Emerging Markets Lead - Latin America

About the role

You will own the full growth loop for Column's banking products across select Latin American markets, translating regional opportunity into concrete partnership commitments. You will act as the primary architect of 0-to-1 market entry, defining go-to-market playbooks that balance regulatory nuance with commercial ambition. In this position, you will build a new revenue vertical from scratch while setting the standard for how Column engages with financial institutions and fintech allies. You will operate at the intersection of strategy, execution, and relationship, ensuring that every handshake turns into a scalable partnership. This role gives you direct influence over how Column expands globally and how its banking infrastructure is adopted across the region. You will be measured by your ability to identify, nurture, and close high-impact deals that materially move the business forward. Success requires equal parts diplomat, operator, and visionary who can thrive without a playbook. You will own outcomes end to end, from first conversation to long-term partnership health.

Key facts

What you'll do

Lead regional market development by owning the identification, evaluation, and execution of high-value banking partnerships across multiple international markets in Latin America.

Build and maintain key relationships by serving as the primary relationship owner for prospective and existing customers, conducting regular in-person meetings, attending local industry events, and managing ongoing partnership development.

Own partnership execution by leading complex deal processes from initial outreach through contract signature, working collaboratively with Column's Legal, Compliance, and Product teams to ensure alignment and timely progress.

Develop market intelligence by gathering and synthesizing insights on local market conditions, regulatory developments, competitive landscape, and customer needs to inform Column's regional strategy and decision-making.

Establish market expertise and network by becoming an expert on the correspondent banking space in key emerging markets and cultivating an extensive network within banking and fintech ecosystems.

Drive operational excellence by building scalable processes for onboarding, relationship management, and ongoing support that can be replicated efficiently as Column expands into new countries.

Represent Column as a trusted advisor to financial institutions and fintech partners, aligning product capabilities with market-specific demands and long-term value creation.

Act as a strategic sounding board for internal stakeholders, translating on-the-ground feedback into actionable recommendations for product, compliance, and growth leadership.

Champion data-driven decision-making by defining and tracking key performance indicators that demonstrate partnership performance and regional growth momentum.

Act as the primary point of contact for high-level discussions, ensuring that every interaction reflects Column's standards for transparency, safety, and operational rigor.

Identify and pursue new business opportunities by mapping the banking supply chain, uncovering friction points, and positioning Column as the infrastructure solution of choice.

Support the development of regional playbooks that codify learnings, best practices, and success metrics to accelerate future market entries.

Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that commercial promises are technically and legally sound, fostering alignment and execution excellence.

Act as an ambassador for the Column brand, reinforcing its mission to simplify banking for builders and developers through direct engagement with market participants.

Requirements

6+ years of experience in business operations, growth, or partnerships in a high-caliber environment; prior experience at a top-tier technology company or management consulting firm is required.

4+ years of experience conducting business in Latin America with a demonstrated understanding of local commercial norms and regulatory expectations.

Native fluency in Spanish and proven experience managing business relationships with Spanish-speaking clients and stakeholders in professional settings.

A track record of successfully managing complex partnerships and high-value deals with executive stakeholders across multiple organizations.

A natural networker who thrives on building trust and long-term relationships with senior executives, market experts, and decision-makers in the banking and fintech sectors.

Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to assess market opportunities, evaluate potential partners, and provide concise, data-backed strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

A hyper-organized approach to project management, including coordinating efforts across Legal, Compliance, Product, and Sales teams; comfort juggling multiple projects and priorities is critical.

A scrappy, roll-up-your-sleeves attitude where you work harder, are more creative, and maintain zero ego when solving difficult problems to build a business from scratch.

Practical notes

This role requires regular travel throughout Latin America and is flexible in terms of location, allowing the hire to be based in Latin America with quarterly travel to Column's headquarters in San Francisco.

There are no explicit compensation details listed in the SOURCE material.

The position is full-time and involves high autonomy with direct impact on the company's global expansion strategy.

Candidates must be able to start promptly and commit to the travel and relationship-building demands of an early-stage market entry role.

Visa sponsorship considerations may apply depending on the candidate's location and applicable regulations.

Deadlines for application are not specified, but interested candidates are encouraged to reach out as soon as possible to align with hiring timelines.

The role is designed for a general business athlete who can operate comfortably in ambiguity while maintaining rigorous execution standards.

You will need to balance independent decision-making with cross-functional alignment, ensuring that every partnership move advances both commercial and compliance objectives.

Success in this role depends on your ability to build credibility quickly, navigate cultural nuances, and maintain disciplined follow-through in a fast-moving environment.

You will be expected to represent Column in external forums, contributing to the company's thought leadership in emerging markets and banking infrastructure.

The ability to translate technical banking concepts into clear narratives for diverse audiences is a critical part of the job.

You will work closely with internal champions in each market to ensure that local needs are reflected in product positioning and partnership structures.

This is a founding-team-style role, meaning you will have the freedom to shape processes, priorities, and partnerships as the business scales.

Regular communication with headquarters will be required to align on strategy, share insights, and coordinate cross-regional learning.

You must be comfortable reporting on both qualitative and quantitative outcomes, using them to refine your approach over time.

The role demands resilience, intellectual curiosity, and a long-term view on building sustainable partnerships in emerging financial ecosystems.