Senior Director, NA Channel Partnerships

The Company 

Fueled by a fundamental belief that having access to financial services creates opportunity, PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) is committed to democratizing financial services and empowering people and businesses to join and thrive in the global economy. Through a combination of technological innovation and strategic partnerships, PayPal creates better ways to manage and move money, and offers choice and flexibility when sending payments, paying, or getting paid.  

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects merchants and consumers with 426 million active accounts (consisting of 392 million consumer active accounts and 34 million merchant active accounts) across more than 200 markets. PayPal helps merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers. 

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards. Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

PayPal is a purpose-driven company whose beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day. We hold ourselves to our One Team Behaviors which demand that we hold the highest ethical standards, to empower an open and diverse workplace, and strive to treat everyone who is touched by our business with dignity and respect. Our employees challenge the status quo, ask questions, and find solutions. We want to break down barriers to financial empowerment. Join us as we change the way the world defines financial freedom. 

The Position 

The Senior Director, Channel Partnerships, will oversee partnerships that integrate on behalf of merchants, including e-commerce platforms, software providers, accounting platforms, digital agencies, and payment gateways. This expansive role requires a deep understanding of the e-commerce landscape, the business models of the partners under your management, and their technology integration with PayPal. 

In this position, you will develop and execute sales strategies that align with PayPal’s corporate objectives across Channel Partners that are self-managed . You will take full accountability for managing some of PayPal’s most strategic Channel Partners, driving customer engagement initiatives to ensure the success and growth of our customers. 

We seek an experienced go-to-market (GTM) sales leader who can foster shared objectives among Channel Partner teams and establish clear mechanisms to track progress against goals. The ideal candidate is a collaborative sales executive with deep expertise in Small Business who can achieve results in a complex environment. 

The successful candidate will possess a general management skillset, experience managing large, capable teams, and a track record of implementing scalable processes while leveraging analytics and data-driven insights. A strong sense of ownership, drive, people management skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit are essential for this role. 

Responsibilities 

• Develop and implement NA Channel Partner growth strategies that align with PayPal’s long-term objectives and commercial goals, focusing on target markets, customers, and product opportunities. 

• Identify and elevate approximately 300 “self-managed” accounts into a structured pod system, focusing on future potential for coverage by Account Executives (AEs) at an optimal ratio. 

• Lead and manage the Account Executives within the Pod ensuring effective collaboration and support for the Partner Sales Managers (PSMs) handling high-value unmanaged accounts and other unmanaged accounts. 

• Facilitate integration between the pod and Regional Partner Sales Teams, as well as across all pods and Strategic Global Partners, to drive alignment and maximize sales opportunities. 

• Develop strategies to enhance the performance of the pod, fostering a collaborative environment that supports growth and efficiency. 

• Monitor and assess the effectiveness of account coverage and integration efforts, making data-driven recommendations for improvement. 

• Guide Channel Partner selling teams in resource allocation decisions, including outsourcing strategies and capacity management to optimize performance. 

• Collaborate closely with marketing to enhance alignment between sales and marketing strategies, ensuring a cohesive approach to lead generation, account activation, and the overall customer journey. This includes sharing customer insights and analytics, facilitating seamless hand-offs, and jointly managing pipeline performance metrics. 

• Engage with internal stakeholders to provide customer feedback and insights, contributing to the refinement and development of Small Business products, partnerships, and platform enhancements. 

• Foster collaboration with key stakeholders, including product teams, to integrate customer feedback from sales into PayPal’s product strategy and innovation. Work closely with product marketing to leverage pricing and marketing insights, coordinate strategies with field sales, and collaborate with sales operations to enhance sales support and incentive planning. 

• Design and implement initiatives to improve sales talent and capabilities, including defining target hiring profiles, developing upskilling and coaching programs, and providing the necessary sales tools aligned with PayPal’s global growth objectives. Facilitate the sharing of best practices among sales teams and actively coach Channel Partner Sales leadership to enhance their effectiveness as people leaders. 

• Manage sales performance by setting clear targets and KPIs (both leading and lagging) that align with quotas and incentive structures, motivating the sales team to meet priorities tied to overall Channel Partner strategies. Ensure comprehensive reporting on sales performance, forecasts, pipeline, and productivity to drive transparency throughout the organization. 

• Lead a team of Channel Partner Account executives, identifying high-impact projects for team members and supporting their career development and growth. 

Qualifications: 

• 10+ years of experience in sales, business development, or relationship management focused on eCommerce and channel partners. 

• 7+ years in eCommerce, merchant services, or acquiring industry, with a solid understanding of eCommerce technology. 

• Proven track record in developing and leading successful sales teams across various geographies and markets, with a focus on driving revenue through partnerships. 

• Strong knowledge of the payments industry, including PayPal products and competitor offerings, with insights into geographic nuances that inform effective channel partner strategies. 

• In-depth understanding of customer payment needs and market trends, with a focus on key touchpoints across the sales funnel. 

• Excellent ability to manage team performance on a day-to-day basis, ensuring alignment with annual and quarterly targets. 

• Experience collaborating across regions and functional teams to achieve common goals within a hands-on, results-oriented environment 

• Proven track record of driving operational excellence with a focus on P&L management. 

• Creative problem solver with the ability to develop innovative solutions. 

• Demonstrated success in executing against goals, balancing attention to detail with effective delegation. 

• High sense of urgency and capability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. 

• Strong business acumen with a solid understanding of product strategy, excelling at identifying opportunities and navigating challenges. Expert negotiator in enterprise and technical sales. 

• Distinctive strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with experience building trusted relationships with executive stakeholders. 

• Exceptional communication skills, capable of crafting compelling narratives to influence technical and business stakeholders at all levels, including C-suite. 

• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with evolving global products. 

• Proficient in data modeling and analytics, turning insights into actionable business recommendations to optimize strategy. 

• Bachelor's degree required. Masters is a plus. 

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion   

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.