Director, Strategic Partnership Development

Director, Strategic Partnership Development

Company: Planet

Industry: Financial Technology / Payments / Commerce Technology / Retail and Hospitality Solutions

Location: Madrid, Spain

Alternative Office Locations: Dublin, Ireland; Dortmund, Germany; Milan, Italy; and London, United Kingdom.

Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with three days per week in the office.

Employment Type: Full-Time

Department: Strategic Partnerships / Business Development

Seniority: Director Level

Primary Function: Strategic Partnership Development and Commercial Expansion

Leadership Expectations: Senior-level ownership of strategic partner acquisition, commercial negotiations, partnership development and cross-functional initiatives. The published vacancy does not specify direct reports.

1. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION – PLANET

Planet is a global provider of integrated payment, software and technology solutions, serving businesses primarily across the retail and hospitality industries.

The organization has developed an international presence by combining payment processing, commerce technology, tax-free shopping solutions and integrated software platforms to help businesses improve customer experiences and simplify their commercial operations.

Founded more than 35 years ago and headquartered in London, Planet operates across six continents, serving customers in more than 120 markets through a workforce of over 2,500 professionals.

Its business model focuses on connecting merchants, technology providers, financial institutions and customers through integrated commercial and payment solutions.

The organization supports businesses with solutions including:

Face-to-face and online payment processing.

Payment acceptance and transaction management.

Property Management Systems for hospitality businesses.

Retail and point-of-sale technology.

Booking engines and integrated commerce platforms.

Tax-free shopping and VAT refund solutions.

Currency and payment-related services.

Technology integrations that connect merchants with payment infrastructure.

Planet's approach is to combine software and payment capabilities rather than treating them as separate services. This enables retail and hospitality businesses to streamline operations, improve payment experiences, increase customer loyalty and create additional commercial opportunities.

The organization also works through an international network of financial services partners and technology providers, making strategic partnerships an important part of its business development model.

Why this matters for the position

Planet's growth strategy depends partly on developing relationships with external technology providers whose products can integrate with its payment infrastructure.

For example, a hotel management software provider, retail point-of-sale company or online booking platform can become a strategic distribution partner by integrating Planet's payment capabilities into its existing technology.

This creates opportunities for Planet to reach additional merchants while providing partners with enhanced payment functionality.

The Director, Strategic Partnership Development position is designed to identify and secure these types of relationships,

2. POSITION OVERVIEW AND EXECUTIVE MANDATE

The Director, Strategic Partnership Development will be responsible for identifying, attracting, negotiating and securing new strategic partnerships for Planet across the retail and hospitality technology ecosystems.

The position focuses on building relationships with third-party technology and software providers, particularly Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), whose solutions can complement Planet's payment and commerce platforms.

These prospective partners include:

Property Management Software (PMS) providers.

Retail point-of-sale and till system providers.

Online booking engine providers.

Hospitality technology platforms.

Software companies serving retail and hospitality businesses.

Other technology providers with relevant merchant networks.

The successful candidate will be expected to understand how these organizations operate, how their software integrates with payment solutions and how commercial partnerships can generate additional business for Planet.

An important aspect of the mandate is taking ownership of the entire partnership acquisition process, from identifying prospective organizations and initiating senior-level discussions to negotiating agreements, signing contracts and establishing joint commercial opportunities.

This is not simply a relationship-management position. It requires someone who can independently identify opportunities, develop business cases, negotiate commercially attractive agreements and translate strategic partnerships into measurable business growth.

3. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Strategic Partnership Development
Identify and develop a pipeline of prospective strategic partners across retail and hospitality technology markets.

Research the wider payments and software ecosystem to identify businesses that could strengthen Planet's commercial offering.

Establish relationships with senior decision-makers at technology companies, software providers and payment-related organizations.

Identify partnership opportunities that could expand Planet's market presence and merchant reach.

Evaluate potential partners based on their technology, commercial capabilities and strategic value.

Develop business cases supporting the addition of new partners to Planet's technology ecosystem.

B. Commercial Negotiations and Agreement Development

Lead commercial negotiations with prospective strategic partners.

Develop mutually beneficial commercial agreements.

Manage the complete negotiation process from initial engagement through contract signature.

Establish clear commercial objectives and expectations for each partnership.

Develop compelling partnership propositions that demonstrate value to Planet, its partners and their customers.

Secure partnerships capable of generating sustainable commercial opportunities.

C. Joint Business Development and Revenue Growth

Establish joint commercial pipelines with newly signed partners.

Develop prospect lists and identify opportunities for acquiring new customers together.

Identify cross-selling opportunities within existing and prospective merchant networks.

Work with partners to maximize the commercial value of their relationship with Planet.

Monitor the pipeline and business opportunities generated through each partnership.

Develop joint go-to-market strategies to accelerate commercial adoption.

D. Partner Onboarding and Integration

Support newly signed partners through the onboarding process.

Coordinate with internal teams to ensure new partners and their merchants are successfully integrated.

Work with Product, Technology and Solution Consulting teams to prioritize partner-related developments.

Ensure technical integrations support the agreed commercial objectives.

Address onboarding challenges and support a smooth transition into active commercial operations.

Transfer established partner relationships to the Partner Management team approximately six months after go-live, with a comprehensive handover of the relationship and commercial pipeline.

E. Performance Management and Commercial Accountability

Establish and monitor key performance indicators for newly developed partnerships.

Maintain accountability for the number and value of new partnerships signed.

Monitor the commercial pipeline generated during the first 12 months of each partnership.

Assess partner performance and identify opportunities to improve commercial results.

Prioritize activities that generate the greatest business value.

Develop recommendations based on market developments and commercial performance.

F. Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with regional Sales teams to identify and validate prospective partners.

Collaborate with Product and Technology teams on partner integrations.

Work with Solution Consulting to establish suitable technical and commercial propositions.

Coordinate with Partner Marketing to develop campaigns that attract and engage prospective partners.

Ensure regional commercial teams effectively progress partnership opportunities.

Maintain alignment between partnership activities and Planet's broader commercial priorities.

4. PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Planet is seeking a commercially experienced professional with a strong background in business development and strategic partnership acquisition.

The principal requirements include:

At least five years of business development experience, ideally in a complex partnership or ISV-related environment.

Experience sourcing, negotiating and securing substantial commercial partnerships.

Strong understanding of payment solutions and the wider payments ecosystem.

Knowledge of the retail and hospitality industries.

Demonstrated ability to establish relationships with senior commercial and technology stakeholders.

Proven experience identifying and closing new business partnerships.

Strong commercial judgment and negotiation capabilities.

Ability to develop strategic business cases and joint go-to-market initiatives.

Understanding of how software platforms and payment solutions integrate.

Ability to operate effectively within a global organization.

Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

A second language would be advantageous.

The organization particularly values professionals who can combine commercial instincts with strategic thinking and understand how technology partnerships can create sustainable business growth.

5. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS AND SCOPE OF INFLUENCE

Although the position carries a Director title, its published responsibilities are primarily focused on senior individual ownership of strategic partnership development rather than confirmed direct people management.

The successful candidate will be expected to operate with considerable commercial ownership and influence across several internal functions.

This includes:

Taking ownership of strategic partnership opportunities.

Engaging senior decision-makers at prospective partner organizations.

Leading high-value commercial negotiations.

Influencing product and technology priorities through business cases.

Coordinating regional Sales teams around partnership opportunities.

Establishing measurable partnership performance objectives.

Representing Planet's commercial interests during negotiations and external engagements.

Ensuring newly established relationships develop into productive business channels.

The position therefore requires someone who can work independently, exercise sound commercial judgment and influence stakeholders across a global business environment.

6. LOCATION AND WORK ARRANGEMENT

Primary Location: Madrid, Spain

Madrid is one of the designated office locations for this vacancy.

The other eligible locations are Dublin, Dortmund, Milan and London.

The position follows Planet's hybrid working arrangement, with three days per week in the office and flexibility for remote work during the remaining working days, subject to company policies.

The role involves international engagement with technology providers, commercial partners and internal teams across multiple geographical markets.

Given the international nature of the position, the successful candidate should be comfortable working across different time zones and business cultures.

Any relocation support, visa sponsorship, travel expectations or location-specific employment conditions would need to be confirmed directly with Planet.

7. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The following areas are worth clarifying during the recruitment process:

Annual gross base salary.

Any applicable performance-related incentive.

Potential additional compensation arrangements.

Annual leave and holiday entitlements.

Pension and retirement provisions applicable to the employment location.

Health and insurance benefits under the local employee package.

Hybrid working flexibility.

Professional development and career progression opportunities.

Planet's careers information highlights competitive, market-benchmarked compensation, investment in employee development and its hybrid working model.

The organization also emphasizes a culture that supports flexibility, individual contribution, collaboration and sustainable performance rather than unnecessary hierarchy.

8. PLANET'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The broader commercial priority behind this appointment is to strengthen Planet's position within the international payments and commerce technology ecosystem.

The organization wants to expand the number of technology providers that can integrate its payment capabilities into their own platforms.

There are several important priorities associated with this strategy.

Expanding the Technology Partnership Ecosystem

Building relationships with software providers whose platforms are already used by retailers, hotels and hospitality businesses.

Increasing Merchant Reach

Using strategic partnerships to access additional merchant networks and create opportunities for new customer acquisition.

Accelerating Integrated Commerce

Strengthening the connection between payment processing, retail software, hospitality systems and online commerce platforms.

Developing Joint Commercial Opportunities

Establishing partnerships that generate shared sales pipelines, new customer opportunities and cross-selling potential.

Improving Market Positioning

Identifying technology partners that strengthen Planet's overall proposition and increase its visibility within the retail and hospitality industries.

Creating Sustainable Partnership Value
Ensuring that newly signed agreements lead to actual commercial activity rather than remaining inactive contractual relationships.

The successful candidate will therefore play an important role in connecting Planet's commercial strategy with the wider technology and payments ecosystem.