Summary
Tap Payments is seeking a Financial Institutions Partnerships Lead to develop and manage relationships with banks, acquirers, payment networks and other financial institutions across MENA. The role covers partnership strategy, commercial negotiations, partner onboarding and integrations, performance monitoring, and coordination with internal teams. Candidates should have 4–5 years of relevant experience in financial services, fintech or a high-growth startup, along with knowledge of payment flows and the MENA payments landscape. Strong communication skills in English are required; Arabic is a plus. The role is listed in Al Seef, Bahrain.
The posting
As published on tap.company. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
About Tap
Tap Payments is revolutionising online payments across the MENA region by connecting businesses with simple, unified payment experiences. We need exceptional talent to help us on this journey.
The Financial Institutions Partnerships Team
Our partnerships with banks, acquirers, payment networks and other financial institutions are central to delivering reliable, scalable and innovative payment solutions. Join a team that builds trusted relationships, unlocks new opportunities and works cross-functionally to strengthen Tap's payments ecosystem across MENA.
As a Tapster you will;
Develop and execute partnership strategies with financial institutions, including banks, acquiring partners, payment networks and other strategic ecosystem participants.
Identify, evaluate and prioritise new partnership opportunities that support Tap's growth, market expansion and product roadmap.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across partner organisations, acting as the primary point of contact for strategic engagements.
Lead commercial discussions, negotiations and partnership agreements, working closely with legal, compliance, finance, product and operations teams.
Manage the full partnership lifecycle, from initial opportunity assessment and due diligence through onboarding, implementation, optimisation and ongoing governance.
Coordinate partner integrations and operational launches, ensuring clear ownership, timelines, deliverables and escalation paths.
Work with internal teams and financial institution partners to improve payment acceptance, settlement, reconciliation, dispute handling and overall service performance.
Monitor partner performance against agreed service levels, commercial terms and key performance indicators, identifying risks and opportunities for improvement.
Prepare business cases, partnership proposals, market analyses and executive-level updates to support strategic decision-making.
Represent Tap at relevant industry events, forums and meetings, building the company's profile and expanding its financial services network.
Stay informed about payment industry developments, regulatory requirements, market trends and emerging partnership models across MENA.
Act as the voice of partners internally, sharing feedback and insights to influence product development, operational improvements and customer experience.
Drive continuous improvement across partnership processes, documentation, reporting and governance frameworks.
Carry out other duties as assigned based on the demands of the business and growth of the role.
What you will bring to the party;
4-5 years of experience in partnerships, business development, relationship management or a related role within Financial Services, Fintech or a high-growth startup.
Proven experience managing strategic relationships with banks, acquirers, payment networks or other financial institutions.
Strong understanding of payment processing, acquiring, issuing, settlement, reconciliation, chargebacks and related payment flows.
Demonstrated experience leading commercial negotiations and managing complex partnership agreements.
Strong knowledge of the MENA financial services and payments landscape, with an understanding of relevant regulatory and market considerations.
Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility and influence senior decision-makers internally and externally.
Strong project management skills, including the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and deliver complex initiatives on time.
Commercially minded and analytical, with the ability to assess opportunities, understand performance data and make sound recommendations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Arabic is a plus.
Proactive, organised and comfortable working independently in a fast-paced, evolving fintech environment.
Familiarity with workplace tools such as Slack, CRM platforms, reporting tools and project management systems.