a better version of a product that most of its prospects already have is seen as both exciting and achievable.

Compensation

This role has an annual starting salary range of $175,000–$220,000 + equity + benefits. Actual compensation is influenced by a variety of factors including skills, experience, and specific work location.

Benefits

• Meaningful start-up equity
• 100% health, vision & dental primary coverage + 75% dependent coverage
• Catered lunches
• $250/month commuter benefit
• Parental leave
• Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off per year
• Apple equipment
• 401k plan

Location

This role is in-office 5 days a week in San Francisco, CA.