Payments Partnership Manager, Australia

About the role

Block operates against a complex backdrop of industry partners to encourage flexibility, new standards, and openness to Square and Afterpay's innovation, products and services. The Financial Operations team plays an integral role in crafting a diverse spectrum of solutions and capabilities for our customers, overseeing foundational industry and regulatory relationships along with the daily operations for incoming and outgoing payments. In this role, you will help support the financial infrastructure, operational processes, and partner relationships that enable our products to scale reliably and efficiently across the region. You will bring a strong track record of cross functional collaboration, operational excellence, and stakeholder management while working closely with teams across Finance, Product, Marketing, Engineering, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Operations to support our regional growth strategy.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Build and manage strategic relationships with payment industry partners, including acquirers, banks, card networks, payment providers, and industry bodies across Australia and New Zealand.
• Define and execute a comprehensive payments and financial operations strategy for the partners you manage, supporting Square and Afterpay in a rapidly evolving payments and digital commerce landscape.
• Oversee, negotiate, and develop partnership opportunities and commercial discussions that enable and scale our financial capabilities across Australia and New Zealand.
• Understand Square and Afterpay's competitive position in the region, and implement programs that strengthen our payments products, services, operational capabilities, and strategic goals.
• Lead key strategic industry and partner initiatives across Australia and New Zealand, including the partner engagement required to support new products, platforms, and market opportunities.
• Maximize the value of current partnerships through proactive account management, working with key partners, suppliers, and industry associations to define, iterate, and enable new products and capabilities across the region.
• Collaborate closely with functional and cross-functional partners across Finance, Marketing, Product, Engineering, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Operations, while influencing teams and stakeholders to improve overall effectiveness and support career development where applicable.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to identify risks, align on solutions, and drive implementation of critical initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on payments operations and partner strategy, translating complex requirements into clear execution plans for internal and external audiences.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory changes, and partner performance metrics to inform strategic decisions and ensure compliance across all managed relationships.
• Act as a primary point of contact for key financial institutions and industry bodies, representing Block with professionalism and authority in all communications.
• Drive continuous improvement across the partner ecosystem by documenting best practices, standardizing processes, and sharing insights across cross-functional teams.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in financial technology, payments, banking, card networks, acquiring, issuing, or a related financial services environment, with demonstrated depth in payment operations and strong commercial experience in partner management and contract negotiations.
• Deep understanding of the payments ecosystem, including card networks, acquirers, issuers, payment processors, banks, schemes, regulators, and industry bodies, and how these relationships enable scalable, reliable, and compliant electronic payments.
• Proven ability to build, manage, and grow senior strategic relationships with external partners, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders across complex and highly regulated markets.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to analyze complex business problems, develop strategic solutions, and negotiate mutually beneficial agreements.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at senior executive levels while maintaining empathy and clarity for cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects and delivering results in ambiguous, fast-paced, and deadline-driven environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize large volumes of information and translate it into actionable recommendations.
• Commitment to compliance, risk management, and governance, ensuring all activities adhere to regulatory requirements and internal policies.

Practical notes

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