Business Partnerships Lead - Banking

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Job Title: Business Partnerships Lead - Banking

Location: Noida Corporate Office, Sector 125

Reports To: Chief Business Office

Job Type: Full-Time

Department: Sales & Distribution

Experience: 15 - 20 Years

Role Overview:

The Business Head of Banking will be the chief architect of banking ecosystem. Acting as our primary ambassador to the financial sector, you will heavily liaise with banks, regulatory bodies, and network partners to build and scale a comprehensive suite of banking products for rural India. Your mission is to move Company beyond foundational payment services (like AePS and DMT) by connecting with the banking network to introduce all banking products - including CASA, Fixed/Recurring Deposits, co-branded cards, and credit facilitation. You will own the entire lifecycle of these partnerships, from initial networking and deal-structuring to product launch and P&L management.

Key Deliverables:

Bank Liaison & Network Connectivity:

- Act as the primary face of Company to the Indian banking ecosystem, including Public Sector Banks, Private Banks, Small Finance Banks (SFBs), and Payments Banks.

- Proactively network and build deep, C-level and senior management relationships across the banking sector.

- Liaise continuously with banking partners and nodal agencies (like NPCI) to align Company distribution power with the banks' rural acquisition targets.

Expansion of "All Banking Products":

- Drive the strategic expansion of company portfolio to encompass a 360-degree suite of banking products.

- Spearhead the design and launch of advanced products such as assisted CASA (Current & Savings Accounts), Term Deposits (FDs/RDs), co-branded prepaid/credit cards, and overdraft/credit facilities.

- Continue to optimize and scale our core transactional banking products, including AePS, Micro-ATM, Domestic Money Transfer (DMT), and Cash Management Services (CMS).

Commercial Deal Structuring & P&L Ownership:

- Own the end-to-end P&L, top-line revenue, and unit economics for the entire Banking vertical.

- Negotiate highly favorable commercial constructs, interchange fees, revenue-sharing models, and API integration costs with partner banks.

- Ensure that the banking product portfolio remains highly profitable while offering compelling value to both the end-consumer and the Adhikari network.

Go-to-Market & Network Enablement:

- Collaborate with the zonal sales and marketing teams to ensure successful on-ground adoption of new banking products across the Adhikari network.

- Develop training frameworks that simplify complex banking products, enabling local merchants to confidently pitch and open bank accounts or deposits for rural customers.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:

- Ensure all bank partnerships and product journeys strictly adhere to RBI, NPCI, and specific sponsor-bank compliance guidelines (KYC/AML).

- Work closely with internal Tech and Risk-Ops teams to ensure seamless API integrations, maximum uptime, and robust fraud prevention mechanisms.

Skills & Capabilities Required:

Experience: 15 - 20 years of leadership experience in Retail Banking, Alliances, Digital Banking, or Fintech.

Domain Expertise: Deep knowledge of how banks operate internally, their regulatory constraints, and their commercial drivers. Familiarity with NPCI rails (AePS, UPI, RuPay) and BC frameworks is highly preferred.

Skillset: Masterful negotiation and liaising skills. You can navigate the bureaucracy of large banks to get tech integrations prioritized and commercial deals signed.

Execution Mindset: The ability to not just sign deals, but work with internal product/tech teams to turn those partnerships into live, revenue-generating products on the Company app.

What Success Looks Like in This Role:

- Successfully onboarding 2 - 3 new strategic banking partners to diversify and strengthen our product offerings.

- Launching and achieving scale in at least two new core banking products (e.g., CASA and FDs) across the network.

- Establishing Company as the most preferred, reliable, and compliant rural distribution partner for major Indian banks.