Senior Director, Strategic Alliances

About the role

Fitch Group is currently seeking a Senior Director, Strategic Alliances based out of our New York office. This position reports to the Global Head of M&A and Venture Investments.As a leading, global financial information services provider, Fitch Group delivers vital credit and risk insights, robust data, and dynamic tools to champion more efficient, transparent financial markets. With over 100 years of experience and colleagues in over 30 countries, Fitch Group's culture of credibility, independence, and transparency is embedded throughout its structure, which includes Fitch Ratings, one of the world's top three credit ratings agencies, and Fitch Solutions, a leading provider of insights, data and analytics. With dual headquarters in London and New York, Fitch Group is owned by Hearst. At Fitch Group, the combined power of our global perspectives is what differentiates us. It is the strength of our business. It comes from people around the world in a shared pursuit: to equal something greater than they could ever accomplish alone. Every team member is essential to our business and every perspective is critical for our success. Develop yourself in a culture that values flexibility, expects your opinion and trusts your decisions. Together we evolve and so will you, in an environment that asks you to challenge yourself – and us.

Responsibilities

• Shape and drive SA as a distinct capability within M&A and Ventures, defining criteria, and building repeatable, low‑risk / high‑reward frameworks across two categories: co‑creation and capability integration / white‑label
• Build and maintain a forward‑looking pipeline of alliance opportunities, sourcing from M&A and Ventures prospects, Fitch's venture portfolio companies, and the broader external market
• Originate and evaluate opportunities on two tracks: those that address prioritized needs on existing product roadmaps, working side‑by‑side with business, product, and commercial teams, and thesis‑driven opportunities that surface white‑space before it appears on any roadmap
• Assess strategic fit and, in partnership with business, product, and commercial teams, facilitate the build / buy / partner trade‑off evaluation, owning the readout and the quantitative and qualitative case that supports the recommendation
• Structure alliance and equity arrangements – including joint ventures, warrants, and co‑investment – and partner with the commercial team on commercial terms such as co‑sell, licensing, and revenue share, in coordination with legal and finance
• Run a stage‑gated alliance lifecycle from identification and qualification through time‑boxed pilots, commercialization, and scaling, measured against clear success metrics and requiring an accountable business sponsor at each stage
• Develop the playbooks and repeatable frameworks that allow SA to scale beyond individual deals
• Serve as the cross‑functional bridge across M&A and Ventures, Business, Product, Commercial, Finance, and Legal, ensuring clear alliance ownership and alignment
• Develop high‑quality presentations, analyses, memos, and recommendations that provide clear insights and strategic value to senior leadership and stakeholders across the organization
• Maintain deep competitive intelligence on peer partnership activity across financial information services in coordination with Corporate Strategy

Requirements

• 12+ years of experience across commercial partnerships, corporate development, business development, and/or strategy at a financial information services, data, or technology company
• Demonstrated track record originating, structuring, and closing complex commercial and/or equity deals, from initial thesis through negotiation and launch
• Experience evaluating build/buy/partner trade‑offs and structuring deal terms such as co‑sell, JV, licensing, revenue share, and warrants
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional efforts and build consensus across business, product, commercial, and executive teams
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to deliver insight‑driven recommendations to senior leadership
• Proactive, self‑directed, and responsive, with the ability to move quickly while maintaining a high level of quality and accuracy
• High level of maturity and judgment, with the ability to represent Fitch credibly with internal and external stakeholders
• A “performance athlete” who is flexible, thrives under pressure, and is motivated by a challenge

Skills

• Strong understanding of credit, capital markets, and the financial information services competitive landscape, including emerging data and technology players
• A track record of commercializing venture or portfolio‑company relationships into products
• Proven ability to build a new function from an ambiguous, white‑space mandate, turning it into repeatable playbooks and frameworks

Benefits

• A Culture of Learning & Mobility: Dedicated trainings, leadership development and mentorship programs designed to ensure that your time at Fitch will be a continuous learning opportunity
• Investing in Your Future: Retirement planning and tuition reimbursement programs that empower you to achieve your short and long‑term goals
• Promoting Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive healthcare offerings that enable physical, mental, financial, social, and occupational wellbeing
• Supportive Parenting Policies: Family‑friendly policies, including a generous global parental leave plan, designed to help you balance career and family life effectively
• Inclusive Work Environment: A collaborative workplace where all voices are valued, with Employee Resource Groups that unite and empower our colleagues around the globe
• Dedication to Giving Back: Paid volunteer days, matched funding for donations and ample opportunities to volunteer in your community

Pay

FOR NEW YORK ROLES ONLY: Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $225,000 $275,000 per year. Actual salaries will be determined on an individualized basis and may vary based on factors including but not limited to education, training, experience, past performance, and other job‑related factors. Base pay is one part of Fitch’s total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, discretionary bonuses, long‑term incentives, and other benefits sponsored by Fitch.

Schedule

Hybrid Work Environment: 3 days a week in office required