Strategic Partnerships Manager (Working Capital Solutions) - SCIB

Job description

Strategic Partnerships Manager (Working Capital Solutions) - SCIB Country: Spain IT STARTS HERE Santander (www.santander.com) is evolving from a global, high-impact brand into a technology-driven organization, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible. This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference. Our mission is to contribute to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and all our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management. Santander Corporate & Investment Banking (Santander CIB) is Santander's global division that supports some of the world's most complex and sophisticated corporate and institutional clients, offering customized services and value-added wholesale products to best meet their needs. THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE Santander CIB Trade & Working Capital solutions is looking for a Strategic Partnerships Manager based out of Madrid. We are looking for a highly experienced professional to join the Trade Finance team within Global Transaction Banking (GTB), with a key responsibility for driving the development, execution and commercial performance of strategic partnerships in the Working Capital Solutions space. The role will be responsible for establishing, developing and managing relationships with strategic partners, identifying opportunities for collaboration and translating those opportunities into concrete business initiatives and commercial results. A key element of the position will be to ensure the end-to-end execution of the projects agreed with strategic partners, as well as leading the execution and implementation of the underlying transactions and operations that support and generate the business arising from those projects. The position will also have a strong commercial and revenue accountability component, ensuring that agreed initiatives and transactions deliver the revenue objectives established for each partnership. The role has a strong international dimension, requiring frequent interaction with stakeholders and partners across different geographies and a high level of exposure to senior internal and external stakeholders. We’re shaping the way we work through innovation, cutting-edge technology, collaboration and the freedom to explore new ideas. To succeed in this role, you will be responsible for: 1. Strategic Partnership Development Identify, establish and develop long-term relationships with strategic partners relevant to Santander's Trade Finance and Working Capital Solutions strategy. Develop a clear understanding of partners' business models, capabilities and strategic priorities to identify areas of mutual value creation. Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across partner organisations. Develop partnership strategies and joint business plans aligned with Santander's commercial objectives. Identify new opportunities to expand existing partnerships and develop new strategic collaborations. 2. Business Development & Solution Creation Identify and originate new opportunities within the Working Capital Solutions ecosystem. Work closely with Trade Finance, GTB and other relevant teams to develop innovative propositions and solutions for clients and partners. Translate market and client needs into commercially viable partnership opportunities. Support the negotiation and definition of business cases, commercial models and partnership agreements. Contribute to the design of solutions involving Receivables Discounting, Inventory Finance and other working capital and trade finance structures. Leverage knowledge of the broader Working Capital ecosystem to identify opportunities for product innovation and new business models. 3. Project & Transaction Execution Take ownership of the end-to-end execution of strategic initiatives agreed with partners, ensuring delivery against scope, milestones and expected outcomes. Lead and coordinate the execution of the transactions and operations that underpin and feed the projects developed with strategic partners, ensuring that commercial agreements are successfully translated into live business. Coordinate cross-functional teams across product, technology, operations, legal, risk, compliance, sales and other relevant areas. Act as the key point of coordination between Santander and the strategic partner throughout the implementation and execution lifecycle. Ensure that operational, legal, risk, technology and process requirements are appropriately addressed to enable successful execution. Proactively identify and resolve execution risks, dependencies and roadblocks. Ensure that projects and associated transactions move efficiently from concept to implementation and subsequently into scalable, sustainable commercial activity. Monitor the performance and execution of live transactions, ensuring that issues are addressed promptly and that agreed service and commercial objectives are achieved. 4. Commercial & Revenue Accountability Take ownership of the commercial performance of strategic partnerships, projects and associated transactions. Ensure that each project has clearly defined revenue targets, KPIs and business objectives. Track performance against budget and revenue commitments, identifying corrective actions where necessary. Work with relevant commercial, product and sales teams to maximise client adoption, transaction volumes, scalability and revenue generation. Ensure that the revenue generated by the projects and underlying transactions is aligned with the business case agreed with the strategic partner. Provide regular performance updates to senior management, highlighting progress, risks, opportunities and required actions. 5. International Stakeholder Management Operate effectively across multiple geographies, cultures and organisational environments. Collaborate with international Santander teams and external partners to drive global and cross-border initiatives. Represent Santander in senior-level discussions with strategic partners and ecosystem participants. Build effective working relationships across Santander's international Trade Finance and GTB organisation. WHAT YOU’LL BRING Our people are our greatest strength. Every individual contributes unique perspectives that make us stronger as a team and as an organization. We’re enabling teams to go beyond by valuing who they are and empowering what they bring. The following requirements represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for success in this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Professional Experience At least 5 years of professional experience in Trade Finance, Transaction Banking, Working Capital Solutions or a closely related field. (Required) Strong understanding of Trade Finance products and Working Capital Solutions, with particular knowledge of Receivables Discounting. (Preferred) Proven experience in business development, strategic partnerships and/or complex project and transaction execution. (Preferred) Demonstrable track record of taking strategic initiatives from origination through implementation and commercialisation. (Preferred) Experience leading or coordinating complex transactions and operational execution associated with strategic projects. (Preferred) Strong commercial orientation, with experience managing or contributing to revenue targets and business plans. (Preferred) Experience working with multiple stakeholders across product, sales, operations, technology, legal, risk and compliance functions. (Preferred) Education Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Business Analytics