Business Development and Partnerships Director

We’re hiring a business development leader to build and run our partner program securing clients, converting early feedback into repeatable playbooks, and partnering with Product and Engineering to take offerings from concept to production and scaled GTM. This role blends enterprise relationship management, structured execution, and strong product thinking.

What you’ll do:

• Manage and lead execution of multiple major cross-functional digital assets initiatives across Nasdaq
• This role requires a professional with product, ecosystem, and technical acumen who can interact effectively with clients to both drive product and partnerships
• Lead negotiations with potential external partners and ecosystem participants while engaging with various internal colleagues to ensure successful delivery of solutions in a complex, rapidly changing environment spanning traditional, centralized and decentralized financial vectors
• Build a pipeline of customers and partners (issuers, broker-dealers, custodians, fintech platforms, infrastructure providers, blockchain networks) and close agreements.
• Define mutual success criteria: use cases, milestones, KPIs, integration scope, security/compliance requirements, and resourcing.
• Create a repeatable design partner playbook: intake, discovery, feedback cadence, roadmap mapping, escalation paths, and launch readiness.
• Customer discovery to product requirements
• Lead structured discovery (workshops, journey mapping, workflow deep dives) and convert insights into PRDs, user stories, and prioritized feature asks.
• Run feedback loops: steering calls, usability reviews, sandbox testing, and post-iplementation retrospectives.
• Establish a mechanism to separate must-have requirements (regulatory/operational) from nice-to-have, and validate what generalizes across customers.
• Pilot execution and cross-functional leadership
• Orchestrate concept-to-production execution with Product, Engineering, Legal/Compliance, Risk, InfoSec, Operations, and GTM.
• Own the program management for early deployments: timelines, dependencies, integration readiness, and issue resolution.
• Ensure pilots generate reusable artifacts: reference architectures, implementation guides, onboarding checklists, and security/compliance narratives.
• Early GTM and scaling
• Build sales enablement: demo scripts, objection handling, ROI narratives, and customer case studies (where possible).
• Create and refine the launch plan for GA: rollout phases, partner ecosystem needs, and support model.

Required qualifications:

• Must have experience in the digital assets space
• 8–12+ years in business development, partnerships, strategy, solutions, or customer success in fintech, capital markets, crypto, payments, or enterprise SaaS.
• Demonstrated success securing and expanding strategic design partners or lighthouse customers and converting pilots into scaled programs.
• Strong product orientation: ability to write crisp requirements, prioritize tradeoffs, and partner effectively with Engineering.
• Comfort with blockchain and market infrastructure concepts (tokenization, custody models, settlement flows, identity/controls).
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and executive communication skills.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience operating in regulated environments and navigating security/compliance reviews.
• Background in implementation, solutions engineering, or product-led partnerships.
• Familiarity with institutional buyer personas and procurement cycles.

Core competencies:

• Customer discovery and experimentation discipline
• Program leadership and operational rigor
• Product sense plus commercial instinct
• Executive stakeholder management
• Ability to convert learning into repeatable playbooks

This position can be located in New York, and offers the opportunity for a hybrid work environment (at least 3 days a week in office, subject to change), providing flexibility and accessibility for qualified candidates.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future; Nasdaq will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa)

Come as You Are

Nasdaq is an equal opportunity employer. We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, color, disability, national origin, ancestry, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.

What We Offer

We’re proud to offer a competitive rewards package that is meaningful, recognizes the unique needs of our employees and their families and incentivizes employees for their contribution to Nasdaq’s overall success.

The base pay range for this role is $112,000 - $207,000. In addition to base salary, Nasdaq provides a generous annual bonus/commission (short-term incentive), and equity (long-term incentive), comprehensive benefits, and opportunity for growth. Exact compensation may vary based on several job-related factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to: skill set, experience, education/training, business needs and market demands.

Nasdaq’s programs and rewards are intended to allow our employees to:

• Secure Wealth: 401(k) program with 6% employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Program with 15% discount, Student loan repayment program up to $10k, Company paid life and disability plans, Generous paid time off
• Prioritize Health: Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, Health spending account with employer contribution, Paid flex days to support mental wellbeing, Gym membership discounts
• Care for Family: Hybrid home/office schedule (for most positions), Paid parental leave, Fertility benefits, Paid bereavement leave
• Connect with Community: Company gift matching program, Employee resource groups, Paid volunteer days
• Grow Career: Education Assistance Program, Robust job skills training and Professional development opportunities

For more information, visit Nasdaq Benefits & Rewards Career page.